Closing date: 30th January 2023 at 11.30 pm

Please note, we reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible

Information session on Children and Families Support Worker Role Sheffield Hub

Friday 20th January, 10-11am, online drop-in

Friday 27th January, 1-2pm, in person at the Sheffield Community Hub,

33-37 Hereford Street, Sheffield, S1 4PP

Please contact Faye Davidson on Faye_Davidson@shelter.org.uk or 0344 515 1297 (Weds-Friday) to book your place

Do you have a good understanding of child development and the needs of homeless families and children plus proven experience of supporting parents and children with complex needs? Then join Shelter as a Children & Families Support Worker and you could soon be playing a vital role aimed at minimising the impact of bad housing, homelessness and exclusion in the Sheffield area.

About Shelter

A home is a fundamental human need, as essential as education or healthcare. Yet millions of people across Britain struggle on a daily basis with homelessness, bad housing conditions, soaring rents, discrimination and the threat of eviction. So, we are striving for change, with individuals, in communities, across society, and leading the way to a safe home. We need ambitious, best-in-class individuals who are passionate about our cause to join us at this exciting time. This is your chance to play a part in the fundamental change we are striving to achieve.

At Shelter we are united by our purpose to defend the right to a safe home. Our enemy is the social injustice at the core of the escalating housing emergency. We believe that to win that fight, we must be representative of the people we are here to help and those who support our movement for change. In all our people decisions, we take pride in being inclusive, fair, equitable and transparent.

We have committed to combat racism both within and outside Shelter and welcome you on our journey to becoming a truly anti-racist organisation.

About the team

Shelter Sheffield has been providing housing advice and support to the city’s residents for over 20 years, specialising in emergency homelessness work, intensive support to children and families, people experiencing domestic abuse, and people with multiple and complex needs. We wrap a range of functions around a person to help them holistically, including; high intensity support, legal representation, practical DIY assistance, and specialist housing, employment, training, and welfare benefits advice. This ensures we can help an individual to address a range of inter-connected issues that may be impacting on their ability to sustain accommodation and thrive within the community. These issues include physical and mental health conditions, drug and alcohol use, income and money management, and domestic abuse.

We provide frontline support to over 5,000 people a year in the city whilst simultaneously working to improve the underlying systems that prevent people from living securely in suitable, safe, affordable accommodation.

There are currently around 70 individuals working in the Hub, including the Hub Manager, Managing Solicitor, Team Leaders, Solicitors, Advisors, Advice Assistants, Housing Support Workers, Children and Families Workers, ETE Advisor, DIY Skills Advisors, Admin and Data Manager, Administrators and Receptionist.

We also have a range of volunteers.

The service sits within the Central region in Shelter.

About the role

With your own caseload of families, you will act as their key worker and support them to either resettle or prevent homelessness. Your primary focus will be on households where some tailored interventions are required around the needs of the children in order to stabilise their housing situation and enable the family to thrive. Accordingly, you’ll need to provide intensive, tailored support as part of a whole family approach in a 1-2-1 setting and through group work. You’ll also need to regularly visits clients’ homes and schools across the city and liaise with other agencies in the community in order to provide a co-ordinated service.

We are happy to talk about flexible working, personal growth, and to promote a workplace where you can be yourself and achieve success based only on your merit.

About you

You have knowledge of housing, homelessness and ASB legislation and welfare benefits that affect families and the skills to network and gather information as well as advocacy, negotiation and problem solving skills. You’ll need to be able to demonstrate that you have worked within, or understand, a safeguarding framework, have experience of managing a caseload and can prioritise, organise and set boundaries.

You’ll need to be able to use a range of IT tools to carry out your work, including case management systems, Microsoft Office applications, internet and email etc., and be able to type. You must also possess a valid driving licence and be willing to use your vehicle for work purposes, for which an essential car allowance will be paid.

Benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits, including 30 days of annual leave, enhanced family friendly policies, pension and interest free travel loans. Our employees also have access to a tenancy deposit loan, payroll giving, cycle to work scheme and an employee assistance programme.

Shelter helps millions of people every year struggling with bad housing or homelessness through our advice, support and legal services. And we campaign to make sure that, one day, no one will have to turn to us for help. We’re here so no one has to fight bad housing or homelessness on their own.

To find out more about the role and the benefits of working for Shelter please visit our website. Apply to be part of our team and be the change you want to see in society.

Safeguarding is everyone's business. Shelter is committed to protecting the health, wellbeing and human rights of those we support, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. All our staff will be expected to observe professional standards of behaviour and conduct their work in line with our Safeguarding Policies.

Shelter does not accept unsolicited CVs from external recruitment agencies nor accept the fees associated with them.