Parenting Matters Service is recruiting for a part time Project Worker 2 to work in prison establishments in Northern Ireland (mainly Hydebank Wood College).
Working in partnership with the Northern Ireland Prison Service (NIPS). Parenting Matters provides parenting support and information to people in the care of NIPS during their custodial sentence.
The overall aims are to help strengthen family relationships, improve outcomes for children and families affected by having a parent in the care of the criminal justice system and reduce re-offending and intergenerational offending.
The service provides support for parents/carers who are expectant or with a child up to the age of 18 to achieve the following outcomes:
1. Improve knowledge of parenting
2. Increase ability to understand impact of own behaviour
3. Improved family relationships
4. Promote the wellbeing and positive life outcomes for children affected by parental imprisonment.
5. Support and enable family contact where it is in the best interest of the child.
This is achieved through providing safe, effective and quality services including Group and 1-1 support, Family Visits, providing support and information to partners and families and working collaboratively with NIPS staff to improve outcomes for children and families and promote the Strengthening Family Relations Strategy.
Please note, in order to be shortlisted for interview you MUST clearly indicate on your application that you fully meet each of the criteria marked in this document as Essential.
Essential Criteria
• Demonstrable experience of direct work with parents, families, children/young people and ability to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of parenting and family issues
• Previous experience of applying and implementing child protection policies and procedures within a work setting.
• Experience of working in a team within a multidisciplinary context.
• Hold a full UK driving licence with business insurance and have access to a car for work purposes or alternatively be able to demonstrate how you can meet the mobility requirements of the post.
Desirable Criteria
• Hold a degree level qualification in a relevant discipline for example, Social Work, Health and Social Care, Early Years, Education, Psychology
• Experience of delivering Parenting Programmes and facilitating group work.
• Experience of working in a secure residential or prison environment.
• Experience of working with families impacted by parental offending.
Hours: 22.2 hours per week, Monday 9.00 - 1.00, Tuesday 9.00 - 4.30, Wednesday 9.00 - 1.00, Thursday 9.00 - 4.30 ( some flexibility may be required)
Contract: Permanent Fixed Term Funded Post - funded year on year by the Department of Justice - currently funded to 31 March 2026.
Salary: £28,124.46 - £37,116.78 (FTE per annum - Starting salary will be first point on the scale)
Closing: Midnight, Sunday 4th January 2026
A waiting list will be compiled for any future similar vacancies within the organisation for a period of 12 months.
The successful applicant for this post will be subject to an enhanced Access NI with Child and Adult Barred list check as well as the security clearance requirements by NI Prison Service. Failure to secure this clearance will result in non-appointment.
Please note due to the high volume of applications for some posts, this advert might close before the displayed closing date. We recommend that you apply for this role as soon as possible
Pay & Reward Framework
We know that our colleagues go above and beyond in delivering our vital work, driven by their passion and commitment to Barnardo's . We also know that we can only realise our ambitions and achieve better outcomes for more children, thanks to the talent, hard work and creativity of our people.
For all these reasons, we are committed to a new approach to pay and reward, to ensure it is fair, attractive and progressive, which was rolled out in April 2023. This is a positive change for the charity, and a part of our Strategy. It will assist us in supporting colleagues to belong, thrive and grow in their colleague journey at Barnardo's and in time will offer clear routes of progression for colleagues in both their career and their pay.
Whilst the full pay band and salary range is advertised, our approach to starting salaries is to appoint between the minimum to mid-point of the pay band – this ensures that pay steps are available to reward our colleagues annually based on their contribution to excellence and alignment to our values and behaviours. More details on Barnardo's pay framework can be found upon application.
Benefits
Workplace Offer: What it means for you
Our hybrid working initiative is based on trust, flexibility and empowerment. We understand our workplace offer means different things to different people, and we encourage those conversations. This may mean working at one of our stores, services, working at home, in the community, at one of our Collaboration Hubs or depending on the role any combination of these. Please read through the advert carefully to understand the remits of hybrid working that will be specific to the role.
6. Barnardo's believe in creating equality of opportunity in the workplace and supporting people to manage their work-life balance; we are therefore open to offering flexible working arrangements.
7. Annual Leave entitlement for full-time colleagues is 26 days per annum, increasing to 27 days per annum, after 3 years Barnardo's service, 29 days per annum, after 5 years Barnardo's service and 30 days per annum, after 7 years Barnardo's service. Those working less than full time are entitled to the same level of holiday pro rata
8. The ability to buy up to another 5 days annual leave via our HolidayPlus scheme
9. A host of family friendly leave options including company Maternity Paternity and Adoption pay; together with all family additional leave options
10. Service related sick pay from day 1
11. Access to a Group Personal Pension with a matched 4% or 6% contribution from Barnardo's. Ability to pay via salary sacrifice to garner both tax and NI savings on your own contribution
12. Death in service cover of 4x annual earnings for all staff contributing to our Group Personal Pension
13. Cycle2work scheme
14. Interest free season ticket loans
15. Discounts and cashback from at high street shops including major supermarkets, cinemas, gyms, leisure/theme parks, holidays and much more via our Benefit Portal
16. 20% discount at Barnardo's stores
17. Opportunity to purchase a health cash plan to claim towards dental, glasses, therapy etc
18. Free access to round the clock employee assistance program for advice and support
19. Access to Barnardo's Learning and Development offer
*T&C's