Family Support Worker

Job Summary

Family Support Workers (FSW) are the frontline of our care. Each FSW holds a caseload of end‑of‑life and bereaved families. They get to know their families, and check‑in regularly with phone calls and home visits and can provide enhanced emotional support where required through more regular contact and interventions. Our FSWs tell families about the many services they can access at Shooting Star, assess their needs and make recommendations to our multi‑disciplinary team.

They support families of different ethnicities and families living in poverty, helping our service be as accessible as possible. Our FSWs work closely with our Therapists, Counsellors, Social Workers, Transition Team and our Care Events Team. Weekly MDT meetings bring the team together to think of ways to help families in crisis. The work is varied and creative, taking place at the hospices, in family homes and hospitals, allowing the support to be where the families need it.

Our Family Support Workers are hugely appreciated by the families we support.

Shooting Star Childrens Hospices provides specialist care and support to families who have a baby, child or young person with a life‑limiting condition, or who have been bereaved. Rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission, we support families across Surrey, north‑west London and south‑west London from diagnosis to end‑of‑life and throughout bereavement with a range of nursing, practical, emotional and medical care.

Our specialist care and support is free of charge to families and available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It includes specialist nursing in the community, symptom management and pain relief, overnight respite stays, end‑of‑life care, specialist bereavement care and a comprehensive range of therapies, groups and clinics for the whole family. At the heart of what we do are our dedicated staff;

their exceptional commitment and professionalism means every family has the opportunity to make every moment count.

The Ambition Of Our Strategy Is To Ensure Every Family Affected By a Life‑limiting Condition, Or The Sudden Death Of a Child, Has Access To The Specialist Care That They Need. Day To Day Duties Are:

• Being the on‑site duty FSW, welcoming families on site, monitoring email inboxes and answering the Family Support Line.
• Helping with support groups and family events.
• Providing on the spot emotional support, sometimes in a crisis where a calm and supportive response is required.
• Visiting newly bereaved families in their homes.
• Supporting families staying at our Christophers hospice (booked stays and end of life).
• Attending various locations over the course of a week: hospice, hospital, family homes.
• Building connections with families from different backgrounds, delivering culturally sensitive care.
• Helping safeguard families at risk of harm.
• Acting as an ambassador for Shooting Stars Specialist Bereavement Service, supporting other care team members with their learning and delivery of the bereavement pathway, and continually seeking ways to improve what we offer families.

The post holder will need to have a UK driving licence.

To help children, young people and families receive holistic care that considers all aspects of health and wellbeing, from the point of referral through the three years and three months after a child dies.

To build connections with families from different backgrounds, delivering culturally competent care.

To be a first responder at the time of a child's death, providing emotional and practical support.

To be the allocated worker for end‑of‑life and bereaved families.

To conduct pre‑bereavement risk assessments that identify risk and important pre‑emptive work and action appropriate care plans in bereavement.

To carry out memory‑making with skill and respect, with use of correct materials and personalisation within the design where possible.

To visit family homes to carry out initial assessments for those referred to the specialist bereavement service (and those for whom an enhanced pathway is required). To gather relevant details about a family, and support the completion of assessment tools…