Children and Families Advocacy Worker

Job Description

Contract: fixed term to March 2029
Full time - Hours 36.25 per week

AdvoCard is a well-established and highly regarded independent advocacy organisation based in Edinburgh. We stand alongside people whose voices too often go unheard, working with our advocacy partners to make sure their views are listened to and their rights are upheld.

This is an exciting opportunity to join us as a Children and Families Advocacy Worker, providing independent advocacy to parents and families who are facing social work intervention. Decisions about a child's care are among the most important and stressful a family can go through, and parents often tell us they feel unheard in the formal processes that shape their family's future. With advocacy support you can make sure they understand what is happening, know their rights and have their say.

What you will do

•    Provide independent, issue-based advocacy to parents and family members involved with children's social work services
•    Support advocacy partners to prepare for, attend and take part in Looked After and Accommodated Children (LAAC) reviews, Children's Hearings, permanence panels, child protection meetings and other formal meetings
•    Help families understand their rights, the processes they are involved in and the options open to them
•    Support advocacy partners to express their own views, wishes and concerns, and speak on their behalf where they ask you to
•    Work alongside social work, the Children's Reporter, solicitors and other professionals while remaining fully independent of them
•    Keep accurate case records and contribute to monitoring, reporting and the development of the service
•    Work in line with the SIAA Independent Advocacy Principles, Standards and Code of Best Practice

About you

•    A background in advocacy, social care or a related field in either the statutory or third sector 
•    Experience of working with families, particularly families involved with social work services, would be an advantage
•    Knowledge of the Children's Hearings System and looked after children processes, or a willingness to learn quickly
•    Confidence in formal meetings, and the ability to stay alongside people through difficult and emotional situations
•    A non-judgemental, rights-based approach and a real commitment to independent advocacy
•    Good organisational and written communication skills
You do not need to have worked in advocacy before. Full training is provided, and we are just as interested in your values, your approach and what you have learned from life as in your job titles.

Why work for us

We recognise that advocacy is an emotionally demanding role and we look after the people who work with us. As well as a supportive, experienced team, regular supervision and access to an established peer support group, you will receive:
•    42 days' holiday a year (pro rata)
•    8% employer pension contribution
•    An Employee Assistance Programme, including a 24-hour support line, access to counselling and a personalised health dashboard
•    Flexible working patterns and hybrid working
•    Full induction and ongoing training, plus access to recognised, accredited certificates through the Skills Network
Our commitments to you

We hold recognised accreditations that shape how we recruit and how we support our staff:
•    Disability Confident Committed employer. We are part of the UK Government's Disability Confident scheme. Our recruitment is inclusive and accessible, we make reasonable adjustments at every stage, and we support disabled staff to thrive at work.
•    Equally Safe at Work. We are accredited through Equally Safe at Work, Scotland's employer programme for advancing gender equality and preventing violence against women. That means fair and flexible working practices and clear support for any member of staff affected by gender-based violence.
•    Mindful Employer. We have signed the Mindful Employer Charter, committing us to support the mental health of our staff, to treat people with mental health conditions fairly in recruitment and employment, and to talk openly about wellbeing.

Guaranteed interview for disabled applicants

As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee an interview to any disabled applicant who meets the essential criteria in the person specification. To opt in, simply tick the box on the application form. You decide what, if anything, you tell us about your disability, and we will ask everyone invited to interview whether they need any adjustments.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at AdvoCard.

We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and communities, so that our staff team reflects the people who use our service. We warmly welcome applications from people with lived experience, including experience of the care system, of social work involvement with their own family, of mental ill-health or of problematic substance use. Lived experience brings real insight to advocacy, and we value it. You can choose whether to draw on it in your application, and you never need to share personal details you are not comfortable with.

Application notes

To apply, please complete our application form and the separate equal opportunities monitoring form, using the job description and person specification as your guide. We do not accept CVs. The forms are available in other formats, and you can also apply by audio or video, or with support over the phone. If you have any queries or would like support with your application, please contact Arlene Astley at arlene@advocard.org.uk

Closing date for applications is 12pm on 17 November 2026. Interviews will be held on Friday 20th November

Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG). This post involves regulated work with children. The successful candidate will be required to join the PVG Scheme through Disclosure Scotland before taking up post, and references will be taken up. Having a criminal conviction will not automatically stop you being appointed: we consider each case fairly and individually, and we will only ask about convictions once a conditional offer has been made.

Interviews

Candidates selected for interview will be contacted shortly after the closing date. Please note that we will be conducting interviews in person and interview questions will be provided before the interview.  Please contact arlene@advocard.org.uk if you will require a remote interview or additional support.