At a Glance
- Tasks: Support families visiting loved ones in prison, creating a welcoming and positive environment.
- 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 diverse applicants including those with convictions.
- 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.
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.
Qualifications and Requirements:
- 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.
Benefits:
- 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.
Hours: 7.5 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 in Hemel Hempstead 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 that comes from helping others.
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 in Hemel Hempstead
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the role inside out! Familiarise yourself with the responsibilities of a Family Support Worker. This way, when you chat with potential employers, you can show off your understanding and passion for creating a supportive environment for families.
✨Tip Number 2
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the field, attend relevant events, or join online groups. The more connections you make, the better your chances of hearing about job openings before they even hit the market.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your interview skills! Think about common questions related to family support work and prepare your answers. Role-playing with a friend can help you feel more confident and ready to tackle any tricky questions that come your way.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! We love seeing applications directly from candidates who are genuinely interested in joining our team. Plus, it gives you a chance to showcase your enthusiasm for the role right from the start!
We think you need these skills to ace Family Support Worker - Visits Support and Play in Hemel Hempstead
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion:When writing your application, let your passion for supporting families shine through. We want to see how much you care about making visits a positive experience for both adults and children.
Be Specific About Your Experience:Share specific examples from your past work with families or children. We love to hear about real situations where you've made a difference, so don’t hold back on the details!
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to tailor your application to the role of Family Support Worker. Highlight your communication skills and ability to handle challenging situations calmly, as these are key to what we’re looking for.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets to us quickly and efficiently, so don’t miss out on this opportunity!
How to prepare for a job interview at Prison Advice and Care Trust
✨Know the Role Inside Out
Before your interview, make sure you thoroughly understand the responsibilities of a Family Support Worker. Familiarise yourself with the specific tasks mentioned in the job description, like creating a welcoming environment and organising activities for children. This will help you demonstrate your knowledge and enthusiasm for the role.
✨Showcase Your Experience
Be ready to discuss your previous experience working with families, adults, and children. Think of specific examples where you've managed challenging situations calmly and sensitively. This will highlight your suitability for the role and show that you can handle the emotional aspects of the job.
✨Emphasise Teamwork and Collaboration
Since this role involves working closely with colleagues and partner agencies, be prepared to talk about your teamwork skills. Share examples of how you've successfully collaborated with others in past roles, especially in safeguarding and child protection contexts. This will reassure them that you can work effectively in a team.
✨Prepare Questions to Ask
At the end of the interview, you'll likely have the chance to ask questions. Prepare thoughtful questions about the support services they provide or how they measure success in this role. This shows your genuine interest in the position and helps you assess if it's the right fit for you.
