Family and Carers Practitioner

Change Grow Live are a charity dedicated to the belief that we can make a difference to our Service Users lives. Our core values are ‘Be open, be compassionate and be bold’ and our teams apply these daily, offering support and respect in a safe environment, treating each user as an individual and working with them to find the right treatment and care options.   

Our core values are ‘Be open, be compassionate and be bold’ and our team members apply these daily to achieve our mission of helping people change the direction of their lives, grow as individuals, and live life to its full potential. 

An excellent opportunity has arisen for a Family and Carers Practitioner within Wear Recovery, the substance misuse service in Sunderland.

As a Family and Carers Practitioner you will be responsible for a caseload of people who require support due to the substance misuse of their adult loved one. This is delivered through both one to one and group support, following a pathway of structured interventions and emotional support.

This role is within Wear Recovery Service. It will involve developing and devliering a package of support for families and carers of those with substance misuse problems, supporting volunteers and staff members to advise and assist families and carers of those with a substance misuse concerns. Linking in with other agencies within the community, and mutual aid groups, to ensure best support for carers we work with.

The role involves working with service users on a one to one basis as well as facilitating groups. 

While previous experience of this specific role is not essential, being able to manage the needs of a caseload of people, alongside displaying empathy, boundaries, and having knowledge of treatment for addictions allows the team to be able to offer the desired holistic approach.

Please see attached job description and person specification for specific details.

Where: Sunderland, Tyne and Wear

Hours: Full time, 37.5 hrs per week

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

* Please note: 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:

• Coordinate family and carer Involvement with a recovery orientated substance misuse model
• Develop links with statutory and third sector organisations to improve access to services for Family and Carers
• To work within a strengths-based approach to ensure that clients wellbeing is supported
• To ensure that onward safeguarding referrals are made and develop links with appropriate services
• Deliver a range of 1-1 and group interventions including structured programmes such as CRAFT as well as providing emotional support, advocacy and respite activities
• Reducing drug and alcohol related harm to service users and the wider community

About you:

• Experience of working with drug and alcohol issues and a clear understanding of the need for, and ability to, deliver quality services
• Be an excellent communicator, both verbal and written with good IT skills
• Proactive and able to work on own initiative with excellent time management and prioritising skills
• Experience of safeguarding and the Think Family and Hidden Harm agendas
• Motivational interviewing techniques
• Good knowledge of local community-based support practices

What we will give to you: 

• 25 days holiday (+ bank holidays) rising by 1 day for each years’ service
• 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 

Please read attached Job Description for a more detailed out line of responsibilities and Person Specifications 

If this sounds like you and you’d like to begin your journey with Change Grow Live, then we’d love to talk to you. 

We believe that having diverse people working as part of our team makes us the organisation that we are.

Direct applications only — we will not be engaging agencies for this vacancy.

Please note: This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must already have the right to work in the UK at the time of application. For applicants with time-limited visas, unfortunately, we are unable to support new visa applications or extensions. More information about eligible roles and occupations can be found here: Skilled Worker visa: Overview - GOV.UK

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high number of applications, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.