Nursery World - My working life ... family support worker

A family support worker deals with a wide range of issues, but it
all starts with helping people become better parents. Gabriella Jozwiak
reports.

Anne Gibb is a family support worker at Action for Children Newcastle Family Support Service. She supports vulnerable families with children aged five and under, delivering parenting courses and helping them access financial and other services.

'The job is very varied and no two days are the same. I usually do two home visits a day, but I could also be delivering a parenting course, or representing a parent in court. I work from 9am to 5pm, often out and about in my car.

'I'm based at Surestart Cowgate & Blakelaw Children's Centre as part of a group of three support workers. We receive referrals from social care and health services. Depending on whether it's from health or social care, we meet the family at their home or at their next care team meeting. We also hold weekly meetings to decide what sort of response a referral needs. Longer-term family support cases tend to be dealt with by social care. Often we can work with the family by delivering parenting classes or a one-off piece of work.

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