Whole Family Support Worker in Motherwell

Victim Support Scotland (VSS) provides support and information to people affected by crime and campaigns for victim and witness rights. Our services are free, confidential, and tailored to individuals’ needs.

Our vision is that people affected by crime – victims, witnesses, and their families – are treated with dignity and respect and are at the heart of justice in Scotland. We put victims and witnesses at the heart of everything we do so they are heard, have improved health and well-being, feel safer, more secure, and informed.

Our mission at Victim Support Scotland is to ensure that those affected by crime receive high quality support that will help them recover from their experiences. We aim to do this by adhering to our organisational values:

• Victims Are at the Heart of Everything We Do
• We Care
• We Work with Intent
• We Are Ambitious
• We Persevere

VSS is committed to the safeguarding and welfare of all of our service users and has a thorough recruitment and selection process including PVG scheme checks.

This is an exciting opportunity to join our team as a Whole Family Support Worker, 21 hours per week, fixed-term for a period of 12 months. Reporting directly to the Locality Manager, you will take responsibility for overseeing this project. The Family Support Worker will lead the development and pilot of a Trauma-Informed Family Support Service across North Lanarkshire, designed to test a preventative approach to supporting families impacted by crime, including domestic abuse, assault, theft, fraud, and severe or persistent antisocial behaviour.

Through a coordinated, whole-family approach, the postholder will provide early intervention and tailored support to strengthen family wellbeing, build resilience, and prevent issues from escalating into crisis. This innovative model aims to move beyond traditional individual victim support, delivering a more holistic and effective response to the needs of families affected by crime.

During the pilot year, the role will provide direct support to up to 20 families affected by crime or antisocial behaviour. Beneficiaries will include adults, children, and young people, with a particular focus on families living in areas of deprivation and those experiencing hidden or underreported harms.

The Family Support Worker will undertake comprehensive assessments of need and risk, develop and review tailored support plans, and work collaboratively with partner agencies to coordinate effective, person-centred support. Operating within the Victim Support Scotland framework, the postholder will uphold victims' rights, maintain accurate and confidential case records, and contribute to the development of peer support opportunities where appropriate.

Families will receive a bespoke, trauma-informed support plan focused on early intervention, stabilisation, resilience-building, and improved wellbeing, helping to prevent issues from escalating into crisis.

In addition to delivering one-to-one and family-based support, the postholder will work closely with the Locality Manager and wider team to develop and strengthen local and national partnerships, establish effective referral pathways, and raise awareness of Victim Support Scotland's services to ensure families can access the support they need at the earliest opportunity.

Key Accountabilities:

• Deliver trauma-informed support to victims and families.
• Manage a caseload of up to 20 families and review regularly.
• Develop and use support tools, ensuring effective risk and needs assessments are carried out in collaboration with the victim.
• Undertake holistic family assessments (needs, risk, strengths) focused on early identification of risk and prevention of longer-term harm.
• Develop, agree, and review tailored solution-focused support plans to ensure positive outcomes.
• Provide early practical support, helping families address immediate issues before they escalate.
• Provide emotional support that promotes safety, resilience, independence, and positive outcomes for victims and their families.
• Identify and respond to safeguarding concerns.
• Work collaboratively with partner agencies to maximise support.
• Work in deprived areas and with hidden harm.

Administration and Compliance:

• Maintain accurate and timely records on the database, regularly reviewing and updating information to support effective case management.
• Handle sensitive and confidential information appropriately, in line with data protection and organisational policies.
• Ensure all activity is logged and monitored for compliance and quality assurance.

Representation and Communication:

• Communicate sensitively and effectively with volunteers and victims, adapting communication style to meet individual needs.
• Represent VSS professionally in multi-agency meetings and forums.
• Contribute to raising awareness of whole Family Support and VSS services through local partnership activity and events nationally.

Partnership Work:

• Develop and maintain effective partnerships across Scotland to establish and sustain clear pathways for victims, witnesses including the whole family.
• Work collaboratively with statutory agencies, local authorities, family services, housing providers and third-sector organisations to improve coordinated responses to crime and ASB.
• Raise awareness and deliver inputs on the effects of crime on families through engagement with partner organisations, community groups, and relevant stakeholders.
• Contribute to multi-agency forums, networks, and meetings to promote victim-centred, trauma-informed approaches that support victims, witnesses, and their families who are affected by crime and ASB.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Manage and prioritise own workload, ensuring adherence to VSS policies and procedures.
• Participate in regular supervision and maintain up-to-date knowledge of relevant policy, legislation, and best practice.
• Other duties as required by the Director of Services, Head of Service Delivery and locality managers.

If you are looking for a role with a purpose, where you can really make a difference, we want to hear from you!

Please note - This post will be subject to a satisfactory PVG check.

What we offer:

• Holiday: We offer an enhanced annual leave package of 39 days (pro-rata) holiday. 42 days (pro-rata) from Grade 6 and above.
• Pension: Save for the future and join the Standard Life Pension.
• Support: Our free and confidential Employee Assistance Programme can support your mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing.
• Discounts: Access to our free health cash plan which includes cover for you and your family across a range of benefits.
• Flexibility and development: We offer comprehensive learning and development opportunities.

As a Disability Confident Committed employer, please advise if you require any adjustments in the application process by contacting us.