At a Glance
- Tasks: Support families visiting loved ones, ensuring positive relationships and well-being.
- Company: Join Pact, a compassionate organisation dedicated to family support in challenging environments.
- Benefits: Enjoy generous holidays, training opportunities, and a supportive team atmosphere.
- Other info: Flexible rota with opportunities for professional development and growth.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in families' lives while gaining valuable experience.
- Qualifications: Experience with families in challenging situations and strong organisational skills required.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
As Family Support Worker you will provide support to families visiting loved ones in the Visitor Centre. Visitor centre services include play and children’s services and a catering service. You will work as one of the PACT Family team, based primarily in the prison’s visitor centre and visits hall providing support, advice and guidance to families visiting prisoners, facilitating prison visits and family days and supporting the play service.
Responsibilities
- Delivering effective and responsive family support services so that positive family relationships are maintained, strengthened and fully integrated within prisoners’ care and rehabilitation plans.
- Ensuring that children, families and prisoners are treated with dignity and respect, their voices are heard, they are involved in the development and delivery of our services, and their health and well-being is promoted.
- Continuously working to improve continuity of care and support for family members and carers and, by extension, people in custody.
Driving licence and car are desirable for this role.
About You
To be successful in this role you will have experience and understanding of working with families in a challenging environment, ideally involving offenders and/or their families. You will also have excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage a demanding workload. You will have the ability to contribute to planning and development of Pact’s family work and also have knowledge of safeguarding/child-protection practice. Furthermore, you will have excellent interpersonal communication skills and the ability to build partnerships with a range of agencies.
What We Offer
Pact offers a range of benefits including free advice, information and counselling service, contributory pension, corporate eye-care scheme, cycle-to-work scheme and generous holiday entitlement. You will have the opportunity to attend training events to further develop yourself as a professional training and interventions worker. You will undergo a thorough induction process and be supported by a friendly and enthusiastic team.
How to Apply
If you feel that you meet the requirements of this exciting new role please complete an application form by clicking the apply now button. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
Other Information
Rota: Wednesday 5.5 (11:00 – 16:30), Thursday 5.5 (11:00 – 16:30), Saturday 4.5 (12:00 – 16:30), Sunday 4.5 (12:00 – 16:30).
Pact is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all applications including those with a criminal conviction (appointment to post is subject to a risk assessment). This post is subject to a 6-month probationary period, verification of identity and proven right to work in the UK, satisfactory references from previous employers covering a 3-year period, declaration of any unspent criminal convictions (and where appropriate a satisfactory risk assessment), Prison Vetting and a Disclosure and Barring Service check. Please note that being bankrupt or having County Court Judgements may affect your ability to be successfully vetted to work in a prison.
Family Support Worker employer: Prison Advice and Care Trust
Prison Advice and Care Trust is an exceptional employer, dedicated to making a meaningful impact in the lives of families affected by incarceration. Located in Aylesbury, we foster a supportive work culture that values emotional resilience and adaptability, providing our employees with comprehensive benefits such as wellness programs and a cycle to work scheme. We are committed to employee growth, offering opportunities for professional development and the chance to engage in rewarding work that truly makes a difference.
Contact Details:
Prison Advice and Care Trust Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Family Support Worker
✨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 Prison Advice and Care Trust.
✨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 Prison Advice and Care Trust!
✨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 Prison Advice and Care Trust, 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 Prison Advice and Care Trust 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 Family Support Worker
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 Prison Advice and Care Trust:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Prison Advice and Care Trust! 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 Prison Advice and Care Trust
✨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.
