Hub Coordinator

We have been around since 1997 when we started as a small playgroup set up by parents dismayed at the lack of provision for their autistic children.

Since then, Rf A has grown into a major deliverer of services and support in London and the West Midlands with a turnover of around £2.5m per year.

Our mission is to support and enable autistic people to live happy and fulfilling lives.

We want to change society’s attitude to autism whilst also providing essential services and enriching opportunities to autistic people.

We are a values-driven organisation which employs values-driven people who want to make a difference.

Our values are: Inclusion, Creativity, Compassion, Courageousness and Expert.

You will play a vital part in ensuring that we can resource and sustain this amazing work.

The Role

Resources for Autism has been providing services from 858 Finchley Road for many years and now working in partnership with the London Borough of Barnet to provide the Barnet Children & Families Autism Hub.

The vision of the hub, is to create a welcoming, safe, neuro-affirmative place where autistic people and those who love and care for them can access the support and social opportunities they need at the right time, enabling them to live their best life.

It is also a place where professionals can connect, collaborate and learn ensuring services are joined-up and effective.

The service offers a range of support to parents and carers and children and young people with autism in Barnet:

• Advice support and signposting to the autism community pre and post diagnosis
• Virtual and in person drop in sessions
• Social groups for autistic young people, parent carers, and siblings
• Monthly workshops on varied topics relating to autism

The Coordinator roles provide access, support, outreach and reception services, and support to the Hub Manager.

The role is responsible for ensuring that services delivered in the hub are effectively supported, monitored and focused to meet the needs of autistic children 0-18 Years and their families.

You will have a great team of people around you and the opportunity to be a part of an innovative wellbeing project which will enhance the offer for the Autism Community of Barnet.

• Main Responsibilities
• Provide an efficient and welcoming access point for families accessing a range of services at the CYP Autism hub, working as part of a team of staff providing support for effective service delivery.
• Provide and facilitate advice, guidance and signposting to families accessing the Autism Hub. This may be via telephone, email or in person.
• Support and manage a small caseload of families requiring a ‘medium’ level of bespoke support and interventions, ensuring clear aims and goals are set and then empowering the children/family to achieve these.
• Host and/or co-host drop-in sessions, coffee mornings and/ or information sessions for CYP and families on different associated topics connected to autism.

This will include facilitating peer support sessions and co delivered ‘workshops’ with partners on different themes.

• Support the identification and registration of families with children 0-19 Years within the Hub, working alongside 0-19 Early Help Practitioners and Barnet CSC to encourage and monitor access to provision to ensure that emerging needs are met at the earliest opportunity and access data is correctly recorded and up to date.
• Ensure that activities, access and registration details are captured on Rf A’s databases, supporting the Hub Manager to collate data and ensure accurate recording.
• Support the identification, monitoring and planning for eligible families and children within Barnet CSC to advise eligible families of the Hub, it’s services and support and the services available via other partners to ensure maximum take up and access of the service.
• Ensure that any families requiring additional support are flagged up with the Hub Manager and Barnet CSC staff to maintain an effective link to more targeted support and providing continuity of intervention.
• Ensure that local families are given opportunities to become involved in the planning and delivery of services, particularly those in need of support.
• Support meeting and venue booking arrangements, providing administrative support for hub staff, meetings, taking responsibility for sending out invitations, compilation of packs, papers and minute-taking.
• Take responsibility for own role in child protection, parenting, health and safety and premises issues and other related functions to contribute to a co-ordinated team approach to child safety and well-being.
• Undertake training and development necessary to develop in your role as an autism specialist.
• Provide effective administrative support to support the operation of the service
• The role requires direct contact with a range of families accessing services. The role will involve working with different partner agencies.
• Some travel may be required across Barnet.
• Uphold and adhere to the values of Rf A at all time.
• Undertake any other duties asked of you that are commensurate with your grade.

Office hours are 9:00 – 5:30, these will vary depending on service needs.

Frequent evening work will be required to deliver services, currently 2 a week until 7pm. This may vary as services evolve.

Person Specification

• Experience of working successfully in a people service delivery position
• Good level of practical skills in dealing with families and children in a supportive environment
• Knowledge and understanding of autism
• An understanding of safeguarding in a CYP delivery context
• Experience of working successfully in an administrative role
• Experience of effective public contact
• Skills in communicating effectively with members of the public
• Ability to provide effective access to services at the Autism Hub and in the community
• Experience of data collection, IT and monitoring processes
• Clear understanding of data collection systems and operations
• Ability to support data and administrative systems under direction
• Ability to carry out clear processes which monitor and measure performance
• An understanding of partnership and multi-agency working and an ability to work well alongside colleagues with different roles and experiences
• An understanding of own role in supporting the operational requirements of a multi-disciplinary service
• Experience of running groups with autistic young people/adults and/or parent/carers
• A general understanding of quality frameworks around people service delivery
• Values driven and with a passion to make a difference to the lives of those whose voices are often marginalised.
• Neuroaffirmative approach to autism with demonstrable passion to work with autistic community.
• Previous experience of working within a coproduction lens
• Knowledge of the local services in Barnet

Training in the Children's Act and Child Protection is also required however this could be provided if a strong candidate meets all the above criteria.

Confidentiality and Safeguarding

You will have access to confidential information concerning families and other service users and will be required to maintain confidentiality at all times.

All staff have the following safeguarding responsibilities

• Promote and uphold the safety, wellbeing and dignity of children, young people and vulnerable adults whose information is held by the organisation.
• Comply at all times with the organisation’s safeguarding, confidentiality and data protection policies and procedures.
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries and ensure that all sensitive and confidential information is handled securely and responsibly.
• Identify and respond appropriately to any safeguarding or welfare concerns arising from records or information accessed, reporting concerns promptly in accordance with organisational procedures.
• Carry out duties in a manner that minimises risk, particularly when accessing, handling, scanning and storing confidential records.

90% of our staff say that Resources for Autism is "a great place to work".

Not only will the work you do ensure we are making vital differences and inspiring others, but our other benefits also include:

• flexible working patterns with the option to work in a hybrid way (only available for some roles)
• 25 days of leave (pro rata for part time roles) each year plus bank holidays and an additional 3 days with 1 being your birthday and 2 further celebration days
• access to ongoing training and progress in the areas that interest you
• access to our wellbeing initiatives and an Employee Assistance Programme
• enrolment on to our pension scheme
• Statutory sick pay for all staff except zero hour contracts
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