Dudley Lodge Safeguarding Children Services
Hurdle – 143 Warwick Road, Coventry, CV3 6AT
Job Description
Job Title: FT Family Project Worker: Parent Advocacy and Family Support
Perm
Grade: Scale point 21 – 28 £29,863 - £33,144
Hours: 37.5 hours per week
Base: Coventry (143 Warwick Road, CV3 6AT).
This role is largely community-based and involves regular travel
to meet families and attend multi-agency meetings. You will:
* Spend a minimum of 2 days per week in the Coventry
office.
* Complete community visits mainly across Coventry and
Warwickshire, with occasional travel up to a 30-mile
radius of Coventry.
* Have opportunity to undertake some work from home.
Is the post exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act? Yes
Does the post require a DBS check?Yes
Our Commitment Statement
Our expectation of all staff is to demonstrate kindness, empathy and fairness to all.
Dudley Lodge strive to provide an inclusive working environment and experience, where
employees can bring their best and authentic self to work. Where difference is
recognised, respected, valued and celebrated.
Our approach to inclusion and diversity is rooted in listening, learning and acting. This
includes conducting ongoing listening forums across the company, the implementation
of Inclusion & Diversity talking/support groups, workshops and training, good quality
supervision, surveys and collaborative working parties. All with the core aim to receive
honest feedback, reflect and continuously strive to be the best that we can be.
Purpose of the Role
As a Hurdle Project Worker, you will provide holistic, trauma-informed, relationship-
based support to improve the lives of families and reduce the number of children entering
care.
This includes:
* Family Support for parents who have experienced, or are at risk of, recurrent care
proceedings.
* Parental Advocacy for parents whose children are subject to the child protection
process, ensuring their voices are heard, their rights are understood and they can
participate fully in decision-making.
By working in partnership with families, professionals and community resources, you will
build trust, reduce isolation and empower parents to achieve their goals, strengthen
relationships and create safer futures for themselves and their children.
Effectiveness Areas
1. Family Support: Provide trauma-informed, relationship-based, emotional and
practical support to parents at risk of recurrent care proceedings, helping them
to achieve positive and lasting change.
1. Parental Advocacy: Ensure parents understand child protection processes,
have their rights upheld and their voices heard in meetings and conferences.
1. Safeguarding: Promote and prioritise the safety and well-being of children and
families at all times.
1. Collaboration: Build effective working relationships with parents, colleagues
and professionals to deliver coordinated and high-quality support.
1. Quality and Accountability: Maintain accurate records, meet grant and contract
objectives and contribute to continuous improvement of Hurdle's services.
1. Representation: Uphold and promote the values and reputation of Hurdle and
Dudley Lodge in all work with families, partners and the community.
About Hurdle
Hurdle is run by Dudley Lodge, a UK registered non-profit organisation established in
1895 that specialises in safeguarding children.
We launched Hurdle in 2020 as a voluntary, early prevention family support service. Since
then, we have been committed to improving the lives of families by working with them to
create lasting, positive change.
Our mission is to support families to stay strong and independent, prevent crises and
reduce the need for statutory services, helping more children and parents remain safely
together wherever possible.
We listen with empathy and without judgment, building strong, trusting relationships to
find real solutions together. We advocate for families, champion their voices and
influence policies and practices to deliver the best outcomes.
Hurdle's Values
Hurdle is built on a foundation of trust, empathy, and working together:
Relationships built on trust and respect: We do not judge. We empower parents to have
choice and control over their own life.
Empathy and compassion for what parents have been through: We take time to
understand parents' past experiences. We see parents as experts in their own life.
Everyone has the capacity to change: We believe everyone can change. We are
aspirational about parents achieving their goals.
Working in Partnership: We communicate regularly and promote open and honest
conversations. We take every opportunity to hear parent's views and act on their
feedback.
Always believing in better: We aim to reach as many families as we can. We continually
strive to improve.
Key Responsibilities
1. Family Support
* Establish trauma-informed, trusting relationships with parents based on mutual
respect and empathy.
* Complete support plans with families to identify parental goals and desired
outcomes.
* Deliver parent-led, tailored support through face-to-face, virtual and telephone
contact.
* Provide practical and emotional support for parents experiencing or at risk of
experiencing recurrent care proceedings, including during the trauma of child
removal, farewell contacts and Final Care Orders.
* Provide tailored support to parents who are pregnant/expecting a baby,
particularly where there is a risk of their baby being removed at birth. Work
proactively to address child protection concerns, help parents prepare and
understand processes and increase the likelihood of families staying safely
together post-birth.
* Support parents in developing skills and confidence across areas such as
parenting, child development, guidance and boundaries, relationships,
budgeting, benefits, housing, employment and daily living.
* Facilitate group sessions that promote parenting skills, safeguarding, resilience,
and personal development (e.g., parenting groups, protection groups and
domestic abuse programmes).
* Encourage parents to strengthen their ability to create safe and nurturing
environments for their children.
* Provide practical assistance such as signposting, applying for benefits and
accessing community grants.
2. Parental Advocacy
* Ensure parents and carers understand child protection processes and that
information is shared with them clearly and at the earliest opportunity.
* Support parents to have their voices heard by helping them to express their views
and wishes.
* Help parents to understand their rights and make informed choices.
* Support parents to engage collaboratively with practitioners and develop effective
working relationships with professionals.
* Provide face-to-face advocacy and support for parents at Initial Child Protection
Conferences and at every Review.
* Provide online, text and telephone advocacy at other times, including family
meetings and professional meetings, in line with parents' needs and preferences.
