Children and young people support worker jobs in East of england

Overall Purpose of the Role

Youth Action Alliance (YAA) exists to support the personal and social development of young people in Kensington and Chelsea and neighbouring boroughs, helping them build resilience, confidence, and skills for the present while shaping positive futures.

We are seeking an experienced, values-driven male youth worker to lead the Staying Connected & Boys Project. This is a key role combining strategic leadership with hands-on delivery, focused on engaging boys and young men aged 11–19 (up to 21, subject to funding) who may be facing multiple challenges.

The post holder will design, deliver, and grow a high-quality, trauma-informed programme that provides safe, trusted spaces through weekly group sessions, one-to-one mentoring, targeted interventions, education attainment, Advice, guidance, and signposting, Off‑site trips, enrichment activities, and holiday provision. The role supports young people to remain connected to education, training, positive relationships, and their wider community, while playing a central role in shaping YAA’s youth offer and driving meaningful, lasting change.

Benefits

• Flexible working arrangements around 10am-4pm core hours
• 40 days paid leave per year: 25 days annual leave (pro-rata), 8 bank holidays, 3 days between Christmas and New Year and 4 wellbeing days (pro-rata)
• Strong commitment to professional development with a dedicated training budget
• Up to 5% pension contribution
• Cycle to work scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme offering access to free therapy
• Work phone and laptop
• A supportive and inclusive culture with regular team social events

We are actively trying to increase the diversity of our workforce and we encourage applications from people from minoritised ethnic backgrounds. We are dedicated to being a workplace where everyone feels a sense of belonging and where diversity is celebrated. In our last staff survey, 95% said they feel a sense of belonging at Settle. Please see our website for more information on our approach to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.

Settle is committed to increasing the representation of lived experience of the care system in our team. Therefore, care-experienced applicants who meet the essential criteria above will be guaranteed an interview. Plerase see the job description for a definition of care-experience.

The role

As a Senior Coach you will be working on the frontline delivering high quality one-to-one support to a caseload of young people across London. You will support young people to recognise and capitalise on their strengths by taking a coaching approach. You will work with young people who have been identified as having higher support needs and be proactive in taking steps to manage risk across your caseload. We are looking for a Senior Coach who can lead on demonstrating best practice across the coaching team and support the Programme Management Team to maintain an excellent standard of support.  You will use your insight and experience to act as a mentor to new coaches and support coaching colleagues in their practice, and to look to actively improve our support offer in collaboration with other Senior Coaches and Programme Managers. We are looking for someone who is compassionate in their work with others and celebrates examples of good practice whilst highlighting where there are areas for improvement, approaching this in a collaborative way.

You will draw on your experience to build and strengthen relationships with external professionals and develop Settle’s network across the boroughs where young people live. 

What we're looking for

We are looking for a driven, experienced individual, with the relevant skills to provide high quality support to a caseload of young people and ensure we give the very best we can. We are interested in someone who has a good grounding in a related frontline service and experience of proactively managing a caseload, collecting high quality data and keeping accurate notes. You will have the ability to take initiative and be comfortable flexing your priorities to support young people alongside holding Settle’s strategic goals.

You will be comfortable managing a level of heightened risk with the young people you are supporting, keeping timely and high-quality records, liaising with other professionals from a range of backgrounds, and providing support to colleagues to work towards positive outcomes for young people. You will have experience in managing safeguarding concerns well and thrive in the ups and downs of support-based work.

Overall, we are looking for a compassionate frontline worker, with an understanding of the value in coaching, and who has a level head at times of crisis. You are not afraid of shying away from difficult conversations and will challenge others appropriately to help them see a different perspective or viewpoint, always holding young people at the centre of your work.

Overview

CGL Buckinghamshire Children and Family Worker

Change Grow Live are a charity dedicated to the belief that we can make a difference to our Service Users lives, offering support and respect in a safe environment, treating each person as an individual and working with them to find the right treatment and care options.

Our core values are ‘Be open, be compassionate and be bold’ and our team members apply these daily to achieve our mission of helping people change the direction of their lives, grow as individuals, and live life to its full potential. 

An exciting opportunity has arisen within our Buckinghamshire Service for you to join a dynamic team committed to supporting children and young people who have been affected by someone else’s drug and/or alcohol use. The role of a Children and family Worker will support children and young people under the age of 18 on a one-to-one basis in a confidential space. The role will deliver a wide range of interventions/ education though activities, such as games, arts and crafts and emotional wellbeing resources. The role will utilise a young person-centred approach, empowering them to explore situations which they feel they have little control over to support them to lead a safe, happy, and healthy life.

The role will work in partnership and liaise with other young people services throughout Buckinghamshire, to provide holistic support to young people accessing the service. We need to record information about what we do, so enjoying a bit of admin work and attention to detail is important, but most of the time you’ll be enjoying working with young people from all backgrounds, making a difference to their lives. You will be required to work flexibly across operational sites as required so must hold a full UK driving license and have access to a car. Don’t worry, there is a wide array of training and development opportunities to help support you in your work.

