Naval Children’s Charity – Caseworker

***THIS JOB VACANCY HAS NOW CLOSED***

Caseworkers provide support and advice to eligible individuals in line with the policies of the Naval Children’s Charity.  They work closely with other organisations to ensure that children and families receive appropriate and prompt support.

Accountable to the Head of Welfare and CEO, you will be responsible for receiving, responding, and prioritising welfare applications from individuals and organisations, maintaining your own caseload in line with the Charity’s benevolence policy as well as carrying out home visits and casework.  You will be working at the centre of a small and busy team.

This role provides the opportunity to make a real difference to individuals across the world who are part of the Naval Family during their time of need.

The role of caseworker is to fully assess the needs of families taking into consideration child specific needs and writing recommendations of support for appropriate assistance to be considered by the Head of Welfare and CEO.  This includes financial assistance for welfare needs, advice and support to families in the management of personal affairs and finances, and assessment of child specific needs.  The role involves critical thinking and assessment, internal grant processing, good people and communication skills and attention to detail.

Caseworkers will receive induction training both in house and externally to include use of the bespoke CMS (Casework Management System) used by the Armed Forces Charity Sector and the internal database and processes.  The role is subject to DBS checking.  It will require some home visits and travel around the UK.

Specifics of Role

  • Reports to the Head of Welfare, CEO and the Welfare Committee
  • Ensure confidential handling of all information concerning beneficiaries in accordance with the Naval Children’s Charity’s confidentiality and data protection policies
  • Deal with enquiries and correspondence from beneficiaries
  • Internal casework on applications from beneficiaries
  • Liaise with external caseworkers from SSAFA, RN FPS and other organisations to ensure comprehensive casework is carried out on all beneficiaries
  • Establish a relationship of trust with beneficiaries. Offer advice and guidance including relationship, bereavement, family counselling and sign posting where appropriate both by telephone and in person
  • Investigate applications for grants, assess need presented, communicate directly with beneficiaries to ensure complete circumstances and picture obtained, and following assessment produce recommendations for the Head of Welfare/CEO and Welfare Committee
  • Investigate beneficiary entitlement to statutory funds, advise of other possible sources of charitable funding and, with the beneficiaries’ consent, refer to other charities to almonise with them to provide a package of care for the beneficiary
  • Process all aspects of beneficiary record including use of bespoke in-house database, use of external Case Management System, letter writing, assessment proformas and keeping meticulous records of all contact with beneficiaries
  • Keep confidential, systematic records of all matters concerning enquiries, applications, and grant awards in line with the Data Protection Policy of the Naval Children’s Charity
  • Process day to day invoices relating to beneficiaries and pass to the Bookkeeper/CEO/Head of Welfare for payment
  • Prepare and present information and statistics to the Head of Welfare for presentation to the Welfare Committee and Main Board
  • Negotiate care packages and bursaries for children, especially where there are special needs or physical/mental health difficulties
  • Be prepared to deliver or support the Head of Welfare during presentations about the Charity to interested parties and organisations. Seek opportunities to encourage other organisations to work proactively with beneficiaries
  • Keep abreast of developments on legislation, childcare issues and the benefits system and have an awareness of the MoD allowance system
  • Regularly update personal training and skills
  • Such other relevant duties as may be assigned from time to time

Key Competencies

  • Good verbal and written communication skills together with an ability to demonstrate empathy and diplomacy
  • Confident in dealing with a range of sensitive and emotive welfare issues which can include mental health challenges
  • Methodical, diligent and having a keen eye for detail when collating information
  • Ability to fully assess individual need holistically at the point of referral using the Common Assessment Framework to assess the situation around the child. The Common Assessment Framework is a key tool in early identification of children and young people who are vulnerable to poor outcomes and underpins the Early Help framework used across the children’s care sector for identifying children as risk
  • Capable user of IT, including case recording systems (knowledge of CMS very desirable)
  • Capable of prioritising own tasks whilst maintaining a busy caseload
  • Ability to remain calm and focussed when under pressure
  • Knowledge and experience of welfare advice services including housing, benefits and debt and be pro-active in keeping up to date with development in the social welfare field.
  • Knowledge/experience of the military and/or benevolence within the 3rd sector
  • Able to work in a small team environment

Desirable

  • Professional experience as a Caseworker/Family Support Worker and/or a qualification or evidence of previous experience of working with Serving Personnel/Veterans/Families/Children in a support capacity
  • Detailed and current knowledge of the benefits system
  • In possession of a full UK driving licence with access to own vehicle
  • Armed Forces/Royal Navy background/knowledge

Full time position: 35 hours per week

Location: Castaway House, 311 Twyford Avenue, Portsmouth PO2 8RN

Salary: £26,000 – £28,000 per annum

Contract: Permanent subject to a successful 6 month probationary period

Probationary period: 6 months

Company pension scheme: Subject to successful 3 month probationary period

Employees group life insurance scheme

Holiday: 30 days, exc bank holidays

If you would like further information about the role please call Clare Scherer, CEO on 023 9263 9536.

To apply, please request a job description and an application form and return with an accompanying letter to Clare Scherer, CEO: ceo@navalchildrenscharity.org.uk

Applications reviewed on a rolling basis.

Closing date Wednesday 24 November 2021.

Interviews week of 29 November 2021 by arrangement.

 

 

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