Opportunity for VCS Children and Young People Organisation Representative at Family Help Board

SCVO is inviting senior level professionals from Voluntary and Community Sector organisations who provide services to children, young people and families in Sandwell to take on Sector representative roles on behalf of other providers.

The Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) in Sandwell has a long history of providing preventative support to those most in need and often “plug the gap” where statutory provision is either failing or does not exist. Its cultural sensitivity and ethnic reach, its street-level knowledge, and the effectiveness of its service delivery are all founded upon the ‘community ownership’ inherent in voluntary organisations. Relationships formed over time with local residents have helped to build high levels of regard and trust between organisations and the local community.

What is the Family Help Board?

Families Together is Sandwell’s vision, developing integrated services from conception to 19 or 25 for young people with SEND, to transform the way we help families in their communities at the earliest opportunity. With bespoke, community driven multi-agency services, we want to empower families, enabling them to improve their own lives.

The purpose of the Family Help Board is to design and develop of a Family Help system across Sandwell that fulfils our shared vision; and reflects relevant statutory guidance (Working together 2023) and national policy (Stable Homes Built on Love).

The Board embeds a strong culture of leadership and accountability across the children’s workforce, with the required direction and oversight set by the Sandwell’s Safeguarding Children’s Partnership.

The Board also ensures the delivery of a successful Family Hubs Programme for the duration of the government funded preprogramme, recognising that some work will need with sit within Early Years

 The Role of VCS Representatives on Family Help Board

The main role of a VCS representative will broadly be:-

• to act as a conduit between the Family Help Board and the VCS
• to feed into the development of the Family Help Programme
• to pass information to the VCS eg changes in Family Help, opportunities for wider involvement
• to consult the VCS in respect of the Family Help Programme
• to feed VCS issues into the Family Help Board
• To prepare for and attend Family Help Board meetings every 6 weeks (2 hours in duration)
• To attend the VCS Children and Young People Forum every 8 weeks (1.5 hours in duration) to gather information from and feed back to the voluntary and community sector.

Time Commitment

VCS Family Help Board representatives will be engaged for an initial period until the end of March 2026. The time commitment is estimated as approximately 5-6 hours per month.  We are seeking two individuals, ideally from different VCS organisations.

Support Offered to Representatives

Backfill funding can be claimed to pay for time spent in this VCS rep role at a rate of £50 per hour, payable per quarter in arrears.

SCVO will provide arms-length support for Representatives.

What Next?

If you would like to apply for this please click here

Deadline for Applications is Tuesday 26th August 2025.