Where: This role will be based across Buckinghamshire County

When: We're looking for the right person to join our team ASAP on a permanent contract

Hours: Full Time, 37.5 per week

Full Time Salary: £27,861.26 - £32,002.35 per annum, pro rata

Full-time hours at Change Grow Live are 37.5 hours per week. For part-time roles, the salary and payments will be pro rata based on contracted hours.

Responsibilities

About the role: 

• To holistically support CYP affected by parental substance misuse, using a range of interventions including group work, 1:1 work, whole family interventions, safety planning and safeguarding working closely and proactively with the family unit to support positive and sustainable outcomes.
• Identify families in conjunction with other agencies, who will benefit from a Think Family / Whole family approach, negotiating participation and engagement with the programme of care.
• Identifying and responding effectively to potential safeguarding issues. 
• Reducing drug and alcohol related harm to young people and the wider community. 
• Working with young people to support positive, holistic outcomes in relation to their health and wellbeing, enabling them to lead safe, healthy, and purposeful lives: reducing risk and increasing resilience 
• Working flexibly across sites where required

About you: 

• Experience of working with young people and knowledge of the issues they face 
• Knowledge of safeguarding concerns in relation to children and young people and the Fraser Competence framework 
• Have an excellent understanding of drug and alcohol issues and experience of working within a related field 
• Knowledge of working with evidence-based practice around young people’s substance misuse treatment services and methods, including relevant best practice guidance 
• An accomplished communicator, both verbal and written with a high degree of personal IT competency 
• Be able to accurately update and maintain records and to work to deadlines for the submission of information, e.g., reports 
• Have excellent team working and interpersonal skills, maintaining a highly cooperative approach to supporting colleagues in delivering service objectives 

What we will give to you: 

• 25 days holiday (+ bank holidays) rising by 1 day for each years’ service “Capped at 30 days” 
• Paid ‘Wellness’ hour each week along with a ‘Wellness’ hub and Employee Assist Programme 
• Contributory pension scheme 
• A great selection of benefits incl. discounts for shopping, cinema, holidays, etc. 
• A friendly and supportive team 
• Training, career development & progression opportunities 
• Refer a friend scheme.

Please ensure that when completing your application form and supporting statement, you reflect on the details outlined in the job description. This will help us understand how your skills and experiences align with the requirements of the role. 

Direct applications only — we will not be engaging agencies for this vacancy.

Please note: This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must already have the right to work in the UK at the time of application. For applicants with time-limited visas, unfortunately, we are unable to support new visa applications or extensions. 

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high number of applications, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible. 

Salary Range (pro rata if part time)

CGL points 23 to 28 (£27,861.26 - £32,002.35)

ILW / OLW /Fringe

N/A - Outside London Weighting Area

Interview Date

2/3/2026

Closing Date

20/2/2026

This post is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check at an enhanced level.

We have an exciting opportunity for someone to join a small, committed and experienced team supporting children, young people and families before and after the death of a parent or sibling. SeeSaw is a local award-winning charity, established in 1999 and providing grief support for Oxfordshire families since 2000. 

We are looking for candidates who have experience of working with children and young people, and their families. You may have gained experience in a range of settings, but the most important quality is the ability to communicate effectively and to make and sustain supportive relationships with families. 

Our practitioners have a caseload of individual children and their families, and liaise with professionals from schools, health, social care and children and young people’s mental health services, as well as with our team of Volunteer Support Workers. You will be able to work collaboratively and on your own initiative, ideally have a qualification in health care, social work, counselling, psychological services or education; knowledge of therapeutic interventions in grief work would be helpful but not essential as training will be given. 

Men, younger people, and individuals from minoritised communities are underrepresented in our workforce and we are particularly keen to encourage applications from these groups. 

Interviews will be held on 24th March 2026. 

Job Title: West London Family Support Worker 

Salary: £25,353.06

Team: Family Support Team

Hours: 30

Location: Based at Shooting Star House (Hampton), This role will be working across sites and in the community

About Shooting Star Children’s Hospices

We have an exciting opportunity to join our Family Support Team at Shooting Star Children’s Hospices.

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices provides specialist care and support to families who have a baby, child or young person with a life-limiting condition, or whose child has died. Rated ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission, our teams support families across Surrey, north-west London and south-west London from diagnosis to end of life and throughout bereavement with a range of nursing, practical, emotional and medical care.

About the role

Family Support Workers (FSW) are the frontline of our care. Each FSW holds a caseload of end-of-life and bereaved families. They get to know their families, and check-in regularly with phone calls and home visits and can provide enhanced emotional support where required through more regular contact and interventions. Our FSWs tell families about the many services they can access at Shooting Star, assess their needs and make recommendations to our multi-disciplinary team. They  support families of different ethnicities and families living in poverty, helping our service be as accessible as possible.

