Relief Family Group Conference Co-ordinators

We’re seeking proactive and solution focused people to join us as Relief Family Group Conference Co-ordinators. A Family Group Conference (FGC) is a Family Group Decision Making meeting led by the family, supported by their wider network in which family/friends come together to make a plan for a child. The process is supported by an independent and impartial Co-ordinator who helps the family prepare for the FGC. Children are involved in their own FGC, often with support from the Co-ordinator to ensure that their views, wishes and aspirations are heard at the FGC.

This well-established service supports families to make realistic, safe and robust plans for the protection of their children and to enable families to care for their children within their own family and friends network. As a Relief FGC Co-ordinator, you will be organised, self-motivated and have good listening and conflict management skills. You’ll use your experience and enthusiasm to help empower parents and families to plan and make positive changes in their lives.

The team are based at Holne Chase Centre in Bletchley and work with families and children across the city as well as with wider family who may live out of the area. FGC Co-ordinator Training dates to be confirmed.

If you would like an informal conversation or further information, please contact Surjit Bains at fgc@milton-keynes.gov.uk.

Formal interviews will take place on Tuesday 29 July.

• Support referring agencies to identify family strengths, family resources and present clear information to families which will enable families to address the concerns and parallel plan in an empowering manner within agreed timescales.
• Work with the children and parents/carers to identify wider family/friends’ network who will be invited to the conference to support parents to make informed decisions that will safeguard their children.
• Undertake risk assessments when visiting family members in order to maintain the safety of all participants attending the conference.
• Identify the wishes, feelings and aspirations of the children, to support them to attend the conference and ensure that their voices are heard.
• Advocate on behalf of or identify advocates for other vulnerable adults to ensure that their voices are heard.
• Facilitate and chair Family Group Conferences within timescales.
• Manage difficult situations that may occur at the conference, support families to resolve conflict and focus on the needs of the child.
• Work to comply, promote and contribute to all practices and policies including Health and Safety, Safeguarding, Prevent, online safety, and Equality and Diversity.

• A Diploma (NVQ or BTEC Level 3) or Degree in Social Work, Youth Work, Health, Education, Advocacy, Police, Mediation or related disciplines.
• You will be required to complete the three day FGC Co-ordinator Training if you do not hold this qualification.
• Minimum of three years’ experience and expertise in working with vulnerable families and children in settings related to children or family work.
• Understanding of working with families in crisis, expertise to manage and address situations of conflict through restorative and solution focused practices and understanding of “the family”, family process and dynamic.
• Self-motivated with excellent verbal and written communication skills, able to prioritise work, use own initiative, achieve deadlines, and work effectively as part of a team in a solution focussed way.
• Able to work different hours to meet the needs of the families (e.g., evenings and weekends).
• Experience of chairing and facilitating complex, challenging and diverse meetings.
• Negotiating, advocating, mediating, and liaising with a range of agencies and professional staff.
• Ability to analyse highly complex and sensitive information, and write reports, support families to write their plans, collating stats/outcome data that is easily understood by service users and colleagues.
• For this role you are required to have a full UK driving licence and provide evidence of your vehicle insurance with business cover and use of a vehicle.
• If you are successful, you will be required to supply evidence of your licence prior to starting the role.
• Should you be offered the role, as part of the pre-employment checks an Enhanced DBS will be actioned for you (unless you are on the DBS Update Service).

In addition to your salary, we offer a range of benefits including:

• Great holiday benefits - most roles include 28 days annual leave every year on top of public (bank) holidays, increasing to 32 days after five years.
• In addition, there is a holiday purchase scheme allowing staff to purchase up to 5 additional days of leave each year.
• Excellent pension - everyone who works for us can join the national Local Government Pension Scheme, widely regarded as one of the best available.
• A full range of family friendly policies including enhanced maternity, adoption and paternity support and a childcare subsidy.
• Access to an award-winning employee benefits programme that includes a health cash plan, a low-cost bike purchase scheme as well as high street discounts and money off entertainment and travel.
• Salary sacrifice car scheme - low-cost leasing of electric and low emission vehicles.
• Blue Light Card - employees working within social care can qualify for an additional range of discounts from national retailers and local businesses.
• Our roles are either designated ‘site based’ or ‘home based’. ‘Site based’ roles can include up to two days a week working from home whilst ‘home based’ roles are based at home four days a week.

Milton Keynes City Council is a large, modern and financially stable employer with around 2,500 people working across our eight areas. Together we provide local residents and businesses with a wide range of important round-the-clock services and aim to make our city a better place to live.

We work hard because of the demands placed on us, like protecting children from harm or preventing homelessness. However, working for the city is always rewarding and everyone has the opportunity to make a real difference.

We’re very proud of our diversity and are committed to having a workforce that reflects the community we serve. Whatever your background, you will be welcome here if you share our values of being dedicated, respectful and collaborative.

We offer great training and support and because of the size and scale of the organisation there are always new opportunities to explore when it’s time for a new role.

If you’d like to know more about how we do things and what matters to us, take a look at our short booklet What makes us Milton Keynes City Council.