Young People’s Health and Wellbeing Worker
Contract Type: Part-time, Fixed Term Contract until 30th September 2025
Salary: £9,280 pro rata salary (£23,200 FTE)
Specific Hours: 14 hours per week
Base Location: Hybrid role- face to face visitations would also be required
Location: Essex covering North and South
Working Pattern: 2 working days- to be negotiated with the line manager
Benefit: 30 days' Annual Leave (rising to 35 days' with length of service) + Bank Holidays, Pension Scheme, Life Assurance & Employee Discount Scheme (all benefits will be prorated)
About Us
Polaris Children’s Services has developed an expertise in working with vulnerable children and their families across the UK. We were established as a company in our own right in 2009.
Our multi-disciplinary social workers, support workers, therapists and teachers use both therapeutic and evidence based approaches in their work.
Our services for children, young people and families are designed to deliver positive outcomes using evidence based models and the latest research.
What we are looking for
Polaris Children's Services are looking for a Young People’s Health and Wellbeing Worker who will be responsible for providing therapeutic interventions, guidance and training to the services more complex young people, promoting the improvement of their emotional wellbeing and transition out of formal mental health services.
The role will involve working with young people virtually, on the phone or in a variety of venues across Essex, including their homes, schools/colleges or other community venues. This means that it is necessary for you to hold a UK driving license and be prepared to travel North and South of Essex, mileage is payable in line with our expenses policy.
You will be expected within your hours to hold a caseload of 4 referrals and to complete all administrative duties at home together with attending team meetings, training and supervision.
Role responsibilities
- Provide direct therapeutic input as part of the Progressions Emotional Health and Wellbeing Service, to the services more complex children, young people and their families to improve emotional health and wellbeing and their ability to form positive relationships with peers and adults.
- Work directly with the services more complex young people who present with a range of emotional health and wellbeing concerns including anxiety, sadness/low mood, difficulties with relationships, ineffective communication patterns and traumatic stress
- Work with individuals to facilitate trust and relationship building between service users and professionals, children/young people and their families, the Local Authority and other specialist teams/services.
- Work within internal and nationally recognised clinical governance frameworks to ensure that all young people receive a safe, high quality, consistent service.
- Where appropriate, attend or call MDT meetings to support the effective transition for the young person or to problem solve blocks or barriers to support
- Work effectively in partnership with other agencies to implement seamless care pathways in order to meet the complex needs of young people including ‘step up’ and ‘step down’ transitions. In addition the Senior YP H&WB worker will lead on liaising with and improving communication with schools and colleges within Essex.
- Provide supervisory support and training, alongside our Deputy Manager, to the services Peer Mentor
- Accurately record all therapeutic interventions delivered and their outcomes to enable the performance of the service to be monitored and the young person’s support package to be continually reviewed, ensuring it continues to meet their requirements.
- Ensure that any safeguarding and child protection concerns are reported in line with local authority and company requirements, and that appropriate information is provided within required timeframes to support any child protection investigations
- Ensure that service delivery complies with all PCS’S policies and procedures.
- Respond flexibly and appropriately to both local and national change, facilitating a positive change management approach.
- Attend regular personal and case supervision with your supervisor and proactively implement reflective learning into everyday practice.
- Attend and contribute to regular team meetings, ensuring effective communication between the teams and that good practice is shared.
- Carry out all duties with due regard for equality and diversity, health and safety and confidentiality.
- Support and participate in PCS’s Performance and Development Review (PDR) process, including attending training and professional development opportunities as required.
Essential Criteria
- To hold a recognised relevant therapy qualification or certificate in relevant therapeutic training with at least 2 years of experience.
- Effective collaboration with professionals in mental health.
- Background in social care, youth work or other related area
- Previous experience working with children and young people and their families/foster carers, preferably in the area of emotional health and wellbeing
- Experience of managing your own caseload
- Knowledge of safeguarding procedures
- Patient and committed, but above all you’ll be someone with a genuine desire to help others
- Creative, reliable and solution-focused
- We would welcome applications from people who have been a looked after child during their childhood or have personal experience of receiving support with emotional health and wellbeing needs
- Hold a valid UK driving licence
- Have unlimited access you your own vehicle
- Be Willing to travel across all areas of Essex
Polaris Children’s Services is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be required to complete an enhanced DBS Check, cost of which will be met by Polaris Children’s Services. Polaris Children’s Services is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates.