Our FSWs work closely with our Therapists, Counsellors, Social Workers, Transition Team and our Care Events Team. Weekly MDT meetings bring the team together to think of ways to help families in crisis. The work is varied and creative, taking place at the hospices, in family homes and hospitals, allowing the support to be where the families need it. Our Family Support Workers are hugely appreciated by the families we support.

The ambition of our strategy is to ensure every family affected by a life-limiting condition, or the sudden death of a child, has access to the specialist care that they need. Day to day duties are:

• Being the on-site duty FSW, welcoming families on site, monitoring email inboxes and answering the Family Support Line.
• Helping with support groups and family events
• Providing on the spot emotional support, sometimes in a crisis where a calm and supportive response is required.
• Visiting newly bereaved families in their homes.
• Supporting families staying at our Christopher’s hospice (booked stays and end of life).
• Attending various locations over the course of a week: hospice, hospital, family homes.
• Building connections with families from different backgrounds, delivering culturally sensitive care.
• Helping safeguard families at risk of harm.
• Acting as an ambassador for Shooting Star’s Specialist Bereavement Service, supporting other care team members with their learning and delivery of the bereavement pathway, and continually seeking ways to improve what we offer families.

The post holder will need to have a UK driving license.

The hours are predominantly worked 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

Once a month, the FSW will work a weekend day (with advance notice). This is in place of a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday that week.

About you

This role requires experience of working with children and families who have experienced hardship, or those with complex needs. You should have a calm, positive manner, conveying empathy whilst maintaining professional boundaries. We are looking for someone passionate about supporting children and families.

Please see the attached job description for more information about this opportunity at Shooting Star Children’s Hospices.

What we offer

In return you will receive a competitive salary along with a range of benefits, which include:

Pension scheme

• NHS Pension Scheme (for eligible employees) or our stakeholder pension scheme, with up to 7% employer contributions
  
  Annual leave

• 27 days plus Bank Holidays rising with length of service
• 2 weeks paid sabbatical leave after 5, 10 and 15 years’ service
  
  Contractual benefits

• Generous sick pay scheme
• Enhanced maternity, adoption, and paternity leave pay
• Flexible working arrangements
• Death in service benefits
• Reimbursed professional membership fees
• Eye care
• Employee referral scheme
• Blue Light discount card
  
  Health and wellbeing

• Employee Assistance Programme
• Occupational Health
• Mindfulness sessions
• Cycle to work scheme
• Mental Health First Aiders

Safeguarding

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all our staff to share this commitment. Also, we are committed to equal opportunities and consider all applicants to be in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Employment is subject to receipt of satisfactory references and a DBS check.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices is committed to inclusion and diversity in everything we do. We know that getting things right is critical for us to live our organisation’s values: Professionalism, Respect, Integrity, Diversity and Excellence.

We are always trying to improve our way of working to be more inclusive and equal. Our vision is for Shooting Star Children’s Hospices to be a place where people of all backgrounds, groups and communities feel welcomed to work and volunteer.

Anticipated Start Date: 06/04/2026

Support Worker – Children’s Homes (Days or Nights)
Contract: Permanent
Salary: £27,248 – £29,490 (up to £30,682 with progression)
• Day role: £27,248 per annum
• Night role: £29,490 per annum
Hours: 40 hours per week, shift work including weekends, bank holidaysand occasional sleep-ins
Sleep-ins: £50 per session
Overtime/Bank Holidays: Paid at enhanced rates
Locations: Ealing (W13) or Balham (SW12)

Are you looking for excellent training, therapeutic support and clear career progression? Join our committed team and make a real difference to young people living in residential care, where no two days are the same.

About Us

We have a strong history of providing fostering, children’s homes and leaving-care services across the UK and the Isle of Man. Our work is underpinned by therapeutic expertise, and we place young people at the centre of everything we do. We support children and young people who are unable to remain in their parental or foster placements, offering positive, life-changing experiences, education support and life-skills development.

When you join us, you will receive a tailored development plan based on your goals. Whether you wish to progress into leadership, move services or develop further in your current role, we will support you throughout your journey.

The Role

As a Support Worker in a Children’s Home, you will provide direct care and support to young people aged 12–17 with complex emotional and mental health needs, including experiences of trauma and loss. Working within a therapeutic framework, you will build safe, trusting and professional relationships, support emotional regulation, and promote positive outcomes.

You will be responsible for safeguarding young people, supporting daily routines, liaising with professionals, and completing accurate support and care documentation. For Waking Night roles, on-call management support is provided, along with monthly team meetings and one-to-one supervision.

About You

You will have:
• At least 1 year’s experience supporting children or young people in residential, fostering, semi-independent or youth work settings
• A willingness to achieve the Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare within 2 years
• A genuine commitment to helping children and young people reach their full potential
• An understanding of safeguarding and professional boundaries
• The ability to manage challenging behaviour effectively
• Strong communication and teamwork skills
• Flexibility to work shifts, including weekends, bank holidays and sleep-ins
• A commitment to ongoing training and development
• Creativity, enthusiasm and resilience

What We Offer

• A paid 4-week induction and training programme
• Clear career progression and tailored development plans
• Industry-leading training, including Level 3 qualifications
• 25 days annual leave rising to 27 days, plus bank holidays (pro-rata)
• Contributory pension, enhanced maternity and sick pay
• Life assurance (3x salary)
• BUPA employee assistance programme
• Cycle to work scheme and Blue Light Card discounts
• Employee awards and funded training opportunities

Recruitment Process

Applications must be submitted via our online form and include a supporting statement addressing the Person Specification. CVs are not accepted. The process includes an online situational test, interview, and a home visit.

