BAIRNS HOOSE DEVELOPMENT WORKER

This is an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated, experienced individual to join Barnardo's as a development worker within Barnardo's Highland Services to play a lead role in the development of Bairns Hoose in Highland and transform the lives of children who have experienced or witnessed harm, and to children under the age of criminal responsibility whose behaviour may have caused harm.

This is a key lead role, working alongside partners in Child Protection, Health, Justice, and Recovery Services to realise the ambition of a hub and spoke Bairns Hoose model in Highland to provide children choice about where they receive the support that is right for them.

Bairns' Hoose is Scotland's approach to the Icelandic ‘Barnahus' model, which means ‘children's house'.  Bairns' Hoose connects services to meet the needs of the child by collaborating across agencies and disciplines.  The four rooms approach brings together child protection, health, justice and recovery services in one setting.  The model emphasises a child-centred approach, where the needs and rights of the child are at the forefront.

We want to reduce the number of times children are asked to retell their stories as this is retraumatising.  Instead, trauma-informed practice is prioritised to support the child's recovery in a safe, respectful, friendly and welcoming environment.

You will be passionate about children's rights and have significant knowledge and experience of trauma informed practice and be able to demonstrate a strong commitment to collaborative working.  Systems change is challenging and requires a high level of resilience and ability to work under pressure and manage conflict.  You will have excellent organisational and communication skills and be motivated to achieve ambitious change.

This post is fixed term to 31st March 2026 due to funding arrangements, with the possibility of a further year extension.

For more details please refer to the additional information, job description and person specification provided.

Please note due to the high volume of applications for some posts, this advert might close before the displayed closing date. We recommend that you apply for this role as soon as possible.