At a Glance
- Tasks: Support families visiting loved ones in prison, creating a welcoming environment and organising activities.
- Company: Join Pact, a supportive organisation dedicated to family engagement.
- Benefits: Generous holiday entitlement, pension scheme, and professional development opportunities.
- Other info: Equal opportunity employer, welcoming all applications.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in families' lives during challenging times.
- Qualifications: Experience with families, strong communication skills, and a calm approach to challenges.
The predicted salary is between 26227 - 26227 £ per year.
Join us as a Family Support Worker (Visits Centre Assistant) at HMP The Mount, where you will play an important role in supporting families visiting their loved ones in prison. Based in the visitor centre, you’ll help create a welcoming and supportive environment for adults and children. From offering information and guidance to organising activities for children and ensuring refreshments are available, you’ll contribute to making visits as positive and stress‑free as possible.
This is a varied and rewarding role where no two days are the same. You’ll support families during what can often be a challenging time, using your experience of working with people facing difficulties to handle situations calmly and sensitively. You’ll also work closely with colleagues and partner agencies, ensuring safeguarding and child protection procedures are followed at all times. Your input will help us continue to improve our family support services.
Responsibilities- Create a welcoming environment for visitors.
- Provide information and guidance to families.
- Organise activities for children.
- Ensure refreshments are available.
- Support families during visits, maintaining a calm and sensitive approach.
- Collaborate with colleagues and partner agencies to follow safeguarding and child protection procedures.
- Offer feedback to improve family support services.
- Experience working with adults, children and families.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to manage challenging situations calmly.
- Good teamwork and collaboration with partners.
- Commitment to safeguarding and child protection procedures.
- Free advice, information and counselling service.
- Contributory pension.
- Corporate eye‑care scheme.
- Cycle to work scheme.
- Generous holiday entitlement.
- Opportunities for training events and professional development.
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. Being bankrupt or having County Court Judgements may affect your ability to be successfully vetted to work in a prison.
Salary£26,227.50 per annum full‑time earnings, £5,245.50 actual earnings.
Hours7.5 hours per week – Wednesday 1:45‑3:30, Thursday 1:45‑3:30, Saturday 9‑11, 1:45‑3:45.
Optional Schemes- Cycle to Work Scheme
- Life Assurance
- Season Ticket Loan
- EAP Scheme
Family Support Worker - Visits Support and Play employer: Prison Advice and Care Trust
At Pact, we pride ourselves on being an excellent employer, offering a supportive and inclusive work culture that values the contributions of every team member. As a Family Support Worker at HMP The Mount, you will benefit from generous holiday entitlement, professional development opportunities, and a range of employee support services, all while making a meaningful impact in the lives of families during challenging times. Join us in creating a positive environment for visitors and experience the fulfilment of helping others in a unique setting.
Contact Details:
Prison Advice and Care Trust Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Family Support Worker - Visits Support and Play
✨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 - Visits Support and Play
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.
