Family Support Assistant

Post Outline

The purpose of the post is to support families in accessing accurate, relevant and useful support and information from friendly, supportive and understanding colleagues and volunteers. The role requires collaborative working with internal teams as well as liaising with external organisations including health, social care, educational services, statutory and independent sector services.

About Caudwell Children

Established in 2000, Caudwell Children is a National Charity which works to transform the lives of disabled children and their families, enabling them to challenge the barriers they face throughout childhood by providing practical and emotional support.

Our facilities provide a state-of-the-art base within the grounds of Keele University where ground-breaking research can be undertaken into multi-disciplinary programmes for neurodevelopmental conditions and childhood disability.

The services of Caudwell Children enrich the lives of our children and families through the delivery of high-quality person-centred care and support services that promote independence and achieve valued outcomes. We seek to create a safe, homely and supportive environment that enhances the lives of children with autism and associated conditions.

Duties and responsibilities

Main Duties

• Provide ‘wrap around’ support to families accessing Caudwell Children’s Autism Service from application to case closure.
• Provide scheduled, telephone support calls to families following their ASD assessment.
• With volunteer support, provide reception cover on the clinical and main reception.
• Respond to telephone, written and electronic enquiries.
• Support triage and maintain team ‘inboxes’.
• Attend feedback meetings and support families to receive their assessment outcome.
• Support families whilst at the Caudwell International Children’s Centre. Specifically, meeting and interacting with families in a helpful, courteous and friendly manner.
• Carry out online research to provide families with useful, meaningful resources, signposting and information.
• Supporting the Next Steps Family Workshops.
• Support weekend Short Break sessions on a rota basis.
• Support and oversee volunteers carrying out tasks to aid service delivery.
• Support volunteers and the wider team to respond to our LIVE CHAT!
• Build positive relationships with families accessing Caudwell Children services maintaining a ‘family-centered’ approach.
• Build up knowledge and understanding of community and statutory services available to families (parent/carer groups, education and special educational provision, EHCP’s, Social Services, Health, CAMHS and voluntary services).
• Contribute actively to the required monitoring of outcomes.
• Create and maintain high quality, accurate records on our bespoke internal database.
• Effectively contribute to the safe and smooth running of Caudwell Children’s services.
• Assist in preparing rooms for activities and families, ensuring the room and activities are safely tidied away at the end of the session.
• Support children and young people in an efficient and safe manner, reporting assessment results and problems identified accurately back to the relevant member of the MDT.
• Assist and supervise volunteers carrying out their roles as part of the Family Support Team.
• Liaise with members of the MDT and other Charity departments in a professional and timely manner.

Other:

• Communicate with children, families and all stakeholders in a way that respects their views, autonomy and culture in full compliance with the Equality & Diversity Policy.
• Uphold the principles and practice of customer care and continuous improvement.
• Maintain confidentiality and Data Protection and at all times work in accordance with General Data Protection Regulations 2018.
• Have an awareness of relevant health and safety regulations and legislation, being responsible for your own health and safety and that of anyone else whom your acts and omissions may affect.
• Report any concerns of potential abuse of a service user in line with the Safeguarding Policy and procedures.
• Ensure maintenance and security of physical, financial and information resources.
• Demonstrate commitment to ongoing personal and professional development.
• Keep comprehensive and accurate records in relation to your role and in accordance with policies and procedures.
• Attend training as appropriate to the role, applying knowledge gained to the workplace.
• To work effectively and collaboratively as a member of the team, building and maintaining good working relationships with all internal and external stakeholders.
• Ensure compliance with statutory and non-statutory bodies.
• Adhere to all Caudwell Children policies and procedures.
• Demonstrate commitment to Caudwell Children’s mission, vision and values.
• On occasion and when necessary work flexible hours to meet the needs of the business.
• Willingness to travel on occasion in order to fulfil the needs of the post.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria:

• Knowledge of supporting children and/or adults with a learning disability, autism, ADHD and/or complex needs.
• Educated to GCSE level including numeracy and literacy.
• Level 3 or NVQ 3 in a social care related subject or equivalent.
• Experience of working with members of the public/families in health, education or social care settings.
• Experience of working with autistic children and their families in a health or education setting.
• Knowledge of childhood developmental milestones.
• Knowledge of safeguarding principles.
• Ability to work with a high degree of accuracy.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent IT skills.
• Able to work as part of a Multi-Disciplinary Team environment also act on own initiative.
• Ability to plan and prioritise workloads.
• A positive ‘can-do’ attitude with a flexible approach to work.
• Able to meet the physical requirements of the role after reasonable adjustments have been made for illness or disability.

Desirable Criteria:

• Knowledge of the roles of statutory and voluntary agencies
• Experience of working in the Third Sector.
• Experience of working in CQC and ISO regulated organisations
• Experience of working with volunteers.

This Job Description is not exhaustive. The post holder may be required to carry out any other task as deemed appropriate for the level and responsibilities of the post.

Disclosure & barring service checks

The Charity is committed to safeguarding children and young people and therefore adopts a safer recruitment approach through a robust recruitment and selection process. All posts within the Charity are subject to DBS checks, in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974). This role is eligible for an Enhanced with barred lists disclosure check.

Equal Opportunities

Caudwell Children is a Disability Confident employer committed to offering an interview to all applicants who meet the minimum criteria and declare they have a disability as defined in the Equality Act 2010. We are committed to creating a diverse environment and will not discriminate for any reason against any person because of their age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion and belief, sex or sexual orientation. We particularly encourage applications from people who identify as Black, Asian or from a Minority Ethnic background and other underrepresented groups.