The core purpose of the Here4U service is to work alongside our Assessment and Planning team, and other colleagues, to:

• Enhance and expand Harmeny’s support for young people up to age 25, and to keep in touch, as appropriate, after their time at Harmeny.
• Evaluate how our interventions have impacted on their lives.
• Maintain a support network for former pupils to continue to engage with Harmeny and one another.
• Coordinate with other Harmeny adults regarding the best means for young people to stay connected with Harmeny adults.

Principal responsibilities and key areas of the job:

• Promote a positive ethos consistent with Harmeny’s vision, purpose and core values.
• Gain in-depth knowledge and understanding of Harmeny’s transition planning processes for children and young people moving on, and contribute to the ongoing development of practice in this area.
• Work alongside Harmeny staff and managers who have responsibility for transition plans / processes relating to children and young people placed at Harmeny.
• Work with Harmeny’s Assessment and Planning team to develop a model of supporting children and young people, and those around them, for a period of at least three months post placement, including attending review and other relevant meetings.
• Maintain a working knowledge of relevant developments in the residential childcare sector in order to inform the development and delivery of Here4U.
• Work alongside colleagues to ensure that a clearly agreed plan is in place for all children and young people who move on from Harmeny regarding the nature of ongoing contact, in line with local authority review decisions and taking account of the child / young person’s views.
• Liaise with Harmeny staff and external professionals to maintain and develop a network of former pupils, up to the age of 25, family members, and key professionals, ensuring full compliance with data protection legislation and guidelines.
• Seek the views of former pupils and families regarding the initiatives that they would like to be developed in order to keep in touch and network with one another, empowering participation and collaboration.
• Contact and have conversations with former pupils about their experience of Harmeny with compassion and empathy. This may include signposting to appropriate external agencies, if required.
• Maintain a former pupils’ steering group to assist with the development and delivery of Here4U.
• Adhere to Harmeny’s Child Protection and other key policies.
• Contribute to the development of other relevant policies and procedures to ensure that all those involved in Here4U are aware of appropriate boundaries, as well as safe and respectful behaviours in relation to those with whom they interact.
• Maintain a ‘closed group’ Harmeny social media site inviting current and ex pupils, families and staff, in order to allow connections to be made and sustained.
• Organise regular events for former pupils and their families, along with staff (current and former), as well as current pupils and their families, as appropriate.
• Obtain feedback from former pupils regarding the impact of Harmeny’s approaches, practices and interventions. This will include ‘what else’ might have helped during and beyond their time at Harmeny.
• Use any knowledge gained from Here4U to support the ongoing development of the ‘Harmeny Way’ (our therapeutic practice framework).
• Prepare regular progress reports on Here4U for staff, managers, trustees, and funders, as appropriate.
• Attend training, supervision, annual performance review, and other meetings as required.
• To have membership with appropriate organisations and professional forums such as STAF, Scottish Transition Forum, The Promise, Children in Scotland and Celcis.
• Undertake any other duties delegated by management consistent with the role of Project Coordinator (Here4U).

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

Essential

• A relevant qualification at level SVQ3 or equivalent HNC or degree in Social Work.
• Registered with the SSSC
• Full driving licence.
• Qualification or experience in social research.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Experience in residential childcare, youth or advocacy work, including working with children / young people, and families who have experienced trauma and adversity.
• Experience of supporting care-experienced children and young people with key transitions.
• Knowledge and understanding of children who are looked after and accommodated, and children with complex additional support needs.
• Good communication skills, both written and oral.
• Excellent organisational, administrative and IT skills / confidence with social media platforms.
• Ability to collate and analyse data to produce accurate and insightful reports tailored to stakeholders and funders.
• Knowledge of child development and developmental trauma, childcare legislation, relevant childcare theories, relevant policy contexts, legal frameworks, and procedures.
• Experience of working within a multidisciplinary setting.
• Theoretical knowledge of and application of de-escalation techniques and experience of using physical intervention.
• Previous experience of working in throughcare and aftercare.

Personal Characteristics / Competencies

• A commitment to high standards of childcare practice.
• Excellent inter-personal skills including ability to listen with compassion and empathy.
• Ability to provide advice and guidance and maintain professional boundaries.
• A positive and supportive attitude to children, young people, and staff.
• Commitment to Children’s Rights and participation of children, young people and their families.
• Willingness to be flexible, which may include evening and weekend working.
• Emotional resilience to remain effective when working with children and young people who may present as distressed or experience distress during your time supporting them.

Benefits

• A salary range of £32,600 to £35,324 per annum
• Seven weeks’ holiday per year, inclusive of public holidays
• Pension scheme
• Life assurance scheme (three times salary)
• Policies and practices that promote health and wellbeing, including massage therapy, access wellbeing spaces
• We are highly committed to the professional development of all our staff and the post-holder will have access to comprehensive training and development.