Children and Young People Worker

Based: Brent (Various co-locations in Brent including Brent Social Care and Head office)

Rate: £19 umb

Start Date: ASAP

Duration: Temp for 3 months then rolling

Hours: 35 hours per week – Hybrid, 2 days home working

Our client, a specialist charity, are recruiting for a Children and Young People Worker with vast experience of working with children and young people and understanding the impact of Domestic Abuse on them as victims as well as witnesses. Very experienced in Safeguarding - understanding risk and ability to manage crisis.

Synopsis of duties:

• Provide excellent support and other safe interventions for children and young people affected by domestic abuse.
• Ensure effective access to the service for children and young people and encourage their engagement with the service, through multi-agency working and service flexibility as well as creatively engage with children and young people including extensive face to face one to one support.
• Hold a caseload of children and young people and undertake a comprehensive risk and needs analysis for each child and young person, to ascertain the level of support needed and the type of activities required to meet their needs.
• Develop and deliver support plans that include delivery of high-quality face to face, using relevant and appropriate IT tools for engagement, and telephone crisis intervention, information, advocacy and support, in respect to criminal and civil remedies, housing, health, welfare rights, children’s legislation and other appropriate children and young people centred interventions.
• Work in partnership with IDVAs to ensure a package of support is provided to children, young people and their mothers, ensuring age and developmental needs appropriateness, as well as sensitivity to cultural needs, and to address issues such as discrimination and other barriers to accessing support.
• Ensure children and young people feel safe and have their wishes and feelings heard and that the ‘voice of the child’ is considered in all assessments, support plans and advocacy.
• Advise children and young people of their rights and options for seeking help and support from other agencies, making referrals and coordinating the provision of multi-agency support where necessary, and proactively advocate to ensure barriers to accessing support and protection are minimised.
• Advocate on behalf of children, where necessary, while adhering to Safeguarding and Child Protection policy and procedures.
• Proactively assess the needs and safety of any children that women using the service may have, ensure that any risks and needs identified are addressed directly with the woman, and take appropriate action to safeguard the child/children and the mother.
• Participate in multi-agency conferences in respect of children and adults at risk as required, providing reports and undertaking actions as necessary including MARAC and attend relevant safeguarding meetings and specialist/dedicated courts.
• Work in partnership with organisations that work with Children and Young People and provide institutional advocacy to maximise positive outcomes and use the appropriate reporting mechanisms to highlight persistent or recurring issues that arise.
• Work proactively and in co-operation with Early Help to centre the children’s &/or young women’s safety, maintain referral routes and increase access and earlier intervention resulting in better results for the family.
• Develop and deliver a comprehensive programme of one-to-one support for school aged children and young people ensuring sessions are based on age and development stage that are appropriate to the needs of the child or young person.
• Develop informative literature for women and children, including a children’s introduction pack, which is to be kept up-to-date.
• Communicate regularly with mothers/carers about the work with their children.
• Work with the Service Manager, Evidence & Insights team to ensure all monitoring and evaluation for the project is accurate and fully maintained, and keep managers informed of any issues and successes.
• Keep accurate records of all work done with or on behalf of the child or young person, ensuring that case recording and monitoring systems are kept up to date and secure.
• Produce written internal and external reports as requested, including for safeguarding meetings and case conferences, team meetings, managers and others.
• Work effectively as a member of the Domestic Abuse team and in close collaboration with other teams.

Essential Requirements

• A thorough understanding of the dynamics of domestic abuse (physical, emotional and sexual violence, so-called ‘honour-based violence’, forced marriage, stalking and harassment) and its impact on women, children, families and communities.
• Knowledge and understanding of the needs and rights of and options for children and young people who are or have experienced domestic abuse, or have a parent experiencing domestic abuse, and the practical and emotional support needs.
• Thorough knowledge of safeguarding practice, procedures and legislation.
• Enhanced Adult and Child DBS on the update service or dated within the last 12 months.