Closing date: 26 February 2026

£13.85 per hour

Variable hours (24 hours rota)

South London- Croydon

We are currently recruiting Bank Support Workers to join our permanent staff team at our new Children’s Home in Croydon, South London. We are seeking committed and compassionate individuals who can build positive relationships with young people and are passionate about improving their life chances, even in the most challenging circumstances.

You will join a team of St Christopher’s workers providing day-to-day care and support for young people aged 12–18. The role includes administrative duties and accurate record-keeping, which are essential to ensuring high-quality care and compliance.

As the service operates on a 24-hour rota, the role will include weekends, bank holidays, early and late shifts, sleep-ins, and waking nights. You will need strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively within a diverse, multi-disciplinary team.

To apply you will have:

• At least two year’s experience supporting young people to achieve their full potential.
• The ability to motivate, encourage, and inspire young people towards positive outcomes.
• Patience and resilience when managing challenging behaviour.
• The ability to act as a positive and consistent role model.
• Good literacy, numeracy, and IT skills.
• Flexibility to work a rota including nights, weekends, and bank holidays.
• A Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare or equivalent is essential

About UsOur vision is for every child and young person to be safe, loved and happy, to achieve their potential and have a bright future.

St Christopher’s is a leading charity supporting children and young people, with a proud history of delivering high-quality fostering, children’s homes and innovative leaving care services across the UK and the Isle of Man. We are passionately committed to placing young people at the heart of everything we do and to providing positive life experiences for those who are unable to remain in their parental or foster homes.

We are an equal opportunities employer and are dedicated to building an inclusive workforce where everyone feels valued, respected, and able to belong. We welcome applications from under-represented groups and encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds, including—but not limited to—different cultures, nationalities, socio-economic backgrounds, ages, disabilities, religions and beliefs, sexes, sexual orientations, gender identities, and those with caring responsibilities.

Recruitment Process

At St Christopher’s, we are fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and young people in our care. As part of the recruitment process, applicants are required to complete an online application form to ensure that we gather essential information in line with legislation, best practice, and safer recruitment requirements.

Applicants will ideally be registered with the DBS Update Service; however, where this is not the case, St Christopher’s will arrange for an enhanced DBS (police) check prior to commencement of employment.

It is a criminal offence to apply for work with children or young people if you are barred from working in Regulated Activity or if your name appears on the Children’s Barred List.

All shortlisted candidates invited to interview will be required to complete and return a Self-Declaration and Disclosure form before an interview can be arranged.

Please note that this post has a minimum age requirement of 21 years for roles working directly with children and young people in our residential and semi-independent homes, in accordance with the Equality Act and its occupational requirement provisions.

Important, please read before applying:

1. Due to the requirement of the role to work at women only activities, we are accepting applications from female applicants only.

2. The role will support the delivery of our weekly Sports Hub (Wednesday 5 pm-8 pm), Youth Club (Thursday 5 pm-9 pm), trips and young women’s only activities therefore before applying, please ensure you are available to work during these times.

Overview 

At Young Roots, we want to see a compassionate and welcoming society for young refugees and asylum seekers in the UK. We work alongside young people seeking safety in the UK, building trusted relationships, providing practical and emotional support and promoting young people’s rights and power.

Our youth clubs and casework are transformative for young refugees, allowing young people who have fled danger, had traumatic journeys and who are often here alone, to find community and connection, have a space to be a young person and access support in addressing a whole range of practical challenges they face. We also draw on our evidence from working every day with young refugees and asylum seekers to call for change to the laws and policies which are harming young people. 

About the Role

Our youthwork plays an important role in reducing social isolation and loneliness, improving mental health and wellbeing, and creating a sense of belonging.

This includes a wide range of youth and sporting activities across several weekly youth groups, our young women’s groups, trips during the school holidays and annual residentials. Our youth participation approach means that our activities are directly informed by what young people want.

This is an opportunity for a dynamic and creative youth worker to contribute and strengthen our youth development programmes. You will be responsible for planning and delivering youth activities, ensuring that the sessions run smoothly and safely. You will also be responsible for making sure volunteers are supported, giving advice and guidance where necessary.

To Apply:

To apply, please submit your CV alongside a personal statement by the closing date outlining how you would be a great fit for the role.

Your personal statement should be no more than 800 words, answering the following questions:

1. What is your motivation for working with Young Roots?

2. What is your motivation for applying for this role specifically?

3. What skills and experience would you bring that will enable you to be successful in this role?  Please ensure you refer to the essential criteria on the person specification and provide examples to demonstrate how and where you meet the criteria.

