ROLE SUMMARY
The purpose of the role is to deliver stimulating and engaging play sessions, build and nurture relationships with parents/carers, and monitor the progress of children, carrying out 1-2-1 work with families experiencing a range of difficulties. Working in partnership with other services and professionals, we develop a whole family approach, interventions and/or identify development including referring parents/carers onto other activities and organisations that could play a useful role in their lives. You will have a hand in delivering other activities to meet the needs of young families across our neighbourhood, including delivery of creche services and undertaking outreach.
TEAM OVERVIEW
Our Coin Street Family and Children’s Centre offers families and children high quality and inclusive family support sessions and activities to meet the individual learning, development and support needs of all children and families.
This role sits within the Family Support team consisting of five team members and is part of the wider Family & Childrens centre of 25 staff members. We maintain and develop excellent relationships with each to foster a collaborative and progressive environment in the Family and Children’s Centre.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
- To provide universal and targeted child-led play activities that meet the needs of babies and children as individuals within groups and extend their learning and development and ensuring that the provision is fully inclusive. This includes planning and preparation as well as development and evaluation of activities.
- Carry out 1-2-1 sessions with families referred to our services, ensuring records of the interactions are accurate using the appropriate forms/systems and kept up to date, plus taking part in supervision meetings.
- To work in partnership with colleagues to ensure early identification of children’s needs and implementation of next steps.
- To support observation and material for our online tracking system for priority children and ensure all records are kept up to date and reports written in line with agreed policies.
- To promote family support activities and services throughout the local area through active direct outreach with parents/carers as well as through distribution of publicity materials
- Develop and maintain positive relationships with parents/carers of children attending the sessions, encouraging engagement with the services, and ensuring that concerns are dealt with promptly and effectively.
- Be aware of and open to establishing positive working relationships with other agencies, within the local area to offer a comprehensive support service to young children and their families.
- Ensure children are safe, secure and have their care needs met, appropriate to their age and stage of development.
- Promote a working and physical environment in which the emotional, social, psychological, physical, developmental, and educational well-being is paramount and that an inclusive and non-judgemental approach is used in all interactions with children and their families.
- Fully engage in all recording and administrative functions of the role ensuring the maintenance of accurate notes, are kept up to date and of high quality.
- Use relevant IT systems in relation to the collection of statistical data to support review and evaluation of services.
- Follow accident and emergency procedures and take all reasonable care to promote the health and safety of the children. Render first aid in accordance with policy and ensure accurate records are kept.
- Have due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. Implement Coin Street’s safeguarding procedures at all times, reporting any concerns on our online tracking system.
- Support other staff (including sessional staff, student social workers and volunteers) who deliver play learning activities as needed.
- Work actively to prevent discrimination in line with the protected characteristics in line with current equalities legislation, promote inclusion, develop community relations, and tackle any form of discrimination or racism.
- To always carry out the responsibilities of the post with due regard to GDPR requirements and the maintenance of confidentiality and service user choice and in compliance with Coin Street policies and procedures.
- To undertake occasional weekend activities for which time off during the week will be offered.
- Undertake any other reasonable duties, as may be required from time to time, as consistent with the scope of this role
Key tasks and accountabilities are intended to be a guide to the range and level of work expected of the postholder. This is not an exhaustive list of all tasks that may fall to the postholder and employees will be expected to carry out such other reasonable duties which may be required from time to time.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
- To comply with Coin Street’s Diversity, Equality and Inclusion policy.
- To comply with Coin Street’s Health & Safety policies.
- To comply with Coin Street’s Safeguarding policies.
- To comply with Coin Street’s IT policies and procedures.
- To promote an organisational culture that reflects Coin Street’s values:
Creative: By looking for solutions rather than problems I will find better ways of doing things
Collaborative: By respecting the views of others we will learn, grow, and achieve more together
Committed: I do what I say I am going to do, and do the best job I can.
Curious: We ask questions about what we do and the way we do things – as an organisation, community, and society
Inclusive: I embrace difference and encourage authenticity
PERSON SPECIFICATION
KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE
ESSENTIAL
- A childcare or early years education qualification equivalent to NVQ 2 or above (ideally, level 3).
- A child-centred approach to delivering play activities, family learning sessions or similar within childcare or early educational settings, particularly for children under five.
- Experience in creating learning plans to ensure the development of personal, social, and emotional skills and which allow progress to be tracked over time.
- A strong working knowledge and appropriate training in early help safeguarding and child protection.
DESIRABLE
- Paediatric first aid & safeguarding training
- Knowledge and experience of wider family support work supporting parents/carers and families with complex needs
- Experience of undertaking risk assessments
SKILLS & ABILITIES
A personal commitment to and enthusiasm for Coin Street’s ethos and mission.
- Able to build rapport, with a warm, positive demeanour and make parents /carers and children feel welcome and comfortable
- Ability to work successfully with a wide range of families including those with complex needs and those for whom English is not their first language
- Excellent attention to detail to observe, capture the progress of children, plan to support and develop children's learning
- An organised, reliable and dependable team player who is flexible and unflappable, with the ability to find solutions to challenges and problems which arise while organising and running sessions
- A belief and passion for early years learning, with an ability to empower parents/ carers to try new approaches and activities with their children
- High level of computer literacy in a range of Microsoft Office programmes (Word, Excel, Outlook)
- Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing, to record and maintain accurate online and paper records
- Understand the importance of confidentiality and to be able to listen and respond appropriately with tact and diplomacy in sensitive situations
- A level of physical and mental health adequate for the demands of the job Before commencement of employment all new staff members will be required to undertake online safeguarding and PREVENT training.