Support Practitioner

Job Description

Information“Changing lives takes a little time and space.” Part of CrossReach Children’s Services, our Community Team in partnership with local agencies, supports young people to be a part of community life. By adopting a child-centred approach our team works with the ‘whole-child’, focusing on improving relationships and enhancing personal development.You will support our Lead Practitioner in every aspect of their role from implementing care and education plans to contributing to the assessment of each child’s needs. An HNC Social Care and SVQ Level 3 qualification is preferable with experience in a care/education role. You will also need a full driving licenceIn return we’ll make sure you have all the training and development you need, not only so you can do a great job, but to help you build your career with us too. There’s also a benefits package that includes an employer contributory pension and generous holiday allowance for the part time post.#Crossreach Main Function All those employed within the CrossReach Children & Family Services will, with a commitment to our Christian values, work as part of a holistic team to deliver a service that ensures that the needs of the children, young people and their families that we support, are fully met. You will be expected to work to the highest professional standards of those working within the Children’s workforce and adhere to professional codes of practice of SSSC, GTCS and other relevant professional bodies; ensuring that the aims and objectives of CrossReach and those specific to Children & Family Services and the section within which you are based are met.All adults within our services, regardless of specific job remit & role, have a responsibility to promote a Therapeutic Environment and contribute to the Relational Health of children and young people in our services and have an understanding of how their role contributes. The following values and attributes are applicable to all those employed within Children & Family services and not solely to those whose primary role is to support the direct care and education of children and young people.In undertaking your role you will be expected to demonstrate, from an asset/strengths based approach the following core principles.

1. Inclusion: Understanding that our role is to ‘include’ those who, for whatever reason, have been ‘excluded’ from the mainstream of our society through:
   1. Including Children, young people and families in decisions that affect their lives.
   2. Listening to Children and Young People and to giving them opportunities to be accepted, understood and to give them a life free of stigma across all communities in Scotland.
   3. Using positive experiences and strengths to overcome the difficulties and barriers faced by Children and Young People.
   4. Taking an active role to ensure that everyone is included within their immediate and wider community.

1. Relational Health: understanding the impact of our relationships and interactions with those around us, including:
   1. The impact that past experiences have on how individuals understand themselves and the world around them.
   2. Understanding that our role is to provide positive experiences which can start to heal past harm and build trust through positive and genuine relationships with children, young people and their families.
   3. Being mindful in all our interactions of language used – both words and tone; body language of stance & facial expression and how this may be perceived by others, based on their past experiences.
   4. Being aware that your own past experiences has had an impact on who you are.

1. Advocating: Understanding that our role is to ensure that all needs are met:
   1. Explaining all decisions that affect individuals as well as the implications of these decisions in a way that they are able to understand.
   2. Being aware of who else and what other agencies can support individuals to have their needs met.
   3. Supporting children, young people and their families to be able to communicate and express their emotions, feelings and needs in a constructive approach.

The above core attributes takes cognisance of:

CrossReach Values

CrossReach Children & Families Services Values & Ethos statement

Getting It Right For Every Child

Curriculum for Excellence

Common Core of Skills, Knowledge & Understanding and Values for the ‘Children’s Workforce’ in Scotland

Main Duties To meet the care needs of children and young people, as their Children & Young Person Care Mentor: GIRFEC Support Practitioner you will:

1. Ensure that children & young people’s primary care needs are fully met

Safety

Health

Active

Nurtured

Achieving

Respected

Responsible

Included

Support Key-worker to meet needs of individual children and young people. This will include working in partnership with the child, young person, their family and other support agencies.

Contribute to Assessment of needs and development of Individual care & education plans, risk assessments.

Support the implementation of strategies that support care & education plans.

Promote and strengthen Relational health through actively developing and role modelling positive and genuine relationships, using the principles of Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, Empathy [P.A.C.E.].

Promote equality for all individuals.

Undertake core training which will enhance your skills in meeting children & young people needs, strengthen relationships and enable you to confidently manage challenging events and behaviours:

Ethos & Values

Child Development and Attachment

Child Protection

Assessment

Therapeutic Crisis Interventions

Promote communication with children and young people where there are communication difficulties.

Support children and young people when they are emotionally, psychologically and socially isolated and distressed.

Support children and young people to be actively included in their family and community.

Empower children and young people to make use of available services and information.

Contribute to the health, well being, safety and security of children and young people and their environment. This includes following policy and protocols such as:

Shift Planning Protocols

Communication Protocol

Significant Adverse Events Protocol

Understanding and Managing Challenging Events & Behaviours

Promote the health & well-being of