Family Support Workers X3

**Permanent, Full Time**

**Permanent, Part Time 18.5 hours**
**Permanent, Part Time 15 hours**

A vacancy has arisen for a full-time permanent and two part time permanent Family Support Workers in the East Central area based at the Welsman office in St Pauls.

The role involves supporting a team of social workers and support staff in working with vulnerable children and families within the above areas offices. This may include working directly with families under the guidance of a social worker or supervising the contact between parents and their children at times when they are unable to have direct care.

You will need to have experience in working with children and families and an understanding of the role statutory children’s services play in their lives.

The area has a diverse populations and families with a variety of backgrounds and history. Therefore, an understanding of equalities and the importance of recognising diversity is essential.

You will need good communication skills a capacity to work as a committed team member as well as proven ability to be organised, flexible and work under pressure. We offer a supportive environment with a commitment to the training and development of our staff.

You will need to be confident in talking to children and young people and working in partnership with families and multiagency partners.

An understanding of the vulnerabilities faced by families who experience poor mental health, addiction and domestic abuse is also necessary.

**Practice frameworks and approaches**:
In order to support families in achieving change, there are a number of different approaches and methodologies which underpin our practice in Bristol:

- Signs of Safety is the framework we use to assess and respond to harm.
- Systemic Social Work Practice**provides the theories to understand the complexity of an individual’s experiences and the influence they have on their ability to make and sustain change.
- Relationship based Practice means strengthening relationships between people as well as strengthening social connections within communities.
- Contextual Safeguarding enables us to assess and respond to harm that affects children outside their families

**Team Vision**:
At the heart of everything we do are the children and families of Bristol. We will help families to achieve the change they want to see for themselves and their children. We believe that children should live with their family or someone who knows them best. We act when children need to be protected from harm and we do everything we can to make sure that children in our care and care leavers are set up for life.

We want to create a consistent offer for children and families so that the intervention they receive is the best that can be offered, we want to ensure our interventions are supporting positive change and better outcomes for children and families whilst supporting them at the lowest level.

**Why Bristol City Council?**

At Bristol City Council, we go that extra mile for our people; we offer a work environment which is fast moving and supportive, giving you the chance to use your skills and develop new ones within a high profile organisation.

Join us and you’ll receive a generous rewards package including flexible working and flexi-time, membership of the Local Government Pension scheme, and a generous annual leave allowance. In addition, you’ll be working in a supportive environment where you’ll have the chance to make Bristol a better place and contribute to its future.

**How do I apply?**

**We're a Disability Confident employer which means we value recruiting and retaining disabled people. Any job applicants who consider themselves to be disabled and meet the essential criteria in the Person Specification are guaranteed an interview. We'll make reasonable adjustments throughout the interview process and provide continued workplace support throughout your career.**

**For further information, please refer to the Job Description and Person Specification or alternatively, please contact Anne Farmer 07795 091101.