Family Help Lead

We have an exciting opportunity for you to join Gloucestershire Children's Services as a Family Help Lead as we continue to expand and strengthen our Family Help workforce across the county. This is an important time for the service as we implement the Department for Education's Families First Partnership Programme (FFPP) reforms, bringing together early help, social work and partner agencies to provide more joined-up support for children, young people and families in our new Family Help teams. As part of this innovative multidisciplinary model, Family Help Leads will work across both targeted early help and, where appropriate, child in need services, helping ensure families experience continuity of support from a trusted lead practitioner rather than unnecessary changes in workers as needs change. They will work alongside Family Help Social Workers, Parenting Practitioners, Intensive Family Support Workers, Family Group Decision Making Practitioners, SEND support practitioners and multi-agency partners such as employment advisors, mental health practitioners, IDVAs and our local network of children's centres and family hubs, to provide response, flexible relational support to families in need of support. As a Family Help Lead, you will build positive and purposeful relationships with children, young people and their families, undertaking Family Help assessments, coordinating multi-agency support and delivering evidence-informed interventions that build resilience, reduce risk and improve outcomes. As part of a multi-disciplinary team, you will play a key role in helping children remain safely within their families wherever possible. This is a career grade role offering progression from Family Help Lead (Grade 7) to Senior Family Help Lead (Grade 8) as you develop your knowledge, skills and experience. Practitioners at Grade 7 will primarily work with families at Targeted Early Help level, whilst Senior Family Help Leads will undertake more complex work across both Targeted Early Help and Child in Need thresholds, as well as supporting colleagues and contributing to service development. If successful, you will be supported through a comprehensive workforce development programme run by Gloucestershire's Academy, including Families First training, reflective supervision and opportunities to develop specialist expertise in Family Help practice such as training opportunities in parenting programmes, safer relationships domestic abuse programmes, and systemic practice. Caseloads are allocated in line with practitioner experience, skills and the needs of children and families., As a Family Help Lead, you will play a vital role in supporting children, young people and their families, helping them build resilience and achieve positive, sustained change. Key aspects of the role include:

• delivering evidence based interventions to vulnerable children and families
• undertaking Family Help assessments and contributing to multi-agency plans
• coordinating and delivering support using a solution-focused and strengths-based approach
• building trusted, empowering relationships with families and supporting parents through creative and engaging practice
• working collaboratively with a wide range of partner agencies and services
As a result of the reforms, this role will offer the opportunity to work more seamlessly across thresholds, helping reduce unnecessary changes of lead practitioner and providing continuity of support for families as we adopt the recommendation relating to Family Help structures across the county. What we offer
• the opportunity to be part of significant national reform and service development
• a supportive, experienced and values-led workforce
• practice underpinned by Systemic Practice and a commitment to learning and development
• meaningful work that helps prevent escalation to higher-level services
• flexible working arrangements where service needs allow
You will be joining an authority that is committed to delivering the best possible outcomes for children and families, recognising the importance of reflective practice, collaboration, and professional curiosity.

We are looking for motivated and compassionate practitioners who:
• have experience working with children, young people and families in a support or intervention-focused roles
• are confident completing assessments and plans alongside multi-agency partnerships
• can build positive, respectful relationships with families facing challenge
• are flexible in your approach and able to work evenings and weekends when required
• hold a full driving licence and have access to a car
  
  Gloucestershire Children's Services is committed to working in partnership with families and communities to ensure every child has the best chance at a happy and fulfilling life. Guided by the principle of "right child, right support, right time, every time," the service is built on values of kindness, respect and fairness. Children are actively seen and heard in decision-making, and those who cannot live safely at home are given compassionate support
The workforce is skilled, collaborative and courageous-delivering evidence-based help and advocating boldly for children's futures. With a clear mission and ambitious vision, the service empowers children to shape their own lives, families and communities. We have been working hard on our recent improvement journey and excited to share our recent news that Ofsted have rated us 'Good' with elements of 'Oustanding'. County council Children's Services judged Good with Outstanding elements by Ofsted During the inspection, which took place from June 9 to 20 this year, the inspection team found the council's Children's Services to be Good in its overall effectiveness, with judgements of Outstanding in two of four categories, and good in the remaining two categories. Services showed significant improvement since the last full inspection when they were judged to require improvement in 2022. Ofsted found that 'children in care experience exceptional care and support' and that those who need help and protection 'benefit from high-quality, effective early help services'.

We are recruiting permanent Family Help Leads to work across the following districts:
• Tewkesbury
• Gloucester
Reward and Support For all your hard work, you will receive the following:
• between £33,143 - £40,777 per annum subject to experience
• flexible and agile working opportunities
• 25.5 days annual leave rising to 30.5 days after 5 years continuous service
• option to purchase 10 days of additional leave per year
• family friendly policies and benefits to help support you and your family
• supportive and positive working environment with regular, robust supervision
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• access to our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) that provides free, confidential, counselling and advice for employees, available 24 hours a day, online and by telephone
• an in-house Occupational Health service
• employee discount scheme
• links to employee networks such as Prism (LGBT+) and the Young Employees Network
• career development and qualification opportunities
• access to our Social Work Academy
• Cycle to Work scheme (eligibility criteria and t&cs apply)
• Green Car Salary Sacrifice Scheme (eligibility criteria and t&cs apply)
Right child, right support, right time, every time In our recent inspection in June 2025, our Children's Services have been officially judged as 'Good' with 'Outstanding' elements. Ofsted also said 'Leaders have set out a clear vision for delivering success for children, by modelling values and creating a culture where the workforce, children and families feel valued and heard; risk is managed confidently with bottom lines clearly set out.' This marks an important step in our journey to improve outcomes for our children and young people, and we remain focused on our mission: to continue building on this success and ensure that every child and young person in our county has the opportunity to thrive. Gloucestershire offers a range of opportunities to develop your career, supported by a phenomenal Academy offer, a developing systemic practice methodology, an ambitious leadership team and an award-winning workforce. We are a local authority adopting, and training all colleagues in, systemic social work practice. If you would like to be part of an authority that takes a relational approach to working with families and focuses on what needs to change in the system around a child and family to enable children to thrive, then consider a role with GCC.