Family Key Worker

Job description

Job responsibilities

The role of the Keyworker is to establish strong relationships with children, young people, parents and carers to enable a thorough understanding of barriers to them achieving positive outcomes and, using appropriate intervention techniques and direct work, develop their resilience, strengthen family relationships and prevent the need for more intensive or specialist services. The role of the Keyworker is also to engage with children, young people and families using a holistic approach to include them in assessment, planning, goal setting and decision making. In addition, the role includes working with partner organisations and coordinating and driving a joint family-based approach. Specific duties and responsibilities include:

Be knowledgeable and skilled in identifying the early signs of abuse and neglect and following agreed local protocols for ensuring children and young people are protected from harm/risk of harm (e.g. report a child at risk of significant neglect to social care).

Be the keyworker for a caseload of families with varying needs; manage time effectively and maximise time spent on direct work delivering individual support and group interventions (including evidence-based parenting programmes) as part of a family action plan. These cases may be from complex CAF-level up to child protection level and the keyworker will have the knowledge and skills to engage with the child/family at these levels of need (supported by a Senior Keyworker - or Social Worker for Child in Need and Child Protection cases).

Preparing a comprehensive, analytical and good quality child and family assessment - drawing on recent or existing referrals, assessments and other relevant information sources (including other professionals/support network); completing the assessment in the home and ensuring it clearly reflects the voice of the child and the family.

Acting as a single point of contact for the child and their family

Using a relationship-based model of practice, help the child and family to define the goals and desired outcomes they want to achieve and help them set the priority order for delivering them.

Using a family focused approach, work with the child and family to draft the familys action plan.

Coordinating the familys action plan, tracking and ensuring all contributors are effectively delivering on time.

Leading and facilitating Team Around the Child/Family meetings; capturing agreed actions and ensuring the lead for each action is doing what they had committed to do (and on time).

Capturing and recording relevant actions, events and decisions in accordance with case management principles.

Attend and actively participate in Local Allocation Groups as required; following agreement/decision from a senior keyworker or assistant team manager, be able to present clearly and concisely cases requiring multi-agency input and resource decision making.

Working in partnership with parents to encourage independence and self-reliance and helping them to develop a consistent and positive approach to parenting, addressing behaviours and overcoming challenges.

Promoting and facilitating parental understanding of a child and young persons needs.

Supporting parents to provide an appropriate environment in which children and young people feel safe and which encourages the development of their self-esteem and resilience.

Understanding adult difficulties and the impact they have on children, tailoring support and delivering effective joint working accordingly.

Supporting children and families to become involved in their local community and to access wider opportunities in education, play, work, leisure and volunteering. Working directly with children providing appropriate and tailored support to address a range of CA09-1159 Family Keyworker April 2024 Page 5 of 9 developmental needs including disruptive and challenging behaviour.

Identifying when a child is a young carer and undertaking a young carers assessment following agreed protocol. Working within a legislative framework

Operating within relevant policy, legal, ethical and professional boundaries when working with children and families.

Effectively delivering all statutory requirements.

Following local practice standards and protocols. Supervision and continual development

Actively engaging in individual and group supervision and embed learning in practice.

Maintaining up to date knowledge and skills as required by the role.

Participating in appraisal and team meetings and contribute to individual and team development. Specific requirements for this post: Flexible Working There will be a requirement to occasionally work with children and families when they most need it which may be outside of normal working hours, including weekends. The number of out of hours worked will not exceed 10% of the total contracted hours per week.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• High level of relevant and practical experience acquired on.
• An advanced understanding of relevant procedures and working practices.
• Advanced knowledge of specialist function relevant to service area.
• Excellent ICT skills including use of Microsoft applications and specialist systems.
• Significant experience of working with clients and client groups with complex needs.
• Proven ability to carry out client risk assessments to identify eligibility for service provision and/or
• risk of harm.
• Proven ability to advise and guide clients to encourage development and to access services to
• which they are entitled.
• Ability to build trust and confidence with clients, client groups and colleagues.
• Proven ability to interpret situations, analyse behaviours to make judgements and deliver
• interventions to achieve outcomes.
• Proven ability to deliver training.

