Family Practitioner - Wester Hailes Healthy Living Centre

Job Description

Children, Education and Justice Services

Family Practitioner
Wester Hailes Healthy Living Centre

Salary: £36,312 - £42,717 per year
Hours: 36 per week

The post-holder will undertake the full range of duties working with children who need protection, are Looked After or are children in need, with their families/carers. They will work in a strengths based and restorative ways to get alongside children, families and carers, to build positive relationships, identify outcomes they need to keep children safe and put in place plans which improve wellbeing for children and their families/carers.

The posts are located in the PrePare Team, a multi-disciplinary team in partnership with NHS Lothian, Health and Social Care and Communities and Families. The aim is to work with families who have been affected by addiction during pregnancy and within the child’s first two years.

City of Edinburgh Council Children’s Services are currently under review with posts and structures are subject to change as part of the review.

• SCQF level 8 or hold an equivalent professional qualification or equivalent experience in social services/children and families.
• Candidates are required to join the PVG Scheme/ undergo a PVG scheme update prior to a formal offer of employment.
• To provide intervention, support and protection to children who are under 2 years of age.
• To act as lead professional for children in need under GIRFEC guidelines.
• To assess need and risk in each case, working with children, families, carers and partner agencies to identify what is getting in the way of safety and wellbeing and what needs to happen to keep the child safe and well.
• To build trust and form positive relationships with children, and their families/carers, using relationships as the to0ls for change leading to improved outcomes whilst respecting their rights.
• To empower families and carers to support the development of client centred planning and to promote the use of self-directed support.
• Contribute to the development, review and update of the outcomes of Child’s plan as the lead professional or with the lead professional.
• To prepare reports, in clear and user-friendly language, and within the required timescale, for Children’s Hearings, Child Protection Case Conferences, Court hearings and any other planning meetings, clearly stating an assessment of need and risk that is based on evidence and sound professional judgement.
• To work jointly with a range of partner agencies including social work, early years, NHS, police and third sector, using the perspective of partners to inform assessment and to provide the best possible planning and service to children and their families.
• To take responsibility for their own professional development, keeping up to date with theory, research and legislation that is relevant to the role; and to participate in knowledge exchange and training opportunities as per the advice and direction of line managers.
• To demonstrate a level of initiative and leadership appropriate to the post-holder’s role and stage of development, contributing to a culture of high support and high challenge within their team and service.
• To provide family based interventions such as Parents Under Pressure, Solihull, Capacity to Change.
• Working in partnership with parents whilst undertaking parenting capacity assessments for Looked After Reviews, Children’s Hearing and inform permanence planning in line with PACE guidelines and The Promise.
• To supervise and assess family time as required as part of the Child’s Plan.
• To undertake any other duties as required by the Director of Communities and Families

Requirements

• Ability to assess complex information, engage individuals with complex needs in strengths based and restorative change work, whilst building positive relationships and undertaking a range of tasks associated with the assessment and management of risk.
• Knowledge of theories relating to child development, addiction, trauma, domestic abuse and the legal framework surrounding children and families.
• An understanding of professional and personal authority, how to exercise discretion appropriately, making decisions within the context of line management supervision and professional accountability. • An ability to work restoratively with professionals, maintaining positive working relationships which benefit children and their parents/carers.
• To hold a clear understanding and knowledge base in working with addiction and the impact on children.
• Work to establish good and effective relationships with parents, carers and other professionals involved in caring for babies suffering from NAS and FASD
• Carry our risk assessments of the child, family, home setting, and public areas to ensure staff and child’s safety whilst adhering to the guideline of the Lone Worker Policy.
• The post holder will need to respond appropriately and creatively to family crises and emergencies, which may involve child protection, substance abuse, domestic violence, health emergencies. This will be done in consultation with their line manager and other professionals.
• The post holder must demonstrate the independent applications of professional skills and knowledge and use considerable initiative and accountability in carrying out day to day tasks such as observations of families and decisions’ regarding their unborn/baby’s safety and wellbeing. Environment (Work Demands, physical demands, working conditions, work context)
• Regular adherence to prescribed timescales, requiring the ability to maintain clarity under pressure and to regularly reprioritise workload while maintaining safety.
• Exposure to individuals in distress, in crises and engaging in self harming behaviours, and likely exposure to verbal aggression, hostility whilst presenting under the influences of substances that requires staff resilience in assessing and responding.
• Staff may need to work later on occasions if there is an emergency situation, but this would be agreed with their manager.
• PrePare is a city wide service and will require the ability to prioritise and plan their workload efficiently and to travel further afield if required.
• This post holds no line management or supervisory responsibilities but can involve supervision of students and coaching of new staff.
• Be responsible for updating and maintaining client information of a confidential and sensitive nature.
• Be involved in the purchasing, utilising and cataloguing appropriate resources associated with the delivery of programmed activities or to enhance learning.
• Taking care of their own health and safety and welfare, and that of others who may be affected by their actions or omissions;
• Co-operating with management and following instructions, safe systems and procedures;
• Reporting any hazards, damage or defects immediately to their line manager; and
• Reporting any personal injury and work related ill health, and accident or incident (including ‘near misses’) immediately to their line manager, and assist with any subsequent investigation, including co-operating fully with the provision of witness statements and any other evidence that may be required.

 

Responsibilities

As part of our goal to improve our organisational culture and create a great place to work together for the people of Edinburgh, we want to make sure that we’re bringing the best people into our roles, not just in their skills and experience but also in their approach to work.

To help achieve this, we’re changing the way we interview and assess candidates by moving from a competency-based interview approach to a behavioural and technical (skills for the job) based approach. This new way of interviewing will allow us to assess how you think and how you would bring Our Behaviours of Respect, Integrity and Flexibility into your ways of working.

We're committed to creating a workplace culture where all our people feel valued, included and able to be their best at work, and we recognise the benefits that a diverse workforce with different values, beliefs, experience, and backgrounds brings to us as an organisation.

You can find out more on Our Behaviours web page Our Behaviours – The City of Edinburgh Council

Our salary range typically reflects the initial starting salary and annually increases until it reaches the top of the range.

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