Children and Families Worker

Do you want to work for a caring organisation that believes in people?

Do you want to make a difference?

At Change Grow Live, our commitment to making a difference in the lives of those who use our services is unwavering. We provide support, respect, and a safe environment, where we tailor our approach to each individual's needs to find the best treatment and support options.

Guided by our core values of being open, compassionate and bold, our team embodies these principles daily, striving to empower individuals to reshape their lives, foster personal growth, and embrace life to its fullest.

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the St Helens Integrated Recovery Service as a Children and Families Recovery Coordinator, working as part of the innovative and well-established Building Bridges St Helens project.

Building Bridges is a whole-family, behaviour change, and recovery-focused initiative supporting families affected by parental substance use. Working in close partnership with St Helens Children’s Services and local agencies, the project aims to reduce harm, improve family functioning, and strengthen protective factors across generations.

As a key member of the Building Bridges family team, you will:

• Coordinate care and carry a caseload of families affected by parental drug and alcohol use.

• Deliver both individual and family-based interventions, including therapeutic work with children and young people.

• Facilitate access to three core family programmes:

  • First Steps (early intervention)

  • Confident Families (understanding trauma and helping families navigate the effects of challenging life experiences on children)

  • MPACT – Moving Parents and Children Closer Together (Whole family intervention program)

Your role will involve undertaking assessments, developing care plans, and working collaboratively with families and professionals to create recovery-focused outcomes. You will also be involved in pathway development with partners including Early Intervention & Targeted Support, Families First, Children's Social Care, and local schools.

Where: St Helens

Full Time Hours: 37.5 per week

Full Time Salary: £27,861.26 - £32,002.35 dependant on experience (based on full time hours, pro rata for part time hours)

Full-time hours at Change Grow Live are 37.5 hours per week. For part-time roles, the salary and payments will be pro rata based on contracted hours.

About the role: 

• To holistically support Children & Young People affected by familial substance use, using a range of interventions including group work, 1:1 work,
• In collaboration with our adult service provide whole family interventions, safety planning and safeguarding working closely and proactively with the family unit to support positive and sustainable outcomes.
• Identify families in conjunction with other agencies, who will benefit from a Think Family / Whole family approach, negotiating participation and engagement with the programme of care.
• Identifying and responding effectively to potential safeguarding issues. 
• Reducing drug and alcohol related harm to young people and the wider community. 
• Working with young people to support positive, holistic outcomes in relation to their health and wellbeing, enabling them to lead safe, healthy, and purposeful lives: reducing risk and increasing resilience. 
• Working flexibly across sites and in the community where required.

 About you: 

• Experience of working with young people and knowledge of the issues they face 
• Knowledge of safeguarding concerns in relation to children and young people and the Gillick Competence framework 
• Have an excellent understanding of drug and alcohol issues and experience of working within a related field 
• Knowledge of working with evidence-based practice around young people’s substance misuse treatment services and methods, including relevant best practice guidance 
• An accomplished communicator, both verbal and written with a high degree of personal IT competency 
• Be able to accurately update and maintain records and to work to deadlines for the submission of information, e.g. reports 
• Have excellent team working and interpersonal skills, maintaining a highly cooperative approach to supporting colleagues in delivering service objectives 

What we will give to you: 

• 25 days holiday (+ bank holidays) rising by 1 day for each years’ service “Capped at 30 days”
• Paid ‘Wellness’ hour each week along with a ‘Wellness’ hub and Employee Assist Programme
• Contributory pension scheme
• A great selection of benefits incl. discounts for shopping, cinema, holidays, etc.
• A friendly and supportive team
• Training, career development & progression opportunities
• Refer a friend scheme.

Please ensure you fully complete the personal statement in the screening questions, outlining how you meet the person specification and job criteria.   

If you require sponsorship, please note that this role is not eligible for a Health and Care Worker visa. You may be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route but must meet the minimum salary requirements for the role. You can find out more here Skilled Worker visa: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

If you are passionate, eager to learn and develop your skills in working with young people who need support in relation to their drug and alcohol use – then this might be a perfect opportunity for you!