Children and Family Worker in Wakefield

Here at Wakefield we are looking for a dynamic, enthusiastic and committed Part-Time Children and Family Worker to work with our children and their families in our locality team. At Wakefield we have adopted a restorative model in every aspect of our practice with children and families. This is to ensure that we work collaboratively to promote resilience and positive change for the children in our district. We are dedicated to providing all of our staff with a positive working environment, where they feel safe and supported. We are committed to staff development and progression.

Wakefield children’s services are GOOD with OUTSTANDING leadership: We have strong and supportive teams with effective leadership. We have permanent managers who are committed to promoting your development. We provide regular and reflective supervision to enable you to manage your caseload effectively and develop in your practice. We offer competitive pay rates. We care about our workers and staff morale is good. Wakefield is a fantastic place to live and work and all of our office bases are in locations with good transport links and parking. We have clear direction of where we want to be, and we want you to be a part of this journey.

What does the role involve?

• Arranging and supervising Family Time for our looked after children and young people.
• Direct work with children and young people.
• Specific interventions for children, young people, and their carers.
• Working alongside social workers to ensure the best outcome for our children and young people.
• Evidence based whole family approach interventions to prevent children and young people coming into the care of the Local Authority.

What do some of our Children and Family Worker’s say about working for Wakefield?

• ‘C and F worker in Wakefield is such a rewarding role, every day is different and every day we support families to make positive changes for their children and young people. This job is perfect for someone who is resilient, enjoys a challenge, is both a team player and works on their own initiative and sees the potential in every situation’.
• ‘I have enjoyed working in Wakefield as a Children and Family Worker. I have supported children and young people within their own homes in the community and within school settings… I have worked with various families that have been referred to me by different social workers on CIN and CP plans. I feel my strength is working positively with children, families and my colleagues across the teams’.
• ‘The reason I love being a child and family worker is due to the fact the job is very varied, enjoy doing the direct work with all the young people in order to get their wishes and feelings……, building up a trusting relationship with young people so they are able to voice their concerns and worries and feel they are being listened to and heard’.
• ‘I have been at Wakefield 2 years now and enjoy the role and the journey they are on and the bright future they have in front of them’.

Who are we looking for?

Here we’re looking for only the best Children and Family Worker – those with the skills, motivation, and passion to help us move forwards. You must also have the following:

• You must have experience of working with children and young people.
• You must be committed and motivated to safeguarding our most vulnerable children.
• You must be willing to develop new skills and learn in a positive environment.
• You must be able to communicate well with others, including children and their families.
• You should have good IT skills and written communication.
• You must have an ability to creatively problem solve and a willingness to promote the best outcomes for children and their families.
• It would help if you have a relevant qualification, though this is not essential where experience outweighs this.

What can I expect?

• A competitive salary.
• Generous holiday entitlement with the option to buy up to 10 extra days of annual leave.
• Hybrid working (subject to role suitability).
• Access to high-quality training programs to advance your career to the next level.
• We are committed to supporting the wellbeing of our staff.
• We recognise that resilient teams need good work life balance as well as supportive leadership.
• Discounted and subsidised public transport (Arriva Bus Annual Travel Ticket, Northern Trains Limited (NTL), MetroCard).
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) and a Shared Cost Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVC) scheme providing a tax efficient way to increase our pension.
• Great range of benefits including an Employee Assistant Programme, discounted membership to our excellent leisure facilities with free 12 weeks exercise program, discounts for a range of retail, entertainment, health and leisure providers, a cycle to work scheme, and many more.