You may submit your personal statement in writing, or via video.

Hybrid working with regular evening work with regular attendance at our service delivery venues across London as appropriate to the role.

No agencies, please.

Closing date: 8th of March

Interview date: First round of interviews will be on the 17th of March online and Second round of interviews will be on the 26th of March at our Brent Youth Group

Employment support services | Disability charity Scope UK

Find out which of our employment support services is right for you.

Young Roots recognises the positive value of diversity, promotes equity and challenges discrimination. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, particularly those who can face disadvantage in employment, such as people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ individuals and people with disabilities. As an organisation that supports refugees, asylum seekers and migrants, we particularly welcome applications from people within these communities. We offer a guaranteed interview for those with lived experience of the asylum system and those with disabilities, where they meet the essential elements of the person specification. If aspects of the application process create barriers to you applying and you’d like any adjustment to the process or you’d like an informal discussion or advice on your application, please get in touch. We would also like to alert you to the existence of organisations which support people from under-represented groups to access employment, who can advise you on applying for this role. For example, Scope, Young Women’s Trust and Experts by Experience.

Young Roots is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. We take this duty very seriously.

Our work is underpinned by policies and procedures which promote safe working practices. We have a framework of training and supervision which everyone is expected to comply with and systems for monitoring, quality assurance and gaining service user feedback. On joining you will be expected to be part of this approach to safeguard our service users.

All posts are subject to a safer recruitment process which includes vetting checks such as enhanced criminal records and barring, scrutiny of employment history, references and other checks.

Family Support Worker

£24,000 pa + Company Car and benefits (including 25 days annual leave, reward scheme and pension)

This role covers London & South East. You must be able to work across London boroughs

Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is going through an exciting time where we are growing, with the aim of reaching more families in need.

About the role:

We are looking to appoint a Family Support Worker, on a full time basis (35 hours per week), to deliver a high-quality family support service as part of our London & South East Care Team.

Reporting to the Family Support Manager of the London & South East Care Team and working in partnership with health, education and social care professionals, you will take responsibility for providing needs-led emotional, social and practical support to families where a child/young person has a life threatening or terminal illness.

Having worked in a demanding and emotional environment you have a genuine interest in building supportive relationships and helping people; and having provided bereavement support to families, you understand processes of grief, loss and change - and how best to help others deal with its impact.

Location:

This role covers London & South East. You must be able to work across London boroughs

What we’re looking for:

· An experienced child health, education or social care professional - applications will be particularly welcome from those who have worked in a community environment and those with a recognised qualification in education, health or social care

· A warm, inclusive approach to achieving goals quickly and correctly

· Practiced in child protection, information sharing and the rules around data protection - you lead by example, drawing on your own professional experience and working within established guidelines

· Practical and people-oriented - you will thrive working at a fast pace whilst maintaining accuracy and be a confident user of IT (including MSOffice)

· A persuasive and open communicator - you will work collaboratively with your team and volunteers to ensure delivery of a high-quality service and support fundraising colleagues by writing case studies and family updates

· A practical knowledge of diversity issues affecting children, young people and their families – aware that being responsive to others needs and concerns, is essential.

What we offer:

· We have a range of fantastic benefits that we offer our employees, including:

· Flexible working hours to balance home and working life

· Employee Assistance Programme with access to remote GP, counselling, physiotherapy, resources to support your mental health and financial wellbeing, as well as a 24/7 helpline via Help@Hand

· Company car for front line care posts

· 25 days of annual leave plus public holidays – rising to 26 days after 1 year, 27 days after 5 years and 30 days after 11 years, with an additional 5 years to use in your 10th or 20th year of service (pro rata for part time)

· Time off in Lieu

· Access to the Blue Light Card Scheme, and other rewards and discounts

· Bike to work, season ticket loan and payroll giving schemes

· A recommend a friend recruitment bonus scheme

· Family friendly policies, focused on employee wellbeing, and an active cross-organisational wellbeing group running a number of initiatives throughout the year

· Pension scheme where we contribute 5% of your salary and you contribute at least 3%

· The option to buy/sell annual leave, as well as additional leave for your birthday, wedding/civil ceremony and an extra half day off for Christmas shopping

· Robust training and development programmes to support your learning and growth

If you’d like to find out more about these benefits and working with us, please visit our website.

As part of our learning and development Anne Harris Skills Development Programme, we aim to provide a high level of training and development opportunities for all staff, so you are able to perform to the best of your ability, achieve individual and team objectives aligned to Rainbow Trusts strategic plan, supporting staff to be their best and feel a valued member of a high performing organisation.

Our Family Support Teams are given the opportunity to complete a number of diverse training courses in their first 12 months, including but not limited to: Mental Health First Aid, Makaton, counselling skills, introduction to play.

The programme aims to provide a building block for you to individually tailor your own learning and development needs.

