Family Support Practitioner

Location: Home Based

Salary: £35,922 to £37,911 (pro rata to hours) depending on experience

Contract type: Fixed term

Contract length: 30 months (with the potential to become permanent)

Contract hours: Part time

Weekly hours:22.5 hours

Closing Date: 19/09/2024

We have an exciting opportunity to be part of a new project as we develop a small locality team designed to specifically support families in West Wales. The role is a fixed term post for up to 30 months whilst the project is evaluated; if the project proves successful the role may become permanent. Initially the team will consist of a Family Support Practitioner and a Child and Family support Worker, with access to the wider support services already provided by Ty Hafan.

We are looking for a candidate who is passionate about providing excellent service to children and families, and is able to work compassionately and under often difficult circumstances. If you have a passion for providing holistic family centred care to a caseload of very special and inspiring children, young people, and their families, this might be the role you are looking for.

The role holder will be working directly with babies, children and young people with life shortening conditions, and their families. The role holder is responsible for assessing the need for, and the delivery of, emotional, social and practical support to families and children with life shortening conditions living in the West Wales area. 

This includes facilitating the delivery of a comprehensive pre and post bereavement service for each identified child and their family including the provision of psychosocial support, anticipatory grief support, end of life planning, memory making and advocacy.

Hours for the role are 22.5 hours per week, typical hours can be worked across the working week. Please note that this role requires some evening and weekend working, to ensure support is provided in line with a family’s needs. We are happy to discuss this and would provide as much notice as the circumstances would allow. The role also includes some on call duties.

The role holder will be part of the wider Ty Hafan family wellbeing service and will be expected to work in close collaboration with family support, play & therapy and clinical colleagues based at the hospice and other areas across Wales. You will work closely with statutory colleagues in health, education and social care to ensure the holistic palliative care needs of the family are met. 

About us

Ty Hafan's ambition is that when a child's life will be short, no family should have to live it on their own. Sadly, we know that thousands of families in Wales are struggling alone through fear, exhaustion and uncertainty that comes with caring for a child whose life will be short. We believe that no family should have to live this on their own and we are determined to walk alongside every family through life, death and beyond.

At Ty Hafan we are experts at caring for children with life-shortening conditions and our services support families in our hospice, in community settings, local hospitals and in families' homes. We understand that needs of each child and their family are unique and we know that caring for a child with life-shortening condition is often extremely demanding. Our aim is to make sure that no one is doing this alone. Our colleagues, volunteers and supporter are crucial in the delivery of our ambition - we know that everyone plays a huge part in making sure that no family faces their child's short life alone.

Our Vision: A Wales where every child with life-shortening conditions lives a fulfilling life, supported with the compassion and specialist care and their family need. 

Our Purpose: No family should have to face the unimaginable loss of their child alone. With children and families at the heart of all we do, we provide free care and support in our hospice and in community, offering a lifeline through out the childs short life, at end of life, through bereavement and beyond. 

Our Values: At Ty Hafan we make a difference by living our values which are Demonstrating Compassion, Providing Excellent Service, Working Together and Taking Ownership.

Our benefits package includes: 

• Holiday entitlement of 30 days (rising to 32 days with service) plus Bank Holidays (pro-rata to hours)
• Investment in your professional development with allocated time for training opportunities
• The ability to continue an existing NHS pension or to enrol in our Group Personal Pension Scheme with an employer contribution of 5%
• Life assurance (death in service benefit)
• Wellbeing support - employee assistance program, which provides a range of free services including counselling, financial and legal support
• Unlimited access to a 24/7 online GP as well as a range of other health expert
• Healthcare Cash Plan – claim back the cost for appointments and treatment such as dental, optical or physio
• Staff complementary therapy sessions offered regularly
• Cycle to work scheme, technology, mobile phone and will writing schemes
• Discounted gym membership and shopping discounts 

If you have the passion and drive and think you have what it takes to enrich the lives of the children and families using our services, then we would love to hear from you.