We are St Helens Borough Council
With our ILACS inspection now over and an increasingly stable workforce it’s a great time to join us!
Located in the heart of the Northwest close to Liverpool, Manchester and Lancashire, St Helens is a modernising Council which is passionate and ambitious for the children and families we support, our communities and our workforce. As part of our transformation journey, we continue to build on our progress and put children firmly at the centre of our care. We can only do this because of our highly valued, skilled, and supported workforce.
Making a Difference as a Family Group Conference Facilitator.
We are seeking to recruit full-time Family Group Conference Facilitators to an existing stable and experienced team, within the Families Staying Together (FaST) Service. The service aim is to support the most vulnerable children and families in St Helens and works closely with all teams within Children’s Services, supporting those children at risk of becoming a Child We Look After and those children who are a Child We Look After, who could be reunified home.
The team takes a holistic approach to support families where crime, anti-social behaviour, school attendance, domestic violence, substance misuse, and poor parenting are common problems. As A Family Group Conference Facilitator, you will be responsible for creating a supportive environment for families to come together to establish their own plan to provide them with the best opportunity of remaining a family and reducing the risk to the children and families. Offering an independent mechanism to discuss the risks and strengths to build on and review, you will be a valued member of the Families Staying Together Service.
The focus of this role is to work in partnership with families and other agencies to identify and address the often complex issues that families face and reduce the risk of issues and problems escalating.
The work is sometimes emotionally demanding, but always rewarding. Flexible, positive and willing to learn, you'll be capable of communicating with people from all walks of life in a wide range of situations, remaining calm in a crisis and adapting to constantly changing situations and priorities.
To be successful in this role, experience of providing services to children and/or families with complex needs is essential, along with good record-keeping skills, the ability to construct coherent reports and contribute to and complete assessments as required. Strong mediation/negotiation skills and the ability to work in an inclusive and non-discriminatory manner is a must, as is working effectively with other professionals and organisations.
This Authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This is an exciting opportunity for you to utilise existing skills and develop new ones. You will receive continuous support, development, and career progression opportunities on your journey with us.
The posts include some home working but will require you to regularly attend the St Helens office and travel around the St Helens and surrounding areas.
Interested to Find Out More?
An informal discussion for interested candidates is strongly encouraged. For more information about the role, please contact Kathryn Lowe, Family Group Conference Manager kathrynlowe@sthelens.gov.uk/07825113366 For more information on Family Group Conferencing, visit Family Group Conferences - Family Rights Group (frg.org.uk)
St Helens is a great place to work so why not visit our Children’s Services web page https://socialcarerecruitment.sthelens.gov.uk/ to see what our colleagues have to say and discover our full range of in work benefits.
These posts are subject to Enhanced DBS Disclosure.
Applicants who have applied within the last 6 months need not apply.
Thank you for your interest in working for us.
If you are experiencing issues with applying online, you can contact a member of the team at Recruitment@sthelens.gov.uk and a form will be sent to you to complete.
St Helens Council is a Disability Confident Employer. This means that the Council guarantees an interview to disabled applicants who demonstrate that they meet the essential criteria for the job, as detailed on the Person Specification, and will, for qualifying disabled candidates, make reasonable adjustments within the interview/selection process.
Equality & Diversity
St Helens Council respects and values the individuality that every employee brings. We encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds, who share our values, our commitment to inclusion, and who will help us on our journey to transform our organisation. Further information about Equality & Diversity at St Helens Council can be found here https://www.sthelens.gov.uk/equality
St Helens Council is a Disability Confident Employer. Disability Confident Employers lead the way in helping to take action that changes attitudes, behaviours, and cultures for the better.
NOLAN Principles of Conduct in Public Life.
All Council employees are required to abide by the ethical standards embodied by the 7 Nolan
Principles: Selflessness, Integrity, Objectivity, Accountability, Openness, Honesty, and Leadership.