About us:

Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity enables families who have a child with a life-threatening or terminal illness to make the most of time together, providing expert, practical and emotional support, where they need it for as long as it is needed. For families living with childhood illness, time is everything. Right now, there are too many families coping alone with no support, no time to think, no time to make memories and no time for each other. We believe that no family should go through this alone, so we are here to change that.

How to apply:

Please visit our website via the link and apply online.

Closing date: 26 February 2026

Interview Date to be confirmed

Please disclose on your application form if you have used AI for any part of your job application.

Interviews will take place at our Essex Care Team office with the dates to be confirmed. We will only contact those applicants who have been successful. If you require any adjustments during the interview process, please let us know.

There will be a requirement for flexible working and a full current driver’s licence to accommodate team and family need. An enhanced DBS disclosure will be required for this post.

Rainbow Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all employees to share this commitment.

Rainbow Trust is an equal opportunities employer and we welcome applications from all backgrounds. We are a Best Companies One-Star rated organisation.

Step Forward is seeking an experienced Therapeutic Service Lead to join our multi-disciplinary team supporting young people aged 11–25 with their mental health and emotional wellbeing.

Working closely with the CEO and Operations Manager, the postholder will help shape the strategic direction of the therapeutic service in line with organisational priorities. You will contribute to the smooth, safe, and effective delivery of the therapeutic service, ensuring it remains accessible, responsive, and relevant to local young people.

Key Responsibilities

· Be part of the Senior Management team alongside the CEO and Operations Manager and have a key role in the strategic direction of the Therapeutic service

· Co-ordinate the development and day-to-day management of the Therapeutic Service

· Support and line manage a small team including the Senior Counsellor and additional Counsellors & Wellbeing Workers

· Act as joint Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead

· Work with the Senior Counsellor to help support honorary counsellors

· Manage a small caseload of clients, including assessments for newly referred young people

· Manage allocations of clients to staff and volunteers

· Ensure monitoring and evaluation systems capture the impact of our therapeutic interventions

About You

 · A recognised qualification in Counselling or Psychotherapy

· Professional accreditation, or working towards it

· Minimum 5 years’ experience working with young people aged 11-25 years, including at least 3 years of providing post qualification 1:1 counselling support to young people in an organisational setting

· Experience as a team leader or as part of a management team

· Strong understanding of safeguarding principles and experience in managing safeguarding concerns

· A demonstrated commitment to supporting young people

· Confidence delivering evidence-based therapies across short-, medium-, and long-term interventions

· Experience supporting young people with a wide range of presenting issues, including: Anxiety, depression, bereavement, trauma, abuse, identity and relationships

· Ability to work independently and collaboratively within multi-agency teams

· Commitment to embracing diversity and supporting young people in Tower Hamlets

Working with Step Forward

We pride ourselves on providing inclusive, flexible, professional and young people friendly counselling and wellbeing support services.  We provide services both in our own purpose built centre and also on an outreach basis in schools and community/ youth settings. 

As Step Forward is a small charity our multi-disciplinary team work closely together to provide a holistic support service to young people. We expect all members of the team to take part in activities which help ensure the smooth running of the organisation and help us to reach organisational objectives.

Why Join Us

Work in a small, dedicated organisation where your expertise directly influences children and young people’s lives. Join a passionate and reflective  team of staff and volunteers who embrace and uphold our organisational ethos and values to ensure we are: Inclusive, Warm, Empowering, Inspirational and Innovative.

Other terms/benefits include:

· 35 hour (FTE) working week

· Generous holiday allowance -28 days per year plus bank holidays (FTE)

· Organisational closure for 3 days between Christmas and new years

· Employer pension contribution of 5%

· Access to enhanced sick leave after probation

· Ongoing learning and development opportunities

· Enhanced maternity/paternity/adoption leave and pay

· Hybrid and remote working potential where organisational requirements allow

Overall Purpose of the Role

Youth Action Alliance (YAA) is seeking an enthusiastic, committed, and values-driven Support Youth Worker to support the delivery of two key strands of our youth offer: the Girls Project and the Youth Advisory Board (YAB).

This is a varied and rewarding role combining hands-on youth work with project support, centred on empowering young people aged 11–19 (and up to 24 where appropriate). The post holder will work directly with girls and young people from diverse communities, supporting their personal development, wellbeing, confidence, and ability to use their voice to influence positive change in their communities.

Working within a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment, the Support Youth Worker will help deliver innovative programmes that promote life skills, female empowerment, youth voice, and meaningful participation, while supporting the smooth day-to-day running of both projects.

About the Projects

Girls Project (Wednesday and Thursday)

The Girls Project supports girls aged 11–19, focusing on life skills, wellbeing, confidence-building, and female empowerment. The programme provides safe spaces for girls to explore identity, build resilience, and access mentoring, advice, and signposting to additional support services.

Youth Advisory Board (YAB) (Friday)

The Youth Advisory Board is a group of young people aged 11–19 who act as advisors to Youth Action Alliance. YAB members amplify youth voice across YAA’s work, contribute to decision-making, attend meetings and events, lead consultations, and develop skills in leadership, communication, and civic engagement.