* Accompany and support parents during child protection conferences and
meetings, ensuring they understand what is being discussed and agreed and that
their voices are heard throughout the process.
* Work to increase parents' confidence and active participation in child protection
processes.
* Build trusting and effective relationships with parents, promoting respectful and
constructive partnership working with professionals.
3. Safeguarding
* Prioritise the safety and welfare of children and families in all aspects of your work.
* Conduct ongoing risk assessments and take appropriate action to address
safeguarding concerns.
* Support parents to develop and implement safety plans (e.g., in relation to
domestic abuse or suicidal ideation).
* Follow Dudley Lodge and Hurdle safeguarding policies and procedures, as well as
relevant government legislation and guidance.
4. Collaborative Working
* Work closely with the Operations Manager, Project Manager, colleagues,
volunteers and partner agencies to provide high-quality, coordinated support.
* Ensure parents' voices are represented in multi-agency meetings and professional
forums.
* Support the involvement of students and volunteers where appropriate.
* Maintain strong professional boundaries and act as a positive representative of
Hurdle and Dudley Lodge.
5. Quality Assurance and Reporting
* Maintain accurate, up-to-date records of support provided, progress made and
outcomes achieved.
* Monitor and report against grant and contract requirements.
* Collect feedback from families and stakeholders to inform service improvements.
* Contribute to continuous service development by working with the leadership
team to identify opportunities for improvement and implement changes that
enhance quality and impact.
* Demonstrate high professional standards and effectiveness in collaborative
working.
6. Service Responsibilities
* Work flexibly to meet the needs of families, including some evenings and
occasional weekends.
* Travel regularly to family homes and community venues, mainly across Coventry
and Warwickshire (with travel extending up to a 30-mile radius).
* Provide support through a mix of home visits, community visits, telephone and
virtual contact.
* Participate fully in training, supervision and reflective practice.
* Promote equality, diversity, and anti-oppressive practice in all aspects of the role.
* Contribute to Hurdle's communications, fundraising activities and resource
development where required.
* Contribute across projects: While your main role will focus on advocacy and
family support, you'll also have opportunities to contribute across Hurdle's wider
projects in support of our mission to improve the lives of families.
* Undertake other duties as identified by management in line with the aims and
objectives of the service.
Title of post to which this job normally reports:
Hurdle Lead
Supervision
Supervising Officer Job Title: Hurdle Lead
Number and type of staff to be supervised:
None.
Place of work
Coventry (143 Warwick Road, CV3 6AT).
This role is largely community-based and involves regular travel to meet families and
attend multi-agency meetings. You will:
* Spend a minimum of 2 days per week in the Coventry office.
* Complete community visits mainly across Coventry and Warwickshire, with
occasional travel up to a 30-mile radius of Coventry.
Have opportunity to undertake some work from home.
Benefits of working at Dudley Lodge:
* Staff wellbeing events throughout the year
* Team building days
* Employee Assistance Programme – this is a scheme run by Dudley Lodge for its
employees. It enables staff to gain access to qualified advisors for a wide range
of services day or night.
* Health Shield - After 1 year's continuous employment, you can opt for free cover
under this Cash Plan policy.
* A pension scheme with Standard Life, Dudley Lodge contributes 5% towards
your pension, also matching additional employee contributions up to 7.5%. The
company will increase its contribution to 10% after an employee has reached
their 10 years' service, on condition employees contribute the same.
* Life Assurance - Group Life Assurance Policy with Canada Life. The scheme
provides a tax-free benefit to all permanent employees, paying a lump sum
amount of 2 x salary in the event of death in service.
* Free tea, coffee, water and fruit for all staff
* Continuous training and professional development opportunities
* Enhanced holidays:
* 22 days plus 8 bank holidays – up to 5 years continuous employment
* 27 days plus 8 bank holidays – at 5 years continuous employment
* 32 days plus 8 bank holidays – at 10 years continuous employment
* Flu Vaccine: For Staff that do not qualify for the flu vaccine through the NHS
* Bike (Cycle) Scheme: Staff can purchase a bike (max, £1000 or 50% of monthly
contractual salary). The employee cycle loan request form should be completed
for validation.
* Long Service Awards: We value our staff and to show recognition we offer long
service award
Mileage
Mileage is paid for community visits from Dudley Lodge Coventry unless the community
visit is in closer proximity to the employee's home address, in this instance it would be
calculated from there.
Special Conditions:
Post holder is required to work flexibly, including evenings, weekends and Bank Holidays
if required.
All staff are expected to work in a flexible way to cope with the needs, demands and
requirements of the families.
Dudley Lodge operates a non-smoking policy for staff.
Observance of the Centre's Equal Opportunities Policy will be required and to work at all
times in accordance with all the Centre's policies and procedures.
Failure by a member of staff to report actual or suspected physical or sexual abuse of a
child by another member of a staff or other person having contact with the child may
constitute a disciplinary offence.
How to apply:
If you feel you may be suitable to join our friendly team as a Project Worker, please
complete an application form, please note we do not accept CV's. We comply with safer
recruitment and Ofsted regulations.
Close Date for completed applications should be sent to:
on or before Friday 12th September 12pm
Interviews will be held on: Tuesday 23rd September and Thursday 25th September
If you do not hear from us before interview date, please assume your application
has been unsuccessful.
Please visit our website: and to find
out more about who we are
Dudley Lodge is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and vulnerable
adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons.
All posts are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Amendments to the Exceptions Order
& 2020) provide that certain convictions and cautions are 'protected' and so are not subject to disclosure and should
not be taken into account. Further information about this can be found on the DBS website or at Nacro.
This post is subject to medical clearance and an enhanced DBS disclosure.