Purposes of the job:

• To manage a case load of one-to-one supported families, either through home visiting or remote support
• To support and supervise volunteers who are providing support to families
• To always take a strength-based and family centred approach with the aim of increasing parents’ knowledge, skills and confidence, and achieving positive outcomes for children

Main Responsibilities:

Support for Families:

• Ensuring support for families is of a high standard in accordance with Home-Start Aberdeen’s policies and procedures
• Receiving referrals and assessing needs of families referred for one-to-one or group support
• Introducing families to appropriate support
• Providing direct support to families when necessary
• Providing advice and information to families, referring or signposting to specialist services where appropriate
• Reviewing and monitoring support to families at regular intervals and at the end of Home-Start support
• Attending multi-agency and other professional group meetings when necessary in order to support families and promote good working relationships with other agencies involved with the family
• Undertaking designated responsibilities to safeguard and promote children’s welfare, escalating safeguarding issues both internally and to relevant external agencies

Managing Volunteers

• Providing advice, information and guidance to volunteers
• Meeting volunteers regularly to provide support and supervision
• Matching volunteers with families and making initial introductions
• Supporting the development of a three-way relationship between family, volunteer and coordinator which is based on mutual respect and trust
• Contributing to the development and delivery of the Home-Start Aberdeen Volunteer Preparation training course and to ongoing training for volunteers

Partnership Working

• Liaising with referrers and with universal, statutory and voluntary services to achieve the best outcomes for children and their families
• Developing partnership working with other appropriate professionals and organisations
• Attending relevant meetings, in person and remotely, as required

Recording, monitoring and reporting

• Monitoring and evaluating the service delivered against agreed targets and producing regular reports as required
• Inputting into Charity Log and ensuring accurate and up to date records for all contacts with and about families
• Keeping accurate and up to date records to ensure information is available for monitoring purposes and general enquiries

General:

• Contributing to the effective day to day operation of the scheme in accordance with the Home-Start Memorandum & Articles of Association, Home-Start Standards & Methods of Practice, Home-Start Agreement and Quality Assurance Standards
• Maintaining high standards of practice in supporting families within the Home-Start model.
• Maintaining equality of opportunity, fairness and diversity in all areas of work
• Implementing good safeguarding practice and working within the context of Home-Start Aberdeen’s Child Protection Policies and Procedures, and GIRFEC principles and values
• Attending and contributing to staff meetings, keeping other members of staff informed and aware of issues affecting the scheme and its support to families
• Networking appropriately within the community
• Adhering to Home-Start Aberdeen’s policies and practice and demonstrating the values of the organisation at all times:
  •        The Child at the Centre
  •        Inclusive
  •        Responsive
  •        Respect
  •        Partnership
  •        Openness
  •        Quality

• Work as a member of a team
• Work in a flexible manner
• Undertake appropriate training
• Work to targets set in supervision
• Undertake occasional evening and weekend work
• Undertake any other duties that fall within the nature of the role and responsibilities of the post as detailed above

The post holder will be required to have the use of a car for which expenses will be paid.

This job description reflects the major tasks to be carried out by the post holder and identifies the level of responsibility at which they will be required to work. In the interests of effective working, the major tasks may be reviewed from time to time to reflect changing scheme needs and circumstances. Such reviews and any consequential changes will be carried out in consultation with the post holder.