Family Support Worker – Thames Valley

£24,000 pa + Company Car and benefits (including 25 days annual leave, reward scheme and pension)

Thames Valley and surrounding areas.

Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is going through an exciting time where we are growing, with the aim of reaching more families in need.

About the role:

We are looking to appoint a Family Support Worker to deliver a high-quality family support service as part of our Thames Valley Care Team.

Reporting to the Family Support Manager of the Thames Valley Care Team and working in partnership with health, education and social care professionals, you will take responsibility for providing needs-led emotional, social and practical support to families where a child/young person has a life threatening or terminal illness.

Having worked in a stressful and emotional environment you have a genuine interest in building supportive relationships and helping people; and having provided bereavement support to families, you understand processes of grief, loss and change - and how best to help others deal with its impact.

This role covers Thames Valley and surrounding areas. The role does require travel, however you have the freedom to plan your own diary around the demands of both the families you are working with, your team, and also any personal appointments you may need to attend.

What we’re looking for:

· An experienced child health, education or social care professional - applications will be particularly welcome from those who have worked in a community environment and those with a recognised qualification in education, health or social care

· A warm, inclusive approach to achieving goals quickly and correctly

· Practiced in child protection, information sharing and the rules around data protection - you lead by example, drawing on your own professional experience and working within established guidelines

· Practical and people-oriented - you will thrive working at a fast pace whilst maintaining accuracy and be a confident user of IT (including MSOffice)

· A persuasive and open communicator - you will work collaboratively with your team and volunteers to ensure delivery of a high-quality service and support fundraising colleagues by writing case studies and family updates

· A practical knowledge of diversity issues affecting children, young people and their families – aware that being responsive to others needs and concerns, is essential.

What we offer:

We are a Best Companies Two-Star rated organisation, an outstanding place to work! We have a range of fantastic benefits that we offer our employees, including:

· Flexible working hours to balance home and working life

· Employee Assistance Programme with access to remote GP, counselling, physiotherapy, resources to support your mental health and financial wellbeing, as well as a 24/7 helpline via Help@Hand

· Company car for front line care posts

· 25 days of annual leave plus public holidays – rising to 26 days after 1 year, 27 days after 5 years and 30 days after 11 years, with an additional 5 years to use in your 10th or 20th year of service (pro rata for part time)

· Time off in Lieu

· Access to the Blue Light Card Scheme, and other rewards and discounts

· Bike to work, season ticket loan and payroll giving schemes

· A recommend a friend recruitment bonus scheme

· Family friendly policies, focused on employee wellbeing, and an active cross-organisational wellbeing group running a number of initiatives throughout the year

· Pension scheme where we contribute 5% of your salary and you contribute at least 3%

· The option to buy/sell annual leave, as well as additional leave for your birthday, wedding/civil ceremony and an extra half day off for Christmas shopping

· Robust training and development programmes to support your learning and growth

As part of our learning and development Anne Harris Skills Development Programme, we aim to provide a high level of training and development opportunities for all staff, so you are able to perform to the best of your ability, achieve individual and team objectives aligned to Rainbow Trusts strategic plan, supporting staff to be their best and feel a valued member of a high performing organisation.

Our Family Support Teams are given the opportunity to complete a number of diverse training courses in their first 12 months, including but not limited to: Mental Health First Aid, Makaton, introduction to play, drawing and talking training.

The programme aims to provide a building block for you to individually tailor your own learning and development needs.

About us:

Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity enables families who have a child with a life-threatening or terminal illness to make the most of time together, providing expert, practical and emotional support, where they need it for as long as it is needed. For families living with childhood illness, time is everything. Right now, there are too many families coping alone with no support, no time to think, no time to make memories and no time for each other. We believe that no family should go through this alone, so we are here to change that.

How to apply:

Please visit our website and apply online.

Please disclose on your application form if you have used AI for any part of your job application.

Interviews will take place at our Thames Valley Care Team office with the dates to be confirmed. We will only contact those applicants who have been successful.

There will be a requirement for flexible working and a full current driver’s licence to accommodate team and family need. An enhanced DBS disclosure will be required for this post.

Rainbow Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all employees to share this commitment.

Rainbow Trust is an equal opportunities employer and we welcome applications from all backgrounds.

About Shooting Star Children’s Hospices 

We have an exciting opportunity for a qualified Complementary Therapist to join our team at Shooting Star Children’s Hospices as Complementary Therapies Lead. 

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices provides specialist care to families who have a baby, child or young person with a life-limiting condition, or who have been bereaved. Rated ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission, we support families across Surrey, north-west London and south-west London from diagnosis to end of life and throughout bereavement with a range of nursing, practical, psychological and medical care.

At the heart of what we do are our dedicated staff; their exceptional commitment and professionalism means every family has the opportunity to make every moment count.

It’s a great time to join Shooting Star Children’s Hospices as we have a growing therapies team, supporting families through complementary therapies, arts therapies and EMDR therapy. 

