Diocesan Children and Family Lead

Purpose of role

Liverpool diocese shares the Church of England's ambition to grow a church that is younger and more diverse. After a recent first release of investment now enables Liverpool diocese to form a new team focused on developing and implementing a new and comprehensive 0-18+ discipleship and vocations strategy that will be ambitious yet achievable. It is a very exciting opportunity. From a low base, our objective is to see significant growth in the number of children and young people encountering Jesus, becoming embedded in a discipleship journey in church communities, and going on to explore their vocation, including ministry leadership in some capacity.

The Diocesan Children's and Family role will lead the children's and family strategy (ages 0-11) as part of an integrated 0-18+ strategy for the diocese. This is an exciting opportunity, to be part of forming and shaping a new team of Youth and Children's Hubs in deaneries, and starting from a very low base, to establish new and innovative ministries and worshipping communities that will reach and encourage children and families who have no connection with faith and church, as well as those that do. The role will build on previous work that has been established, revive work streams where appropriate from successful legacy work in children's ministry, and the strategy will grow and evolve as we gain more experience of working across the diocese in a new way.

The role will develop the strategy in collaboration with the 0-18+ Strategy Lead and team, the diocesan Education Department and with the church and lay ministry leaders in each LSP/deanery. The strategy will be developed around the interaction of School, Church and Home and will include outreach to children and their parents/carers, linking closely with the Schools Worshipping Community Coordinator. It will be informed by insights from research from within Liverpool and National Church initiatives such as 'Growing Faith'.

This role sits within a new team of specialist diocesan leads in the following areas:

• Diocesan Youth Lead
• Diocesan Lead for Schools Based Worship Communities
• Diocesan Project Administrator

Position in organisation/accountable to

This position sits within the 0-18+ Team and reports to the 0-18+ Strategy Lead.

Duties and key responsibilities

• Develop and lead the Children & Families' Strategy (ages 0-11) as part of the integrated 0-18+ children and young people's discipleship and vocation strategy. This will be in collaboration with the 0-18+ Strategy Lead and team, within each deanery, liaising with the Education Team and with lay and ordained ministry leadership.
• Produce and signpost support and resources for Hub Leads based in deaneries and use in the diocese. This will include:
  • Developing resources and identifying support for the Hub Leads to implement deanery Children & Families strategies.
  • Convening and running a thriving Children and Families' Strategy Learning Community with the Hub teams and other paid and voluntary leaders and teams.
  • Liaising and facilitating support from other diocesan teams e.g. asset development team looking at use of church buildings.
  • Leading strategy learning reviews with churches, ministries and hubs.
• Act as an advocate for Children & Families' strategy within the diocese. This includes a strong working relationship with the diocesan Education Department, and input and support to the 'Lifecall' vocations work including speaking with people interested in pursuing children and families' ministry.
• Work closely with colleagues within the 0-18+ team, the Education Department, and across the diocese, to identify opportunities and synergies to strengthen Children & Families work. This will include regular liaison with Hub Leads, clergy and lay ministry leadership in deaneries - especially Rectors in Larger Single Parishes and the leadership of resource churches, as well as colleagues in the Education Department and in other diocesan teams such as social and racial justice teams. It will also include liaising with leads in other church denominations in the diocese, and non-church-based children's work.
• Work closely with colleagues in the Learning & Development team to help shape a relevant and effective development curriculum for those in children and families work. This includes participating in training needs analyses for children and family ministry leaders and volunteers, curriculum evaluation and supporting learning programmes.
• Champion best practice and the highest professional standards of working with Children & Families. This includes:
  • Close teamwork with the Safeguarding Team and Education Department.
  • Being an active member within the National Church Children & Families worker network drawing on learning, best practice and future funding opportunities.
  • Personal professional development.
• Develop in their own spiritual discipleship journey. This includes appropriate attention to their own spiritual formation as well as emotional, physical and mental health. Role holders should consider supervision and / or spiritual direction.

Essential requirements

• Experience in children and families work leadership in a Christian church context.
• Led the development and implementation of a children and families' ministry strategy.
• Proven ability to lead and develop a team - including inspiring a team as well as dealing with challenging performance issues.
• Recognised children and family's ministry qualification.
• Strong communication skills - oral and written.
• Effective influencer and networker.
• Mentoring and coaching skills.
• Demonstrable leadership skills - set out a vision, confidently lead others with a posture of humility and service, draw people towards and together.
• Excellent listening and discernment skills.
• Safeguarding best practice.
• Ability to write creative, relevant and effective resources.
• Personal qualities: a person of prayer and deep Christian faith, collaborative, approachable, team player, builds networks, self motivated with the ability to motivate and inspire others, resilient with an ability to work independently at times, ensuring tasks promised are fulfilled, a person of integrity, able to manage confidential information securely.
• Travel in the diocese is required including evenings and weekends - ability to drive and access to own car is preferable.

Desirable requirements

• Ideally across a diocese or denomination in a multi social/ethnic context.
• Knowledge or experience of setting up a worshipping community or new venture in a voluntary setting.
• Knowledge of the full breadth of theological traditions in the Church of England.
• Degree in theology, Youth/Children's ministry or equivalent.
• Project management.