Job title: Independent Coordinator – Family, Community and Connections Team (Citywide)
Salary: Grade PO2 (£39,862 – £42,839)
Hours: 37 per week
Contract: Permanent
Location: Leeds (citywide, with flexible and hybrid working)
Introduction
As an Independent Coordinator, you'll work alongside families, children and communities to strengthen relationships, work through difficulties and support people to make their own decisions about what matters to them. This is not a traditional Family Group Conference role. It's a varied and flexible position where you'll use a range of restorative approaches to support family and community-led solutions.
About You
-
A strong commitment to working alongside children, young people and families in a relational, strengths-based way.
- Experience of engaging families and building trust.
- Strong communication and organisational skills.
- The ability to work independently as part of a small, supportive team.
- An NVQ Level 3 (or equivalent qualification) in a relevant field such as social care, youth work, education, mediation or a related area, together with at least three years' experience of working with children, young people and families.
About the Role
You'll be part of a small, supportive team delivering a growing citywide service within Early Help.
In this role, you will facilitate a range of restorative processes, including Family Group Conferences, mediation, conflict resolution and community conferencing. You'll work directly with families and their wider networks to support them to lead decision-making, strengthen relationships and make their own plans about what happens next.
This is an opportunity to be part of a developing service, helping to shape and grow practice while contributing to a relational, community-led approach across Leeds.
We believe that diverse experiences, perspectives and communities make our service stronger. We particularly welcome applications from people who are care experienced, people from ethnically diverse communities, disabled people and others whose voices and experiences may be underrepresented within our workforce. Lived experience is valued alongside professional experience, and we encourage anyone who shares our commitment to relational and restorative practice to apply.
What We Offer You
-
A competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays.
- Membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund.
- Flexible and hybrid working arrangements.
- Ongoing professional development opportunities.
- A range of staff benefits to support your wellbeing.
How to Apply
Please complete the online application form.
If you would like an informal conversation about the role, please contact:
Tim Shelton, Team Manager – 0113 535 0789
Gail Whiting, Service Delivery Manager – 0113 378 5379
A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check against the Children’s or Adults’ barred list as applicable will be carried out on preferred candidates. Read our recruitment of ex-offenders policy.
We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.
This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.
If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visaroute before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.
Job Description
Job purpose
-
To provide high-quality coordination and facilitation within the Family, Community and Connections Team
- Support children, young people and families to strengthen relationships and make safe, sustainable plans
- Facilitate Family Group Conferences and wider restorative processes
Responsibilities
-
Plan, organise and facilitate Family Group Conferences and review meetings
- Work independently and manage coordination of meetings bringing together families and professionals
- Ensure full participation of children, young people and families using varied communication methods
- Support vulnerable adults through the process
- Follow safeguarding procedures and act on risks
- Support families to develop safe care plans
- Provide advice and consultation to professionals
- Deliver training to professionals and community groups
- Collect evaluation data and feedback
- Complete administrative tasks related to coordination
- Contribute to service development and promotion
- Participate in supervision and training
- Comply with all council policies
- Promote equality and anti-discriminatory practice
Qualifications
-
CQSW, DipSW, NVQ Level 3 or equivalent
- Minimum 3 years experience working with children and families
Essential requirements - Skills
-
Work independently and manage workload
- Chair and facilitate meetings
- Work to timescales
- Build relationships with families and professionals
- Manage conflict and support plans
- Negotiate and mediate
- Identify and communicate risks
- Communicate effectively written and verbal
- Work flexibly and creatively
- Maintain neutrality
- Work with multi-agency partners
- IT skills
- Flexible working including evenings/weekends
Knowledge
-
Family Group Conferencing principles
- Safeguarding and child protection
- Multi-agency working
- Impact of poverty and discrimination
Behavioural and other Characteristics required
-
Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct.
- Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon
- Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council equality and diversity policies.
- Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.
- Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities.
- Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
- Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities.
- Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
- Be aware of and support difference ensuring equality for all, working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & diversity.
- Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person.
- The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.
