Children, Young People,

and Families Practitioner

Residential

As a practitioner you will be working with children, young people and families, including carers, to achieve positive and sustainable change in their lives. The practitioner role includes demonstrating a passion to care for and about children, young people and families. This will involve recognising and assessing the complex needs that children, young people and families often present working alongside other professionals and organisations to share the responsibility for improving outcomes.

The Practitioner will take the lead in developing and delivering the child’s placement plan and will work with the child to support their health, education, social and day to day needs, playing a significant role in helping them to thrive and fulfil their potential.

Responsibilities include: leading in developing and delivering the child’s placement plan, working with the child to support their health, education, social and day to day needs, playing a significant role in helping them to thrive and fulfil their potential.

Who is this for?

Depending on your setting, your title may vary but typical job titles for this apprenticeship include: 

children’s home, a residential special school or a secure children’s home. The children might be living on their own or in a larger group.

What is covered?

During the programme, you will be taught and assessed on the following knowledge, skills and behaviours.  Teaching is delivered through monthly two-hour-long workshops, supported with regular 1:1 coaching, self-led learning and assessments.

Knowledge

K1: Communication that enables the voice of the child, young person or family members to be heard

K2: Multiple factors that contribute to uncertainty in the lives of children, young people and families

K3: Equality, rights, diversity and cultural differences, and the values of the organisation in which you are working

K4: The range of potential safeguarding risk factors (e.g. domestic violence, membership of gangs, missing children, online activity, radicalisation and Prevent agenda), the different forms of harm to children and vulnerable adults (e.g. neglect, child sexual exploitation, physical abuse, emotional abuse) and the local and national thresholds for safeguarding

K5: the safeguarding requirements contained within mandatory local safeguarding training or nationally accredited equivalent

K6: Child, adolescent and adult development

K7: The spectrum of needs and how they may be met

K8: The principles of effective assessment and the importance of analysis and professional judgement

K9: Models for monitoring changes in a child, young person or family member’s wellbeing

K10: A range of evidence-based interventions and their strengths and weaknesses

K11: The duties, responsibilities, boundaries and ethical nature of the role

K12: Theories and guidelines underpinning sound practice

K13: Systems and policy frameworks for work with children, young people and families. e.g. education, health, care, employment, criminal justice, special educational needs and disabilities, first aid, safeguarding

K14: The role of professional judgement and analysis in complex situations

K15: The importance of considering ethics and values, challenging self and the systems in use

K16: Techniques for establishing shared goals and outcomes when building relationships with others

Skills

S1: Identifies and manages evidence-based approaches and evaluates their effectiveness

S2: Contributes to the development of a resilient, consistent and persistent approach to practice

S3: The duties, responsibilities, boundaries and ethical nature of the role

S4: Theories and guidelines underpinning sound practice

S5: Models clarity of purpose, clear expectations and a professional approach to decision making

S6: Appropriately challenges and/or offers alternative perspectives with the children, young person or family

S7: Contributes to own professional development

S8: Systems and policy frameworks for work with children, young people and families. e.g. education, health, care, employment, criminal justice, special educational needs and disabilities, first aid, safeguarding

S9: Applies knowledge of legal, economic and social justice systems and implements policy frameworks in support of positive outcomes for children, young people and families

S10: Demonstrates critical evaluation of practice and insight into own emotions, behaviour and feelings, and uses these insights to challenge own practice

S11: Takes an active part in continuous professional development

S12: Sharing and agreeing on goals and outcomes when building relationships with partner organisations, other workers, children, young people and families, to ensure appropriate and timely support

Behaviours

The values and behaviours expected of a Children, Young People and Family Worker

Care: Respecting and valuing individuals to keep them safe, being affirming and working with them to help them make a positive difference in their lives

Compassion: Consideration and concern for children, young people and their families, combined with an understanding of the perspective of those you work with

Courage: Honesty and a positive belief in helping children, young people and families. Being confident when faced with confrontation, holding a safe space to manage and contain really difficult behaviours and working with children, young people and families to challenge and enable them to fulfil their potential Communication: Your work is based on building effective relationships, being perceptive and empathic and building a good rapport

Competence: The relationships you build to effect change for children, young people and families will be informed by social care ethics and values and will be developed through reflective practice.

Commitment: Creating sustainable change in others by working alongside children, young people and families and being authentic, consistent, patient, persistent and resilient