How you’ll make a difference
As a Family Support Worker, you will be working alongside children aged 0-5 and their families, helping them see the small steps of progress they make and recognise how they have achieved that. Your role is to help families get to the point where they are able to do things by themselves, without the need for professional support.
What you will be doing
- It will be your responsibility to carry out whole family assessments, providing advice and guidance to families to establish plans where appropriate. You’ll ensure that services are effective and supportive for families with children aged 0-5 predominately.
- You will review and monitor early help plans, responding to the changing of needs and renegotiating where appropriate in accordance with safeguarding procedures.
- Managing your own caseload, you will ensure specialist inputs and effective outcomes are achieved. Records and reports will need to be completed in accordance with professional and council guidelines.
- Working with contacts from different sectors, you will make sure communication is effective so knowledge and best practice is shared.
What we need from you
- We require you to hold an NVQ level 3 or equivalent in a relevant discipline or working towards an appropriate qualification related to the provision of services to children and young people.
- You must have experience in the use of evidence-based practice working with vulnerable and disadvantaged children, families or young people.
- It is essential that you have previous experience of writing holistic, multi-agency assessments and plans with families.
- Given the nature of this role, you will have well-developed interpersonal and communication skills to build relationships and engage successfully with colleagues, service users and partner organisations.
- You will be skilled at engaging families quickly, so our help continues to support families to use what they have learned once the Families Plus involvement ends.
What you need to know
This role sits within an area currently undergoing a period of change due to the government-led social care reform. As the sector evolves, some elements of the role may naturally develop too – offering opportunities to grow, adapt and be part of meaningful change. We’ll keep you fully informed throughout and make sure you feel supported, valued and confident as the updates arise. It’s an exciting time to join us and help shape the future for our children and families.
- You will be office based but required to travel widely within the authority so you must either have a full, valid driving licence and provide a car or have access to appropriate means of travel.
- Business insurance will need to be added to your current car insurance policy.
- 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 for this post.
Interviews will be held 21st April 2026.
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 planning for the future; building and improving the roads, railways, schools, green spaces, and houses.
- 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 Support Worker – Job Description
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