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• Family Practitioner West Midlands

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Closing date: Monday 31 July 2023
Location: Home based with travel across region
Hours: 18.5 hours per week (0.5 FTE)
Salary: £16,750 per year actual (£33,500 FTE)
Contract: Permanent
Interview date: Week beginning 7 August 2023. There may be a second interview if required.

Are you interested in working for an organisation making a real difference to the lives of young blind and partially sighted people?

Here at the Royal Society for Blind Children we believe that every blind young person should have the chance to live life without limits. Our values of Trust, Energy, Ambition, and Motivation underpin everything we do, and by giving young people the essential skills to take control of their life, they can unleash their true potential.

We are seeking a part time Family Practitioner in the West Midlands who will support families with vision impaired children and young people to develop improved emotional wellbeing, resilience, and coping strategies. This post will cover the North of the region and the ability to be flexible with your approach to hours and being a car driver with access to your own vehicle will be an advantage. You’ll be part of a remote England and Wales wide Family Practitioner team, who work closely together to draw on each other’s skills and experience to ensure families receive the best service from RSBC. The team link together to run online groups that further support the work.

The main purpose of this role is to:

• To establish and maintain a case load of families with vision impaired children aged 0 to 25 who identify themselves as needing support.
• To undertake family assessments to identify specific areas of need; to identify and deliver appropriate interventions that will promote children’s development and emotional wellbeing in collaboration with family members and make and support onward referrals as required.
• To ensure that service delivery meets the high standard that RSBC sets, with pre agreed performance indicators.

The ideal candidate will have a qualification that demonstrates the ability to establish a trusting and open relationship with families and CYP; experienced in providing emotional wellbeing support with families directly, and have knowledge of child development, particularly Early Years – from experience or qualification. You’ll know about family systems/systemic practice – from experience or qualification as well as knowledge and practical experience of using family centred interventions in collaboration with families. You will have excellent interpersonal skills, and a strong teamwork ethic to fit in with our friendly and knowledgeable team of Family Practitioners across England and Wales.

In return we offer a competitive range of benefits including a generous annual leave allowance of 27 days (rising to 28 days after 3 years’ service) + bank holidays, Employee Assistance Programme, Perkbox, flexible working opportunities, 3% contribution towards pension, and season ticket loan. We are a welcoming, diverse and inclusive workforce and are a Disability Confident Employer. We also hold the Investors in People Silver Award.

For further details on the role, please refer to the Job Description and Person Specification on the RSBC website.

Please apply by emailing a supporting statement which details how you meet the requirements of the role and person spec + your CV to recruitment@rsbc.org.uk

To apply you will need to have the right to work in the UK

The Society is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Therefore, all posts are subject to an Enhanced Disclosure check from the Disclosure and Barring Service and 2 satisfactory professional references. Registered Charity No.307892

Job Description

Primary Objective

To support families with vision impaired children and young people to develop improved wellbeing, resilience, and coping strategies.

Key tasks and main duties

Main areas of responsibility:

• To establish and maintain a case load of families with vision impaired children aged 0 to 25 who identify themselves as needing support.
• To undertake family assessments to identify specific areas of need; to identify and deliver appropriate interventions that will promote children’s development and emotional wellbeing, in collaboration with family members; to make and support onward referrals as required.
• To ensure that service delivery meets the high standard that RSBC sets, with pre agreed performance indicators.
• Be prepared for regular line management and clinical supervision meetings, ensuring you are taking responsibility for your personal development.
• Maintain accurate records of work in a timely manner using a range of digital tools.

Specific activities:

• Maintain contact in line with the agreed individual needs of each family through home visits/telephone/email/video calls including evenings and weekends if necessary.
• Assess the needs of child and family (relationships, coping strategies, parenting skills) and identify and agree with the child and family, the support to be provided.
• Support family in establishing relationships and maintaining working relationships with
  • local organisations
  • schools and childcare settings
  • social services
  • medical services
  • education including QTVIs
  • advocacy services

This includes support for families through attendance at meetings with professionals e.g. school reviews, meetings with other agencies

• Organise and facilitate peer support groups and workshops, both in person and online as required.
• Provide access to information from reputable sources on the causes and impact of sight loss, signposting to other services as appropriate.
• Establish and build partnerships to ensure new referrals are continuous.
• Keep accurate records of interactions on the RSBC database and the production of case studies within departmental timescales. Adhere to data protection requirements of the role.
• Collaborate with other Family Practitioners in the team to ensure consistency of approach to family support and for overall peer support.
• Where appropriate make referrals to local statutory service teams (Sensory, Education VI teams, Social Care), or other charity sector partners.
• Ensure equality and diversity principles are embedded in service delivery.
• Promote and safeguard the welfare of all children and young people/vulnerable adults and families that have contact with the organisation.

This Job Description is not exhaustive and other duties not included above may arise from time to time. On the understanding that such duties are commensurate with the purpose of the job and have been identified as such by the post holder’s line manager and advised to the post holder, then such additional duties shall form part of the requirements of the post.

Person specification

Educational or Professional Qualifications

• A qualification that demonstrates the ability to establish a trusting and open relationship with families and CYP such as; Degree in psychology, social science, education or health or a qualification that demonstrates the ability and experience to work supportively with children, young people, parents and the whole family (counselling skills / counselling, coaching)

Skills, Experience and Knowledge – Essential

• Experience in providing emotional support work with families directly.
• Knowledge of child development, particularly Early Years – from experience or qualification.
• Knowledge of family systems/systemic practice – from experience or qualification.
• Evidence or knowledge in relevant professional areas (children and family support, social work, nursing)
• Knowledge and practical experience of using family-centred interventions in collaboration with family members.
• Experience of providing effective interventions to support the development and wellbeing of children.
• Proven ability to maintain accurate case files where outcomes are clearly defined.
• Ability and commitment to assess need and implement appropriate interventions in line with RSBC best practice.
• Ability to communicate clearly and sensitively with families, children and young people.
• Knowledge and/or the willingness to develop an understanding of vision impairment, its implications and impact.
• A clear understanding of, and the ability to practise within, appropriate professional boundaries, whilst maintaining an appropriate level of empathy and support.
• Good report writing and IT skills.
• Excellent organisational skills and an understanding of good home working practice.
• Ability to network effectively.
• Experience of, and ability to develop through clinical supervision effectively.

Desirable

• Experience of working with children and young adults with disabilities across age range 0-25 minimum in teaching or emotional wellbeing support role (not just managing a service).
• Good knowledge of other professional roles and expertise in the field of visual impairment.
• Good knowledge of the Framework for Statutory Assessment and understanding of the SEND Reforms and Code of Practice