At a Glance
- Tasks: Support families with perinatal mental health and promote healthy parent-infant relationships.
- Company: Barnardo's, leading the delivery of Sandwell Best Start Family Hubs.
- Benefits: Flexible working hours, training opportunities, and a chance to make a real difference.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for personal growth and community impact.
- Why this job: Join a passionate team dedicated to building strong communities and supporting new parents.
- Qualifications: Experience in family support or related fields is a plus, but enthusiasm is key!
The predicted salary is between 24300 - 29700 £ per year.
Background and Service Specifics
Sandwell Family Hubs: Black Country Locality
Barnardo's is proud to lead the delivery of Sandwell Best Start Family Hubs and Healthy Babies across the Borough. These hubs provide a wide range of high-quality, locally designed services for families in the six town areas: Oldbury, Smethwick, Tipton, Rowley Regis, Wednesbury, and West Bromwich. Our commitment is to create strong, resilient communities by:
- Promoting easy access to services
- Reducing barriers to engagement
- Building lasting connections with families
The Role of the SfL Practitioner
Responsible for: No line management responsibility, however, will support volunteers and students.
Responsible to: Team Manager for SfL
Job Purpose: To provide services and support for perinatal mental health, parent infant relationships and infant feeding during first 1001 days. Your base location and designated towns will be agreed upon appointment.
Objectives/key activities
In addition to duties outlined in the generic job description, the SfL Practitioner will be expected to:
- Deliver focussed activity for antenatal stages through to the age of 2
- Provide activities and deliver sessions promoting healthy Parent-Baby and Parent-Infant relationships
- Have meaningful contact with families of new babies, welcoming them to Family Hubs and providing information
- Delivery of universal access sessions to support perinatal mental health and parent infant relationship.
- Ensure wellbeing telephone calls are completed for all identified families and connecting to Family Hubs
- Organise and deliver events such as cluster-based ‘bump to baby'
- Help, encourage and connect families with 1001 initiatives.
- Support with Early Identification of need, connecting families to appropriate services including internal services; Early Years, Family Support, Father's service, Health and Wellbeing and wider family hub network provision
- To have an understanding of identification and support pathways to Family Support for neglect and reducing parental conflict
- Promotion of ELT/NEF
- Provision of Baby Bundles to care experienced young parents, encouraging access to antenatal services and Family Hubs.
- To complete Unicef Baby-Friendly training, promoting initiatives, infant feeding, breast pump loan scheme and connecting to Breast Feeding Network
- To actively engage in reflective case and personal supervision, Performance Growth Cycles and be responsible for updating learning, implementing into practice and develop skills to meet service needs.
- To participate as part of wider rota for Saturday/evening service delivery
- Undertake additional duties consistent with the role and services objectives.
Start for life Practitioner (23718) in Smethwick employer: BARNARDOS
Barnardo's is an exceptional employer, offering a collaborative work culture that prioritises flexibility and employee well-being. As a Strategic Finance Partner in Greater London, you will have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on children's services while benefiting from professional growth and development within a supportive environment dedicated to improving the lives of young people.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Start for life Practitioner (23718) in Smethwick
✨Dive into Local Community Groups
Social work thrives on community connections, so get involved in local groups or forums specific to your interests. Whether it’s volunteering at local shelters or joining community action boards, these are great ways to boost your visibility and make direct contacts that could lead to opportunities like the one at BARNARDOS.
✨Attend Social Work Events and Workshops
Keep an eye out for workshops, seminars, or conferences in social work. These events are fantastic for meeting professionals in the field, learning about emerging trends, and spotting job openings. Plus, you might just bump into someone from BARNARDOS!
✨Showcase Your Passion and Expertise
Use platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn to share your journey and insights into the social work sector. Whether it’s writing about your experiences or sharing relevant articles, this helps to establish you as an engaged professional. Potential employers, like BARNARDOS, will notice your enthusiasm!
✨Leverage Your Network
Don’t hesitate to reach out to professors, mentors, or even past colleagues who are in social work. They might have inside knowledge about openings at BARNARDOS or be able to connect you with someone who’s hiring. Networking is key, especially in a full-time role where relationships matter.
We think you need these skills to ace Start for life Practitioner (23718) in Smethwick
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Social Work:In your cover letter, let us see your passion for social work shine through! Talk about the experiences that made you want to pursue this career—whether it’s volunteering, personal experiences, or academic projects. We want to know why this field matters to you.
Emphasise Relevant Qualifications:Make sure your CV highlights any relevant qualifications, like degrees in social work or certifications like a DBS check. If you've done any workshops or training, don’t forget to include those as well. We're keen to see your commitment to your professional development!
Detail Your Experience with Clients:Since this is a hands-on field, detailing any direct experience you have with clients is crucial. Whether it's internships, volunteer roles, or previous jobs, highlight those experiences in your CV to show us you've got the practical skills necessary for the job!
Tailor Your Application to BARNARDOS:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to BARNARDOS! Research our mission and values, and refer to them in your cover letter. This shows us that you understand our work and are genuinely interested in being a part of our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at BARNARDOS
✨Understanding the Role of Empathy
In social work, understanding and demonstrating empathy is key. Be prepared to share personal experiences or scenarios where you effectively showed compassion and support. This helps show that you genuinely care about the well-being of others, which is crucial in social work.
✨Demonstrating Knowledge of Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with the frameworks and models used in social work, such as the Strengths-Based Approach or the Ecological Perspective. Be ready to discuss how these frameworks apply to your work, especially if you can tie them into real-world examples or case studies you've encountered.
✨Showcasing Your Multi-Disciplinary Skills
In a full-time social work role, you'll often collaborate with healthcare professionals, educators, and law enforcement. Be prepared to describe your teamwork experiences and how you've effectively communicated with other disciplines to achieve the best outcomes for clients.
✨Preparing for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical social work situations, such as dealing with a crisis or managing a complex case. Think through your thought process for these scenarios beforehand, considering how you'd assess the situation and what steps you'd take, as this demonstrates your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
