Youth Worker & Family Support Officer

Location: Royal Hospital for Children and Young People

Hours: 37.5 per week (Monday to Friday) (3 days 10.00 am to 6.00pm, 2 days 12 noon to 8.00 pm)

Purpose of Role

The purpose of the Youth Worker and Family Support Officer is to offer practical help, emotional support and trauma-informed interventions to children, young people and their families in hospital.

Working as part of Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC)’s Children’s Wellbeing Service, you will support young people and families to cope with the emotional, practical and mental health challenges

associated with hospital experiences. The role combines direct 1:1 and group support, creative and evidence-based wellbeing activity, and strong partnership working across the hospital and wider community.

You will help embed trauma-informed, child-first practice across ECHC's services, ensuring that no child faces hospital alone.

Areas of Responsibility Supporting Children, Young People and Families

• Provide emotional and practical wellbeing support to children, young people and families within wards and other clinical settings, The Hub and family spaces

• Hold, maintain and manage a case load of families requiring targeted 1:1 support

• Design and deliver creative, evidence-based wellbeing, emotional and practical interventions

• Facilitate group sessions, peer support and befriending opportunities for parents, carers and young people

• Support families experiencing challenges linked to mental health, poverty, isolation and stressful hospital experiences

• Empower families to build confidence, resilience and coping strategies

• Use creative, youth work and wellbeing approaches to build confidence, coping mechanisms and connections

• Youth Voice, Participation & Coproductions

O Enable children, young people and families to shape services and activities

o Support development of:

• Peer support programmes

• Youth-led content and activities

o Use a youth work and participation appr strengthen voice

• Delivery of The Hub & Wellbeing Service

o Contribute to the delivery of the Children’s Wellbeing Service and organisational strategy

o Support the effective day-to-day running of ECHC spaces, ensuring they are welcoming, safe and fully resourced

o Identify and respond to barriers to access, inclusion and engagement within RHCYP

o Work flexibly across The Hub and wards to reach families where they are most in need

• Partnership Working & Signposting

o Build and maintain strong working relationships with hospital staff, identifying champions who can refer families to the service

o Actively link with external agencies, community organisations and specialist services to support families through effective signposting and warm referrals

o Facilitate information sessions or outreach activity within The Hub to improve access to advice and support

• Volunteers, Teams & Culture

O Build, support and motivate a strong volunteer team contributing to Children’s Wellbeing Service delivery

o Work collaboratively with colleagues, volunteers, artists and sessional staff to deliver high-quality programmes

o Contribute to a positive, inclusive and supportive team culture

• Monitoring, Evaluation & Administration

o Accurately record interventions, engagement and outcomes in line with policy

o Collate qualitative and quantitative data to evidence impact and inform service development

o Contribute to evaluation reports, funding applications and funder visits

o Ensure compliance with safeguarding, data protection and best practice standards

• Organisational Contribution

o Act as an ambassador for ECHC

o Keep up-to-date with sector developments, partner activity and emerging best practice

o Support fundraising activity where appropriate

o Undertake any other duties appropriate to the role and the needs of the organisation

Requirements Essentials Desirable
Education &Qualifi cations		Experience supportingchildren, young people andfamilies with complexneeds	Qualification in health, socialcare or related field orequivalent experience
Knowledge &Experience		Signifi cant frontlineexperience with childrenand families	Experience designing ordelivering wellbeing orsupport programmes
		Strong communication,listening and interpersonalskills	Experience collating data andevaluating impact
		Ability to workindependently and as partof a multidisciplinary team	Understanding of local supportand referral pathways
		Understanding oftrauma-informedapproaches	Understanding of Child andAdolescent Development
		Knowledge of children'srights and family supportsystems	Understanding of impact ofillness and hospitalisation onfamilies
		Practical understanding ofsafeguarding andprofessional boundaries
		Understanding of Equality,diversity and inclusion
Personal Qualities		0 Person-centred,child-focused and
		values-ledEmotionally resilient
		and able to work inchallengingenvironmentsMotivating, reflective
		and adaptable
		Able to set andmaintain professionalboundariesPositive role model forcolleagues, volunteersand service users
Additional		Flexible workingincluding someevenings and weekendsMembership of the PVGSchemeEligible to work in the UKWilling to undertakeadditional study or learningas required to fulfil thisdeveloping role etc.	Experience working with orcoordinating volunteers

What’s in it for You?

Generous annual leave entitlement: 35 days as standard (FTE), increasing to 40 days after five years

24/7 Employee Assistance Programme to support staff wellbeing

The option of face to face, confidential counselling with our retained psychologist

Hybrid and flexible working (if applicable)

• Pension plan with employer contributions

A fun, friendly and supportive environment, built on delivering lifechanging projects for children and families and celebrating success.

Ready to apply?

please visit: echcharity.org/join-our-team/

Application form only