Sessional/Casual worker in Stafford

Are you passionate about making a difference to children's lives? In this role you will be required to use your family support skills to dynamically meet the needs of children and families. We’re looking for people with the skills to encourage and help maintain positive relationships between children and parents. We work with very vulnerable children, so you must maintain professional relationships while managing complex family needs and behaviours.

As a Sessional Worker, you’ll play a critical role supporting children in understanding their birth identity and supervising their time with birth parents. Our aim is to promote a positive and meaningful time for children with their families, offering support, guidance, parenting advice, or modelling positive interaction and behaviours. You will also support children getting to and from school and family time in various locations, transporting children around the county and further afield as necessary. This role is casual, requiring flexibility with working hours including early mornings, evenings and weekends.

• To facilitate and support family time between children and their parents or other family members. This could include supervision in a community setting or hospital setting.
• To coordinate arrangements for family time for children and their parents or other family members.
• Transport children and young people to attend family time.
• To provide parenting support and guidance.
• To support the completion of accurate documentation, reports, and records in relation to children, young people, and families.
• To deliver creative solutions in supporting families such as reaching out to charity and community support groups for resources.
• To complete home visits to consider the wellbeing of a child and support to families, this could be outside of normal working hours and weekends.
• To be available outside of traditional working patterns including evenings and weekends to provide support to children, families, and carers when it is needed.

• A minimum NVQ 3 in working with children and families or equivalent experience of working with children and families.
• Experience of direct work with children, their families, and carers in a statutory or voluntary agency which provides services to vulnerable children and their families.
• Experience in the use of IT including Microsoft packages.
• An understanding of child development and the effect of stress and trauma on child development.
• An understanding of the key pieces of policies, guidance, and legislation which govern children’s social care.
• Have unrestricted use of a car and a driving licence.
• Be flexible to work evenings and weekends as needed.
• The ability to effectively communicate with children, their families, and carers.
• The ability to build relationships and deliver interventions to children, families, and carers.
• The ability to work effectively in conflict situations.

Staffordshire County Council is an equal opportunities organisation and Disability Confident employer. We encourage applications from all backgrounds and communities. As part of our commitment as a Disability Confident employer, a Gold Award Armed Forces employer and our commitment to supporting care leavers, we offer a guaranteed interview as long as your application meets the minimum criteria for the post. The position is subject to a criminal record check from the Disclosure and Barring Service. If applicable you should disclose details as required.