Qualifications

Essential

• NVQ Level 4 or equivalent significant experience in a relevant field (with a commitment to
• undertake qualification as required) e.g. Health, social care, early years, adult education,
• education, working with parents.
• Proven experience of working with vulnerable children.
• Thorough knowledge and understanding of child development.
• Committed to improving outcomes for children and families.
• Understanding of child protection policies and procedures and the importance of safeguarding
• children, young people and vulnerable adults.
• Direct experience of working with families.
• o Practical knowledge and experience of working with vulnerable families and being aware
• of any issues a practitioner may face while working with vulnerable families.
• o Experience of setting appropriate professional boundaries with families.
• o Experience of engaging parents in community activities.
• o Knowledge and direct experience of developing and maintaining effective relationships
• with parents; practical experience of working with parents one-to-one and experience of
• providing support to families in their own home; confidence and ability to work alone and
• prepared to work with families in their own homes.
• CA09-1159 Family Keyworker April 2024 Page 6 of 9
• o Experience of facilitating group work for parents.
• o Knowledge of child development and its influence on parent/child relationship in every
• stage of childs development.
• o Ability to engage and motivate resistant and hard to reach families.
• Direct experience of working in partnership with schools.
• Knowledge of the role of social worker and related professionals.
• To work flexibly in responding to the needs of families as they emerge.
• Able to communicate effectively and concisely and with a range of different individuals and
• groups and using various mediums (verbal, written, etc).
• Ability to effectively plan and prioritise workload associated with case work.
• Knowledge of additional support services available for families and experience of signposting
• or referring families to these services.
• Experience in supporting families to make positive choices.
• Experience of supporting parents in managing childrens challenging behavior.
• Ability to travel locally and countywide,
• Able to keep excellent records of work,
• Able to use IT systems,
• Committed to anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory practice.
• Fluent in English.

Desirable

• Experience of working with families with complex needs who typically find it difficult to engage
• with services.
• Demonstrable experience of sharing information to improve outcomes.
• Experience of using the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) or an equivalent holistic early
• help assessment to improve outcomes for children.
• Bi-Lingual

Experience

Essential

• High level of relevant and practical experience acquired on.
• An advanced understanding of relevant procedures and working practices.
• Advanced knowledge of specialist function relevant to service area.
• Excellent ICT skills including use of Microsoft applications and specialist systems.
• Significant experience of working with clients and client groups with complex needs.
• Proven ability to carry out client risk assessments to identify eligibility for service provision and/or
• risk of harm.
• Proven ability to advise and guide clients to encourage development and to access services to
• which they are entitled.
• Ability to build trust and confidence with clients, client groups and colleagues.
• Proven ability to interpret situations, analyse behaviours to make judgements and deliver
• interventions to achieve outcomes.
• Proven ability to deliver training.

Experience

Essential

• High level of relevant and practical experience acquired on.
• An advanced understanding of relevant procedures and working practices.
• Advanced knowledge of specialist function relevant to service area.
• Excellent ICT skills including use of Microsoft applications and specialist systems.
• Significant experience of working with clients and client groups with complex needs.
• Proven ability to carry out client risk assessments to identify eligibility for service provision and/or
• risk of harm.
• Proven ability to advise and guide clients to encourage development and to access services to
• which they are entitled.
• Ability to build trust and confidence with clients, client groups and colleagues.
• Proven ability to interpret situations, analyse behaviours to make judgements and deliver
• interventions to achieve outcomes.
• Proven ability to deliver training.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name

Wiltshire Council

Address

County Hall

Bythesea Rd

Trowbridge

Wiltshire

BA14 8JN

Employer's website

http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)