Family Support Worker

How would you like to be paid for five days but only work four*?

Our colleagues’ wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do at OFG, so we’re always looking for new ways to improve everyone’s work/life balance. We’re taking part in a trial of the 4-Day Working Week, meaning that you could be working one day less a week (or equivalent).

If the trial is a success, we’ll be rolling the 4DWW out across the Group – so there’s never been a more exciting time to join #teamOFG!

Job title:          Family Support Worker

Location:         Ryecroft School, Walsall, WS2 7BH

Salary:             £25,000.00 per annum

Hours:             37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday 8:30am-4:00pm

Contract:         Permanent, Term Time only

UK applicants only. This role does not offer sponsorship.

We now have a fantastic opportunity for a Family Support Worker to join our new Options Autism School - Ryecroft School located in Walsall.

About the Role

Our next Family Support Worker will assist the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) in delivering an effective support service for families and pupils; and to support the school in providing a high quality service for pupils with social, emotional and mental health difficulties (SEMH) through providing the highest standards of pastoral care for all pupils of all abilities in a safe and orderly learning environment which provides a high standard of behaviour. 

Responsibilities 

• To understand the school’s safeguarding policy and support staff to understand their statutory responsibilities 
• Contribute to raising achievement by improving school attendance 
• Maintaining and monitoring attendance records 
• Using the school’s data management system to run reports and to record and analyse pupil data 
• In consultation with the DSL, to undertake action in accordance with the school’s policies and procedures in relation to attendance issues 
• To establish the reason for non-attendance, make assessments and agree a plan for facilitating a return to school using appropriate strategies within specified timescales 
• To establish positive working relationships with pupils in school to identify barriers to learning and attendance 
• To promote positive attitudes by students and families towards education and to ensure parents are fully aware of their statutory responsibilities 
• To make unsupervised contact with families in their own homes and elsewhere to assess the reasons impacting on the attendance of individual students, facilitating their return or access to regular full time education provision

Essential:

• Level 2 functional skills Math's and English or equivalent 
• Further education studies in relevant filed (highly desirable)

About the school

Our New Options Autism School - Ryecroft School has capacity for 60 pupils and opened September 2024. Ryecroft School is in Walsall and caters for autistic pupils and young people aged 4 – 18 years.

Walsall is a market town in the West Midlands County. It is located 9 miles north-west of Birmingham, 7 miles east of Wolverhampton and 9 miles from Lichfield.

For over 16 years Options Autism have provided care and education to pupils, young people and adults with autism, complex needs and learning difficulties. We are a leading provider of education for neurodivergent young people and young adults. As part of Outcomes First Group, we are leading our sector in setting and delivering new approaches that provide measurable outcomes for those in our care.

We are really proud to say that in 2024, Outcomes First Group were officially certified as a ‘Great Place to Work’ for the fifth year running.

Why join Options Autism? 

Benefits

Your health and wellbeing are important to us, so you’ll get an exceptional reward package including:

• Life Assurance
• Pension scheme with options to increase your contributions
• “Your Wellbeing Matters” – access to a wide range of first-class mental health support services and physical health checks

And a market-leading benefit offering through our Flexible Benefits Platform, Vista, enables you to choose the package that’s right for you, including:

• A wide range of health, wellbeing, and insurance benefits
• 100’s of discount options valid in the UK and abroad
• Cycle to Work Schemes
• Electric Car Purchase Scheme
• Critical illness cover
• Family Growth Support - inclusive benefits package covering enhanced maternity and paternity leave, along with paid fertility treatment support.  

And that’s not all, we place the outcomes of the pupils and vulnerable young adults in our services at the heart of everything we do, so you’ll wake every day in the knowledge that your role will have a significant positive impact on the lives of others.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of pupils and young people. All applicants will be subject to social media checks and successful applicants to a fully enhanced DBS.

*You’ll work 80% of your contractual hours for 100% of your pay, giving you more time to do the things that make you happy. 

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