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Employer:Great Ormond Street Hospital
Position:Family Support Officer
Salary:£38,488 – £46,852 per annum inclusive
Job Types: Part time,Full time
Work location:London
FULL JOB DESCRIPTION
The post holder will work as a member of the GOSH Louis Dundas palliative care team to provide direct practical and financial advice emotional and social support services to patients and their families. A key function of the post will be to advocate for community services and resources on behalf of families and make appropriate and timely referrals to appropriate local services.
Main duties of the job
• To provide practical support advice and assistance to families in line with the agreed LDC Palliative Care team framework for the provision of psychosocial support to the hospital and community.
• To work directly with families to provide practical support and assistance, alongside the LDC Palliative care team
• To work directly with children who have a range of health conditions and their families who may be highly distressed.
• To work with families, post death, acting as bereavement key worker as appropriate.
• Attend regular team meetings to consider new referrals and allocation of work according to need, taking referrals from members of the LDC Palliative care multidisciplinary team.
• To implement procedures for the effective management and dispersal of financial assistance from the various funds available
• To work in conjunction with other psychosocial staff, clinical staff and benefits advisors within the hospital and in the community to ensure timely and effective support for patients and families.
• To liaise with other professionals involved in child’s care, for example teachers, social workers, community nurses, hospice family support worker etc. This may include communicating sensitive information appropriately given the high level of stress that families may be experiencing.
• To advise families (and staff as necessary) on welfare benefits, charitable support and volunteer organisations.
Working for our organisation
We are committed to recruiting the best person for the job through a fair, open and consistent process that is free from bias and discrimination.
We are working towards becoming an anti-racist organisation. This means creating a workplace where every colleague feels seen, heard and valued, and where racism in any form has no place. Our anti-racism commitment is backed by action through our Anti-Racism Statement and action plan, developed in collaboration with our REACH staff network.
We actively challenge discrimination, dismantle barriers and embed equity across all aspects of our workforce, including recruitment, progression and development. All applicants will receive equal consideration regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, religion or belief, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, health condition or employment history.
We particularly welcome applications from ethnically diverse communities, people with disabilities or long-term health conditions, and LGBTQ+ community members. We are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer, a member of the Business Disability Forum, and a Stonewall Diversity Champion.
Our staff networks, including REACH, PRIDE, ENABLED and Women’s Networks, are active and executive supported. These employee-led networks play a vital role in shaping an inclusive culture at GOSH and are open to all colleagues.
Together, we are building a culture where inclusion is not optional – it is essential.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. For both documents please view the attachment/s below.
Person specification
GOSH Culture and Values
Essential criteria
- Our Always values • Always welcoming • Always helpful • Always expert • Always one team
- Experience of contributing to an inclusive workplace culture.
Academic/Professional qualification/Training
Essential criteria
- Honour’s degree or equivalent in social science/psychology or related discipline or equivalent relevant experience.
Experience/Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Experience of working successfully with children and or families in a multi-disciplinary setting
- General competencies with standard IT packages
- Knowledge of Child Protection Procedures
- Understanding of confidentiality in the workplace
- Flexibility initiative and self-reliance, efficiency, good organizational skills and ability to effectively use supervision
- Creativity and motivation to develop the role and contribute to the ongoing growth and development of psychosocial services in the hospital
Desirable criteria
- Knowledge of welfare benefits and legislation that pertain to this client population (Children Act 1989, Disability Discrimination Act1995 Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000)
- Understanding of needs and difficulties of children diagnosed with a wide range of health conditions, families with a CYP with a life limited or life-threatening diagnosis
Skills/Abilities
Essential criteria
- High level of communication skills written and verbal. Including an ability to effectively work in a setting in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive
- Ability to assess family circumstances, including the need for financial assistance
- Ability to communicate sensitive information to patients, carers, colleagues and other professionals
- Ability to liaise and negotiate effectively with internal and external services
- Ability to work independently, reliably and consistently with work agreed and managed at regular intervals
- Ability to maintain clarity of role and function in an environment with contrasting demands
- Ability to carry out an agreed programme of work, achieving targets and goals with defined time scales
- Excellent organisation ability and time management
- High standard of report writing/case recording
Please be advised that:
The recruitment process for all admin and clerical roles at Bands 2-4 will be a two stage recruitment process whereby shortlisted candidates will undertake an online literacy, numeracy, ICT and typing test. Only those candidates who pass the competency test will proceed to a formal interview.
The closing date given is a guide only. There may be some occasions where we have to close a vacancy once sufficient applications have been received. It is therefore advisable that you submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
Only those candidates who clearly demonstrate how they meet the person specification criteria for this post will be shortlisted. Please note that where high volumes of applicants have been received, additional criteria may on occasion be used to determine the final shortlist.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
We are an accredited Living Wage Employer.
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APPLICATION PROCESS
If you’re interested in this role, check out more information on the OFFICIAL WEBSITE HERE and apply now!!