Family Support Worker Section: Family Support

Reporting to: Locality Lead

Reporting to Job Holder: Students & Volunteers on occasion.

Job Purpose:

• To realise Aspire Foundation’s vision that children, families and communities are supported to aspire
and achieve.
• To make a vital contribution to the direct delivery of a high-quality targeted family support service for
families with children aged 0 - 11 years old across Cheltenham and Tewkesbury localities.
• Family Support Workers are part of the Family Support team and will work across the localities of
Cheltenham and Tewkesbury providing a high-quality targeted family support service to children
aged 0-11 and their families to ensure that all children get the best possible start in life.
• There is a requirement to work across all Aspire operated sites plus a variety of community spaces
and within families’ homes across all localities to provide services to families with young children
aged 0 - 11 years to improve outcomes as set out in the Foundations business plan and which deliver
high quality provision as benchmarked against Gloucestershire Family Support Service Standards
matrix (2016).
• Working as part of a team to help carry out programmes of intervention to improve parenting, resolve
issues and improve functioning in families. Participating in a multi-disciplinary approach to working
with families and co-ordinate partnerships and services to meet the needs of families.

Context in which Aspire Foundation Jobs are carried out:
Currently the Foundation delivers services from Children and Family Centres across Cheltenham and
Tewkesbury. Staff are required to work as a single team according to service area and be prepared to
work flexibly across all sites operated by Aspire Foundation as the need arises.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Work alongside Gloucestershire County and District Councils teams, Independent Agencies, local
partnerships and the voluntary sector to support and implement the countywide Early Help offer.
2. Recognising signs and symptoms of non-accidental injury, neglect, sexual, physical or emotional
abuse and take appropriate action as stated by the safeguarding children’s board and Aspire
Foundations policies.
3. Recognise symptoms and signs of domestic abuse, honour-based violence, FGM and sexual
exploitation and taking appropriate action to safeguard children and families. Respond to risk and
ensure that appropriate actions are taken to safeguard children and families.

4. Under guidance from the Locality Lead support and implement effective work schedules for home
visits, group work and community and professional liaison and outreach to provide support and
services in the most time effective way.
5. Communicating effectively within and across teams and engaging with appropriate stakeholders
/agencies to enhance service delivery and improve outcomes for children and their families.
6. Working under the guidance of the Area Safeguarding and Triage Lead, provide support and work
with families on the Foundations “waiting list” to ensure families are supported whilst waiting for a
worker to be allocated and risks are managed in an effective way and reduced as far as is possible.
7. Undertaking administration necessary for effective job performance and maintain accurate and
appropriate records in line with the Aspire Foundations policies and in accordance with set
deadlines.
8. Use information technology and ensure that both computer and manual records are maintained in
a timely and accurate manner. Take personal responsibility for maintaining Aspire Foundation
standards of confidentiality and ensure GDPR compliance.
9. Contribute to planning, delivering and evaluating group work with children, parents/carers or both
as part of the Foundations approach to delivering Targeted Family Support and Level 2+ universal
provision.
10. Working in partnership with parents/families and other professionals to support, empower and
challenge parents to identify ways in which difficulties may be overcome which respects family’s
rights to make their own choices and keeps children’s welfare at the forefront. Signposting parents
to a range of services available within localities.
11. Facilitating good working relationships to ensure integration with other relevant initiatives and
organisations including Health, Social Care, Families First +, Schools, local authorities and VCS
providers
12. To lead on the use of My Plan Plus and outcome star as assessment tools to identify needs and
plan an appropriate and clear outcome-focussed plan that includes the views of the family. As
Lead Professional, to use a range of assessment tools and appropriate interventions to meet need
and evaluate outcomes, ensuring relevant services are engaged as appropriate.
13. To deliver a range of parenting support and assessment interventions. Including evidence-based
parenting/ specialist support programmes.
14. Participating in regular supervision sessions, team meetings and other relevant meetings as
required.
15. Demonstrating continuous professional development through keeping and updating a portfolio of
training and CPD undertaken.
16. Undertaking such other duties related to the work of the Aspire Foundation as may be assigned
which are consistent with the nature of the job and its level of responsibility.
17. To participate in and contribute to in-house and inter-agency training.
18. Represent the Aspire Foundation at key meetings e.g., the Core group meetings and case
conferences to ensure the best outcomes for children.
19. To be able to evidence Aspires values at all times:
Respect
“We value, accept, listen and support
everyone”

Integrity
“We are honest, dependable and accountable
for our actions”

Collaboration
“We believe in the power of working together”

Excellence
“We strive to do our best through innovation &
learning”

20. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Assist in the implementation of Aspire Foundation equal opportunities objectives with particular
reference to any targets/positive actions set out in the Fairness and Diversity Strategy & Equalities
Act 2010.
21. Safeguarding

To apply good safeguarding practice at all times and ensure that those policies and procedures
are followed and that safeguarding training is undertaking when requested and to keep
knowledge and practice up to date.
22. Health and Safety

To ensure a high priority is given to the management of health and safety; that all legal
responsibilities are met by carrying out risk assessments and taking appropriate action as
requested. To take a pro-active approach in ensuring personal health and safety is considered at
all times and not to act in a way that puts anyone at unnecessary risk.
23. Special Conditions

• This post will involve lone working, face to face with families in their own homes (as well as
working in children and family centres, schools and other settings that children attend).
• This post will involve visiting families at home where there may be exposure to secondary
smoking, poor hygiene standards, substance misuse equipment and animals.
• Exposure to distressing and emotional circumstances e.g., domestic violence,
child protection situations, bereavement, disability, mental health issues, abusive and
non-co-operative families who do not wish to engage with services.
• The post holder will be required to travel across the localities therefore will need to have
appropriate means of transport and business insurance to carry out their duties.
• The post will involve work out of normal office hours to include evenings and weekends.
• Enhanced DBS check required.

Principal Contacts

• Children and families.
• Senior Management Team.
• Children and Family Centre staff, Health, Social Care, Children and young people’s
professionals and the local community.
• Private, voluntary and independent provider organisations and local government
agencies.

Application Details:

Please click on Apply Now to view the Job Description and Person Specification or to complete an online application.