The posting
Contract to start ASAP
Duration: 3 weeks with a possible extension.
Family Support Worker
Sefton MBC Hours: Full-time, 36 hours per week Contract: Temporary, 3 weeks — 12 October 2026 to 1 November 2026 Pay Rate: £23.47 per hour — Umbrella Positions Available: 2 Location: Trinity Road, Bootle, Merseyside, L20 3NJ
Support Children and Families to Achieve Positive Outcomes
We're recruiting two compassionate and proactive Family Support Workers to support Sefton MBC, providing practical help and guidance to children, young people, parents, and carers.
This role combines direct family support, relationship building, safeguarding awareness, and partnership working. You'll help families identify their strengths, address challenges, and access appropriate services, keeping children's safety and wellbeing at the centre of your work.
You'll work alongside Council colleagues and partner organisations to deliver coordinated support that reflects each family's needs and circumstances.
About the Role
As a Family Support Worker, you'll support families to work towards agreed goals, develop confidence, and manage everyday challenges.
You'll contribute to family support plans, maintain accurate records, and communicate effectively with colleagues and other services. During this short-term assignment, you'll need to establish positive relationships quickly, manage your allocated workload, and provide clear handovers to support continuity of care.
What you'll be doing:
- Providing practical support to children, parents, and carers, responding sensitively to their circumstances and maintaining professional boundaries.
- Contributing to family support plans, helping identify needs, agree achievable goals, and review progress.
- Supporting positive parenting, family relationships, and daily routines, offering guidance appropriate to your role and each family's agreed support plan.
- Helping families access relevant services, including education, health, housing, and community support, through appropriate referral routes.
- Undertaking home visits and community-based work where required, following agreed service procedures and safe working arrangements.
- Working collaboratively with Council colleagues and partner agencies, contributing to discussions and sharing relevant information appropriately.
- Recognising and reporting safeguarding concerns, escalating issues promptly through the appropriate channels.
- Maintaining accurate and confidential records, documenting contact, actions, progress, and concerns, and ensuring effective handovers.
Requirements
We're looking for empathetic, reliable, and organised individuals with experience supporting children, young people, or families.
You'll be able to build trust, communicate sensitively, and remain calm when supporting people experiencing difficult circumstances. A practical approach, sound judgement, and a commitment to respectful, inclusive support are important.
You'll ideally have:
- Experience in family support, children's services, youth work, community support, or a related field.
- Experience working directly with children, parents, or carers, helping them address challenges and make progress towards agreed goals.
- An understanding of safeguarding and professional boundaries, including recognising concerns and following reporting procedures.
- Strong communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to listen carefully and engage people from different backgrounds.
- Experience contributing to support plans and maintaining accurate case records.
- The ability to work effectively with colleagues and partner organisations, supporting a coordinated approach to family needs.
- Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and work independently within agreed guidance.
Applicants should have the right to work in the UK, be available for the stated assignment period, and be able to attend the required work locations. Relevant references and any required pre-employment checks will need to be completed.
Why Apply
This is an opportunity to contribute to the support available to children and families in Sefton through a short-term Council assignment.
The role offers varied, people-focused work, combining practical family support, community engagement, and partnership working. You'll have the opportunity to apply your experience to help families build confidence, strengthen relationships, and access the support they need.
Additional Information
Customer: Sefton MBC Job Title: Family Support Worker Employment Type: Temporary Positions Available: 2 Job Location: Trinity Road, Bootle, Merseyside, L20 3NJ Hours: 36 hours per week Target Start Date: 12 October 2026 Target End Date: 1 November 2026 Contract Duration: 3 weeks Pay Rate: £23.47 per hour — Umbrella Working Pattern: To be confirmed
Job Types: Full-time, temporary Pay: £23.47 per hour — Umbrella
Application Questions
- Please describe your experience supporting children, young people, or families, including any practical support or family support planning you have undertaken.
- Do you have experience recognising safeguarding concerns, following reporting procedures, and maintaining confidential records?
- Please confirm your current location and your ability to travel to Bootle and undertake community-based work where required.
- Are you available to start on 12 October 2026 and remain available throughout the assignment, ending 1 November 2026?
Experience
Family support, children's services, youth work, or a related field: Desirable. Working directly with children, parents, or carers: Desirable. Partnership working and maintaining case records: Desirable.
Work Authorisation
United Kingdom: Required.
Disclaimer: On applying for this vacancy, you agree that your personal details will be passed onto our client for their consideration of your suitability for the role. I acknowledge that it is my responsibility to notify iWork Recruitment Limited of any hirer who I do not want my details to be passed onto.
OR117612-10-26
