About this role
Job summary
At Eden Valley Hospice and Jigsaw, Cumbrias Childrens Hospice, we provide compassionate, specialist care to people living with life-limiting and terminal illness- supporting families to make the most of the time they have together.
We are now entering an exciting period of growth, with a clear ambition to reach more families across Cumbria.
As a Family Support Worker, you will deliver a high-quality, compassionate support service to families, providing emotional, social and practical support to those caring for a child or young person with a life-limiting condition, as well as families experiencing bereavement.
Interview date: Wednesday 10th June.
Main duties of the job
Provide needs-led support to families across Cumbria
Support families before and after bereavement, helping them navigate grief and change
Work closely with health, social care and education professionals as part of a multi-disciplinary team
Build strong, trusting relationships with families
Manage your own caseload and diary, working flexibly across home and community settings
You will be a compassionate and motivated individual with experience in health, social care, or a related field, with strong communication skills and the ability to support families in emotionally demanding situations.
About us
At Eden Valley Hospice and Jigsaw, our work is guided by a commitment to being caring, inclusive, respectful, and innovative. We are looking for someone who shares these values and is motivated to make a difference every day.
What We Offer
A dynamic, supportive, and creative working environment
A genuine opportunity to make a meaningful impact
Involvement in education, training, and service development initiatives
Access to our Employee Assistance Programme, offering free, 24-hour support
Discounted local gym membership
As part of our commitment to learning and development, we provide a comprehensive programme of training to help you perform at your best and feel valued as part of a highperforming organisation. In your first 12 months, youll have the opportunity to complete a range of specialist courses, including:
Mental Health First Aid
Makaton
Counselling skills
Introduction to play
This programme provides a strong foundation, enabling you to tailor your ongoing development to your interests and career goals.
Job description Job responsibilities
Overall Aim
As a Family Support Worker, you will play a vital role within the Care Team, delivering a high-quality, compassionate support service to families. You will provide social, emotional and practical support to families, including those caring for a child or young person with a life-limiting or terminal illness, as well as those experiencing the bereavement of a parent or carer. Your work will ensure families feel supported, informed and able to navigate challenging circumstances with dignity and care.
Key Responsibilities
Family Support and Care Delivery
Deliver a high-quality, compassionate family support service as part of the Care Team
Provide needs-led emotional, social, and practical support to families across Cumbria
Support families where a child or young person has a life-limiting or terminal illness
Offer support over varying timeframes, including both short-term and longer-term involvement
Bereavement and Emotional Support
Provide sensitive bereavement support to families before and after loss
Support individuals and families through grief, loss, and change
Apply an understanding of grief processes to support emotional wellbeing
Provide appropriate signposting to additional services and support where required
Partnership Working and Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) Working
Work in partnership with health, education, and social care professionals
Contribute to multi-disciplinary team working, including attendance at meetings
Collaborate with colleagues across Jigsaw and the Adult Hospice to ensure coordinated support
Identify families in need of support and respond to referrals appropriately
Relationship Building and Communication
Build and maintain supportive, trusting relationships with families
Communicate effectively and sensitively in a range of complex and emotional situations
Promote a person-centred and family-focused approach in all interactions
Service Delivery and Caseload Management
Plan, prioritise and manage your own caseload and diary, working autonomously
Deliver support in a variety of settings, including family homes and community environments
Work flexibly to meet the needs of families and respond to changing service demands
Travel across Cumbria as required
Safeguarding and Risk
Safeguard and promote the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults at all times
Recognise, respond to, and escalate safeguarding concerns in line with hospice policies
Contribute to risk assessment and management, escalating concerns appropriately
Record Keeping and Information Governance
Maintain accurate, timely and confidential records in line with hospice policies and procedures
Ensure compliance with Data Protection legislation and information governance standards
Contribute to data collection and reporting requirements as needed
Maintain confidentiality of all issues concerning patients, their families together with all other hospice and staff issues.
Professional Practice and Development
Work independently while maintaining high standards of care and professionalism
Demonstrate compassion, empathy, and reflective practice in all aspects of the role
Participate in supervision, appraisals, training, staff meetings and ongoing professional development
Contribute to service development and continuous improvement
Take responsibility for attendance at mandatory training sessions in health and safety, resuscitation, fire, safeguarding, moving and handling, infection control, equality and diversity and vehicle familiarisation.
General Responsibilities
Comply with all hospice policies, procedures, and statutory requirements
Maintain awareness of health and safety responsibilities
Promote the values and ethos of Eden Valley Hospice and Jigsaw
Undertake any other duties commensurate with the role
Person Specification
Skills Essential
Strong interpersonal skills with a practical, people oriented approach Ability to work at pace while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail Confident IT skills, including MS Office Open and effective communication skills (written and verbal) Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues and volunteers
Desirable
Ability to adapt communication style for varied audiences
Personal Qualities Essential
Warm, inclusive and compassionate approach to working with others Proactive and motivated, with a focus on achieving goals effectively Professional, credible and able to lead by example Adaptable and resilient when working in emotionally demanding situations Ability to drive throughout the community
Experience Essential
Experience working as a child health, education or social care professional Experience of working in a demanding, people focused environment
Desirable
Experience working in a community setting Experience working with volunteers Experience supporting fundraising activity (e.g. writing case studies or updates)
Knowledge Essential
Sound knowledge of child protection, information sharing and data protection requirements Understanding of professional boundaries and working within established guidelines
Desirable
Additional specialist training in child health, safeguarding or family support Knowledge of community based support services
Qualifications Essential
Recognised qualification in education, health or social care or equivalent professional
Desirable
Counselling or bereavement qualification
Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Employer details Employer name Eden Valley Hospice and Jigsaw Children's Hospice
Address Eden Valley Hospice
Durdar Road
Carlisle
CA2 4SD
Employer's website https://www.edenvalleyhospice.org/ (Opens in a new tab)