Senior Family Support Worker– Family Help Team (West / Patchway Hub)

How You'll Make a Difference

South Gloucestershire’s children’s social care service is rated Good by Ofsted, and we are committed to maintaining and building on this strong foundation. As a Senior Family Support Worker in the Family Help Community Team, you will work as a Family Help Lead Practitioner, providing consistent, relationship-based support to families whose needs range from Targeted Early Help to Child in Need.

You will deliver direct, evidence-based interventions with children, parents and wider family members, helping families make meaningful and sustainable changes. Many of the families you support will experience multiple challenges, including mental health needs, domestic abuse, substance misuse, poverty, housing issues and relationship difficulties.

What You Will Be Doing

You will case-hold Targeted Early Help and Child in Need work long term, supporting families from assessment through to closure and providing continuity where family needs increase or become more complex.

Where you have been working with a family in Targeted Early Help and the family’s needs increase to reach the Child in Need threshold, you will continue as the Family Help Lead Practitioner for continuity and stability, with oversight from a Senior Social Worker or Social Care Team Manager. You may also be allocated Child in Need work directly from referral.

• Case-holding Targeted Early Help and Child in Need work, completing assessments, plans, interventions and reviews from allocation through to closure.
• Retaining the Family Help Lead Practitioner role when families step up from Targeted Early Help to Child in Need, providing continuity and trusted relationships.
• You will deliver direct, evidence-based and whole-family work that builds safety, strengthens relationships and supports sustainable change.
• You shall coordinate Family Network Meetings and Team Around the Child activity so multi-agency plans are clear, timely and focused on outcomes.
• You will be providing coaching, mentoring and practice guidance to Family Support Workers, while contributing to specialist areas of practice and accurate case recording.
  
  

What We Need From You

• We require you to hold, or be working towards, a professional qualification such as NVQ 4 or equivalent in a relevant discipline.
• You will have significant experience of working with children, young people and families, including delivering evidence-based interventions and developing Family Help support plans.
• You will bring knowledge of relevant legislation, procedures and safeguarding practice, with confidence assessing risk and escalating concerns appropriately.
• You will have strong communication and relationship-building skills, including chairing meetings and coordinating multi-agency support with families and professionals.
• You will be able to maintain clear records, write effective reports, use relevant IT systems and make competent day-to-day decisions with appropriate professional judgement.
  
  

What You Need To Know

• Although this post is advertised as a full-time position, we encourage and welcome applications from experienced practitioners who may be seeking part time, job share or flexible working arrangements.
• Please note that due to the nature of this role, it is a requirement of employment that an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is obtained.
• You will be expected to travel throughout the authority and surrounding area, so you must have a full, valid driving licence with regular access to a vehicle insured for business use or have an alternative suitable means of travel.
• There is a requirement to visit families in their own homes and to attend schools, youth centres, partner premises and community venues. Some work may occasionally fall outside normal business hours.
  
  

Interviews are planned to take place week commencing the 5th October 2026, subject to final confirmation.

How a Career At South Gloucestershire Council Is Different

• As part of our benefits package, you will receive generous annual leave (pro rata), employee wellbeing support and you will have access to a range of staff discounts, including eye tests, travel, shopping and leisure activities.
• We recognise that our diverse team of skilled and dedicated people make us a great place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and ensure that individuals are selected, promoted and developed on the basis of their merits and abilities.
• We invest in the careers of our people, and we are recognised for the quality, breadth and depth of our training and development offer, which helps our people make the greatest long-term difference in their work.
• What’s special here is the strength of the team ethos. We are a relatively small local authority, so managers know staff well. They can plan their services to ensure teams have manageable caseloads and have effective supervision so feel supported to make decisions which are right for the children and young people they work with.
• We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the safety and welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. Ensuring all our staff are given right skills, knowledge and support to recognise and respond effectively to potential abuse or neglect.
  
  

Our teams at South Gloucestershire Council are making a real difference to the lives of people who live, work and learn here.

• We're building and shaping communities which people are proud of.
• We’re providing essential services across our communities to ensure they are safe and well maintained.
• We've achieved a great deal, but we need talented and dedicated people to ensure we continue to make a difference.
  
  

We’re making a difference, be part of it!

To view the full job description, please click this link: Senior Family Support Worker - Family Help