Early Help Coordinator (PO1)

Job Category : Admin / Clerical

Location : Laurence House, Lewisham Council

Hours Per Week : 35.00

Start Date : Immediate Start

Start Time : 09:00

End Time : 17:00

Salary: £22.78

The Early Help Coordinator will be based in the Lewisham MASH (Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub).
Main Purpose of the job:

Partnership development: This role is critical in the development of relationships with partner agencies to

ensure there is strong collaborative working to achieve positive outcomes with families. The post holder will

play a key negotiating and mediation role as well as providing information, advice and support to partners.

Early Help Coordinators will provide training and scaffolding support to professionals across the

partnership. This includes, but is not limited to, support with developing Family Advice Record & Plans

(FARPs), previously known within Lewisham Family Thrive as the Early Help Assessment (EHA);

facilitation of Team Around the Family (TAF) Meetings; facilitation of Team Around the School (TAS)

Meetings; and bespoke training via the LSCP, among other mechanisms. and the development of clear

action plans with clarity of roles and responsibilities of all parties. Crucial to the role, is negotiation and

supporting agencies in their work with families, building on the existing positive relationships in a child and

family’s life.

Key to the above is the tracking, monitoring and analysis of plans and data to facilitate improved practice

across the partnership.

Front Door for Families The role is also critical in relation to providing high quality information and advice

and ensuring that referrers and families are signposted and supported to access the most appropriate

service and support for them first time. Early Help Coordinators will also sit within the Front Door for

Families, alongside Children’s Social Care and other partners to provide advice and guidance when

referrals do not meet Safeguarding thresholds and liaising with partners to ensure early help is in

place.

Integrated Neighbourhood Working: As a main focus of this role you will be part of a team that works to

support the implementation of a new neighbourhood based service in Lewisham, including the development

of a Family Hub approach. The neighbourhood offer will deliver the right support to families at the right time,

joining up universal services, and targeted early help services including those delivered by LBL,

commissioned by LBL and delivered by other agencies to improve outcomes for children and families.

Knowledge

3) 4) 5) 6) 7) Good working knowledge of current legislation and policy regarding safeguarding for

children and families, and the legislative and national policy and guidance context for

early help for children and families

A sound working knowledge of Safeguarding and Early Help procedures, CSC

thresholds and the Supporting Families agenda

Knowledge of the FARP and Team Around the Child/Family process Knowledge of the Data Protection Act 1998 and information sharing issues Working knowledge of Microsoft Office, Outlook and case management systems

Able to build and sustain positive relationships with a wide range of stakeholders,

including children, young people, parents, carers, voluntary and statutory groups

9) Ability to engage, empower, motivate and influence individuals and partner agencies 10) Ability to work flexibly across teams and agencies and challenge existing working

practices

11) Able to produce concise and detailed reports

12) Ability to chair multi-agency meetings 13) Ability to deliver training to a range of audiences

A positive attitude to change

15) Ability to reflect on own practice and development

16) Ability to problem solve

17) Ability to work under pressure

18) Ability to resolve conflict

Skills (Skills can only be used as shortlisting criteria if the skill is to be tested)

19) Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to negotiate effectively and influence practice

S8

development

20) Skills in using knowledge of legislation to support and improve practice of others

21) Ability to analyse and interpret data and present results S9

22) Excellent Communication skills both written and verbal.

23) Presentation/ training skills S10

24) Excellent problem solving and decision making skills

25) ICT skills including Excel, Word and PowerPoint

26) Excellent time management skills and ability to work to deadlines, on own or with

partners.

Experience

27) A sound career history and experience of working with families and children requiring

early help support

28) Experience of working in a multi-agency environment – developing and maintaining

relationships across services and supporting them to work together to achieve

coordinated responses to children’s needs.

29) Experience of working independently and setting own priorities.

30) Experience of assessing & analysing information about the needs of children and

families

31) Experience of effectively promoting equality and diversity. 32) Experience of working in a diverse community

33) Experience of managing change within a multi-agency working environment, with front-

line, middle management and/or senior management level34) Experience of delivering training