Family Group Conference Coordinator - 37 hours

Application Deadline: 1 September 2025

Department: Childrens Services

Employment Type: Permanent

Location: Torbay Council

Reporting To: Team Manager

Compensation: £31,537 - £34,434 / year

Description

Job Description & Person Specification >

We are looking for creative and flexible facilitators with great listening skills to deliver Family Network Meetings and Family Group Conferences (FGC) in Torbay. We are looking for workers who are able to work flexibly. Actual hours can be negotiated at interview.

In light of the Government reforms to Social Care, this is a great opportunity to be involved with the development of the Family Group Decision Making Team within the Family Help Service.
You will be part of a dedicated and passionate team and will exercise a high degree of independence, initiative and expertise in order to deliver meetings which bring together families, community members and service providers to prevent children entering into care, proceedings and reducing the level of Social Work intervention with families.

Your main responsibilities will be identifying and preparing attendees, planning and arranging the practicalities and convening family meetings. The Family Group Decision Making approach recognises the knowledge and expertise within families and are strengths based and solution focused. As such, you will have a strong belief in family led decision making and the value of relationships in order to support children, young people, their extended family networks, and professionals to fully participate in the FGDM process.

You will need to be committed to improving outcomes for children and promote the child's wishes and feelings. You will develop good joint working partnerships, with Families, Children and Young People and their significant others, contributing to the development and implementation of the family plan. This may include you being willing to travel for visits or hold conferences in the evening or at weekends.

This post meets the requirements for an Enhanced Criminal Record Check. This will show spent and unspent convictions and adult cautions which have not been filtered in line with legislation, plus any information held by local Police that is considered relevant to the role.

If you are viewing this advert on a job board, you can access the full job description by placing the below URL into your browser:
https://www.torbay.gov.uk/jobs/job-descriptions/family-group-conference-coordinator-2/

For an informal chat please contact Nichola Whelan on 07824537242 or nichola.whelan@torbay.gov.uk.

Interviews are expected to be conducted during the week commencing 8th September 2025.

Our adverts do sometimes close early - even where there's a published deadline - so if you're keen, please apply as soon as possible.

Skills

Essential:

Ability to mediate, negotiate, cope with the unexpected and manage conflict to enable children, young people and other family members to make a plan.
Ability to remain independent, neutral and objective, resisting attempts by professionals or family members to make you take sides.
Ability to be diplomatic and respectful, but not shirk from raising and discussing difficult issues in an open and frank manner when needed.
Be well organised, reliable and able to work to deadlines.
Confidence in convening and chairing large meetings.

This role requires the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.

Knowledge

Essential:

An understanding of the Family Group Decision Making approach, including an understanding of the ethos, principles and practice standards that underpin the model.
An understanding of legislation and guidance relating to children and young people.
An understanding of safeguarding procedures relating to children and young people.
An understanding of child development and the needs of children.

Experience & Qualifications

Essential:

GCSE’s in English and maths.
Experience of working with children and families in a solution focussed way.
Experience of managing/chairing meetings, dealing with conflict, mediating, and negotiating to achieve positive outcomes for children.

Skills

Knowledge

Experience & Qualifications

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