Family Support Worker

**Salary**: £23,151.50 per annum, pro rata which equates to £15,643
**Location**: Ballymena
**Contract/Hours**: Permanent, Part-time (working 25 hours a week) - this could be flexible but needs to include Friday mornings

**Benefits**:

- 29 days annual leave PLUS bank holidays, with up to 5 additional days for continuous service and option to buy or sell leave
- Gain professional qualifications and excellent training/development opportunities
- Flexible maternity, adoption, and paternity packages
- Pension with up to 7% employer contribution with included life assurance cover
- Staff discount portal and Blue Light Card eligibility with 15,000 national retailers discounts.

**Vulnerable children in the UK need your help**
Wherever you work in the Action for Children family, you'll be helping to change the lives of the most vulnerable children in the UK.
Last year, we helped more than 687,000 children and families across the UK. From direct work in communities to national campaigning, we are focused on making sure every child has a safe and happy childhood, and the foundations they need to thrive.

**Why Action for Children?**
Working here is more than a job. Everyone in the Action for Children family is passionate about protecting and supporting children. It's the sense of purpose that drives us every single day. Because we know that, when we work together, we can make a huge difference to bring lasting improvements to vulnerable children's lives.

**About the service**
Ballymena & Little Steps Sure Start provides a range of health, play & learning and parenting support services to children, from pre-birth up to four years, and their families. The project comprises a multi-agency, multi-disciplinary team and works in close partnership with a range of local Statutory, Voluntary and Community service providers to promote effective service delivery in response to the needs of the expectant parents, children and families across the designated SureStart areas. Sure Start services are provided from 3 centre bases across the localities, within the home setting or through outreach settings.

**A bit about the role**
As a Family Support Worker you'll join our team providing high quality, evidence based, and holistic interventions for families in the perinatal period and throughout their parenting journey with SureStart. This includes group work and programmes as well as offering home visits and phone calls for additional parenting support. You will have access to a wide range of training opportunities including Action for Children's extensive e-learning.

**How you'll help to create brighter futures**
- Undertaking a range of home visits including promotional visits, social, emotional and practical parenting support and / or developing play skills with children aged under 4 years and their parents/carers.
- Supporting families to attend centre-based services, facilitating various parenting support programmes and signposting families to other relevant services ensuring good links with local statutory and voluntary services.
- Engaging with families with children from pre-birth up to the age of 4 in the catchment area
- Assessing families' needs and creating service plans in partnership with them to achieve their desired outcomes
- Being responsible for the planning, development and delivery of individual and group-based services, which support families in providing their children with the best start in life.

**Let's talk about you**
Ideally you will have:

- Level 3 Diploma in Childcare or equivalent relevant qualification.
- Experience of working with families and children aged under 4 years.
- A thorough understanding of child protection and Safeguarding.
- An understanding of the physical, intellectual, linguistic, social and emotional growth as part of child development.
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to engage with people of all ages and backgrounds to build strong and collaborative relationships.
- Strong record keeping skills to complete assessments, service plans and reviews.
- Good IT skills.
- The ability to travel across Antrim and Ballymena on a regular basis. The job requires the ability to travel according to the needs of the job, with reasonable adjustments, if required, according to the Equality Act.

**Please note**: Interviews are planned to be held on 18th December 2024.