Family Support Practitioner - HMP Coldingley

Overview

We are Forward, the social enterprise that empowers people to break the cycle of crime or addiction to move forward with their lives. For more than 30 years we have been working with people to build positive and productive lives, whatever their past. We believe that anyone is capable of lasting change. Our services have supported thousands of people to make positive changes and build productive lives with a job, family, friends and a sense of community.

At the Forward Trust we define family as a group of 2 or more individuals whose relationship plays a significant role in their lives. We recognise the value and complexity of family and understand the potential positive and negative impact of relationships. We believe how a family is defined is up to the individuals within that system and that we all hold our own unique version of what family looks like.

Our family work aims to strengthen relationships and interpersonal connections, so every person feels safe, supported and valued by the people they surround themselves with.

What you will be doing?

The Family Work Practitioner role provides specialist support to clients and family members through the delivery of effective 1:1 and group interventions. The role is also required to work closely with other Forward staff and external partners to ensure a holistic package of
care and support is provided. Recognising the importance of relationships in the lives of the people we support is crucial to providing the best possible treatment and services. This role will focus specifically on supporting clients to recognise healthy and unhealthy relationships, build new relationships and understand the role relationships play in their addiction, offending, mental health and other areas of need.

The Family Work Practitioner will also directly support family members and concerned significant others (CSOs), helping them to improve their health and wellbeing and help them to support clients to make positive changes.

What we are looking for?

• Experience of providing support to families and providing help for family-related issues that may affect clients in prison and community services
• Flexibility to meet the needs of the service as it develops
• A positive problem-solving approach with the ability to focus on key issues quickly and clearly
• Effective negotiating and influencing skills
• Previous experience of developing and implementing service improvements
• The ability to engage effectively with the client group
• Understanding of the voluntary sector
• Understanding of and sensitivity to diversity and equality issues
• Working knowledge of using Microsoft office packages and databases
• An understanding of a range of treatment approaches in the field of substance misuse, including the 12 step model.

What we offer

• Training opportunities and career development
• Flexible working
• Season ticket loan scheme
• Electric Car Scheme
• Crisis Loan Scheme
• Simply Health - Health Cashback Scheme
• 3 x Wellbeing Days (Pro Rata'd for Part Time Employees)
• Access to Blue Light Card
• Cycle to work scheme
• 25 Days annual leave plus Bank Holidays (rising to 30 days with length of service)
• Excellent contributory pension scheme. Employer matched contributions of up 6% in the first two years' service and up to 9% thereafter.
• Death in service payment (2x annual salary)
• Critical illness insurance (subject to qualifying criteria)

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Person specification

Family Support Practitioner - Job Description - August 2023