At a Glance
- Tasks: Coordinate family visits, support prisoners and their families, and manage the visitors' centre.
- Company: Join a supportive organisation focused on family ties and prisoner resettlement.
- Benefits: Gain valuable experience, develop skills, and make a positive impact in the community.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for personal growth and community engagement.
- Why this job: Be a vital link for families, helping to strengthen relationships and support reintegration.
- Qualifications: Strong communication skills and a passion for supporting families in challenging situations.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 40000 £ per year.
Responsibilities include coordinating visits and maintaining the essential link between the establishment, prisoners, and their families. Ensure that visits are enjoyable for both the prisoner and their family, and that the visits area is maintained with a variety of refreshments available during the visit.
Manage the visitors’ centre, ensuring visitors are aware of all services available to them with clear guidance/protocols in line with HMPPS policies. Lead the resettlement pathway “Families and Children,” delivering marriage courses, family support groups, and assisting with communication between a prisoner and their child/children where appropriate.
Liaise and work with other departments to discuss events held within the visits centre, including children’s days, family days, visits with a difference, visitor days, and social events. Promote and deliver good working practice, embracing the “Seven Pathways” to strengthen family ties and the resettlement of prisoners.
Recruit volunteers and paid sessional staff, ensuring they undertake appropriate courses to support them in their role. Facilitate weekly inductions for all new prisoners, informing them of legal and domestic visit procedures. Provide play and craft activities and themed visits based on the Seven Pathways, offering information to families.
Ensure the visits garden area and children’s play area are properly maintained, risk assessed, and suitable for garden visits. Contribute to risk assessments for legal and domestic visits in the establishment. Manage the selection criteria for prisoners to work in the visits hall, producing compact registers for them to work to and ensuring they have relevant training (e.g., Food and Hygiene).
Ensure stock is checked and ordered as required. Log attendance and approve prisoner hours worked and wages in the visits hall. Assist in arranging weddings, sourcing cake, flowers, and other appropriate items as agreed with the couple. Maintain and update information on the notice board within visits.
Utilise resources efficiently and effectively within prescribed guidelines and the Waste Minimisation Policy. Represent the department at regional and national meetings to maintain good practice and share information, supporting positive family networking and addressing issues affecting the families of prisoners. Challenge any unacceptable behaviour and use correct reporting procedures. Assist in coordinating therapy visits for prisoners.
Administrative tasks include organising, producing, and maintaining accurate records for the area of work. Act as a contact point for all communications to the team, prioritising and directing them to the appropriate person or relevant department in the establishment. Complete monitoring returns for the area of work.
Input requisitions on the finance database for purchases in the area of work. Co-ordinate any awareness sessions for the area of work. Prepare paperwork for checking by the manager, conducting initial checks as required. Correspond with relevant stakeholders and agencies to ensure they are aware of information and it is adequately shared.
Maintain and check establishment databases, manual filing systems, and logs of information with responses within timescales, producing reports as required. Collate information on relevant Service Delivery Indicators (SDIs). Arrange any meetings, including the preparation of paperwork, minutes, and action points.
Family Support Worker employer: Ministry of Justice
As a Family Support Worker, you will join a dedicated team committed to fostering positive family connections within the prison environment. Our organisation prioritises employee well-being and professional development, offering comprehensive training and growth opportunities in a supportive work culture. Located in a dynamic setting, we provide unique advantages such as engaging community events and a collaborative atmosphere that empowers staff to make a meaningful impact on the lives of prisoners and their families.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Family Support Worker
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the field of family support work, whether through LinkedIn or local community events. We can’t stress enough how valuable personal connections can be in landing that dream job.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by practising common questions related to family support work. Think about scenarios you might face and how you'd handle them. We want you to feel confident and ready to showcase your skills!
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t forget to follow up after interviews! A quick thank-you email can go a long way in showing your enthusiasm for the role. We believe it’s a great way to keep you on their radar.
✨Tip Number 4
Check out our website for job openings and apply directly! We often have roles that might not be advertised elsewhere, so keep an eye out and get your application in early.
We think you need these skills to ace Family Support Worker
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion:When writing your application, let your enthusiasm for supporting families shine through. We want to see how much you care about making visits enjoyable and meaningful for both prisoners and their families.
Be Specific About Your Experience:Use examples from your past roles that relate to the responsibilities listed in the job description. Whether it’s coordinating events or managing volunteers, we love to see how your experience aligns with what we do.
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your application for this role. Highlight your understanding of the Seven Pathways and how you can contribute to strengthening family ties. We appreciate when candidates take the time to connect their skills to our mission.
Check Your Details:Before hitting send, double-check your application for any typos or errors. A polished application shows us that you pay attention to detail, which is super important in this role. And remember, apply through our website for the best chance!
How to prepare for a job interview at Ministry of Justice
✨Know Your Role Inside Out
Before the interview, make sure you thoroughly understand the responsibilities of a Family Support Worker. Familiarise yourself with the key tasks mentioned in the job description, such as coordinating visits and managing the visitors' centre. This will help you answer questions confidently and demonstrate your genuine interest in the role.
✨Showcase Your Communication Skills
As a Family Support Worker, effective communication is crucial. Prepare examples from your past experiences where you've successfully liaised with families or worked with diverse groups. Highlight how you can facilitate communication between prisoners and their children, as this is a key aspect of the job.
✨Demonstrate Your Problem-Solving Abilities
Be ready to discuss situations where you've had to tackle challenges, especially in a family support context. Think about how you would handle difficult behaviours or unexpected issues during visits. Showing that you can think on your feet and find solutions will impress the interviewers.
✨Emphasise Your Teamwork Experience
Collaboration is essential in this role, so be prepared to talk about your experience working in teams. Share specific instances where you've worked with other departments or volunteers to achieve a common goal. This will illustrate your ability to contribute positively to the team dynamic.