About the role 

As Complementary Therapies Lead, you will lead the delivery of high-quality complementary therapies to children, parents and families of Shooting Star Children’s Hospices. This includes families affected by a child’s life-limiting condition, and families who experience the sudden and unexpected death of their child. The Complementary Therapies service includes individual treatments and therapeutic support groups, to help ease physical discomfort, reduce anxiety, and promote emotional wellbeing in a safe and nurturing environment. 

About you 

This role requires a minimum of two years post qualification experience as a Complementary Therapist practicing aromatherapy and holistic massage. You may have additional qualification in reflexology, Indian head massage, or acupuncture. 

We are looking for someone with experience of working with individuals of different ages and those who have experienced trauma or significant mental health struggles You will be passionate about utilising the complementary therapies for easing a wide range of difficulties, including helping children with medical conditions, carers struggling with the emotional and physical difficulties that arise in caring for their life-limited child and families who have experienced the death of their child.

You must be registered with the Complementary and National Healthcare Council or other professional body (or able to apply and confirm membership ahead of appointment).

Please see the attached job description for more information about this opportunity at Shooting Star Children’s Hospices. 

What we offer

In return you will receive a competitive salary along with a range of benefits, which include:

Pension scheme

• NHS Pension Scheme (for eligible employees) or our stakeholder pension scheme, with up to 7% employer contributions
  
  Annual leave

• 27 days plus Bank Holidays rising with length of service
• 2 weeks paid sabbatical leave after 5, 10 and 15 years’ service
  
  Contractual benefits

• Generous sick pay scheme
• Enhanced maternity, adoption, and paternity leave pay
• Flexible working arrangements
• Death in service benefits
• Reimbursed professional membership fees
• Eye care
• Employee referral scheme
• Blue Light discount card
  
  Health and wellbeing

• Employee Assistance Programme
• Occupational Health
• Mindfulness sessions
• Cycle to work scheme
• Mental Health First Aiders

Anticipated Start Date: 04/05/2026

Closing Date: 28/02/2026

Catch22 exists to help build a society where everyone has a good place to live, good people around them, and a fulfilling purpose. We call these our '3Ps'.

We achieve this in two ways. First, we improve lives on the frontline through delivery of public services. Secondly, we use our knowledge to change 'the system', to fix the complex web that can trap and disempower those it was set up to help. With the heart of a charity and the mindset of a business, we are uniquely placed to deliver on this challenging agenda.

Our Young People & Families (YP&F) Operational Hub delivers a wide range of integrated support services designed to help resolve complex difficulties experienced by young people and their families/carers.

Support is provided to people who find themselves in a range of circumstances; they may be missing from home or have emotional, housing or substance misuse issues. We also support families where parents/carers are experiencing domestic abuse, substance misuse, emotional issues, homelessness or unemployment. Whatever the situation, we work alongside young people and their carers to find a way of stabilising their lives.

Redthread is a hospital based youth work service, working alongside NHS staff and other professionals in emergency departments.

Our experienced, specialist youth workers engage with and support young people, aiming to support them with their needs in hospital and post-discharge. We often meet young people at a moment of change and work with them to find a positive way forward.

We provide long-term, holistic support. We consider every aspect of a young person’s life and build support around them.

About the Mental Health Youth Work Service Pilot

The prevalence of reported mental health challenges in children and young people living in England have been increasing.  In addition, research tells us that children and young people facing such challenges with their mental health are more likely to self-harm. For some children and young people, A&E Departments may be a first point of contact with healthcare services following self-harm. While in recent years the number of attendances by children and young people for mental health needs and/or self-harm have stabilised, there was a sharp increase in attendances following the pandemic. For children and young people who have gone to A&E for support with their mental health, such as following self-harm, waiting a long time in A&E can be hard. A&E Departments are often very busy and loud places and there is not always access to secluded space for those who have gone to A&E when experiencing difficulties with their mental health.

Children and young people who are also neurodiverse may find the environment particularly challenging and overstimulating while they are waiting to access care and support. This pilot aims to strengthen the offer of support to young people aged 11-18 in A&E, and also consider the wider social and emotional wellbeing needs of those individuals whilst in that environment and following discharge by ensuring there is follow up support for a variety of services.

The Mental Health Youth Work Service model has been informed by young people with experience of hospital attendances after self-harming, and their feedback has been used to shape the care we aim to deliver.

The service runs across two hospital sites in London: King’s College Hospital and Queen Elizabeth Hospital. There will be a team consisting of one Senior Youth Worker and a Youth Worker embedded in each site.

Job Description

Where you fit in

This is an exciting new service working in partnership with King’s College Hospital Accident and Emergency Department. The project is a pilot that aims to provide specialist Youth Work support for young people presenting to a hospital because of their mental health, and specifically where they attend because of self-harm.

The Senior Youth Worker will lead on the Mental Health Youth Work service embedded within the A&E department. This will involve line management responsibilities for the Mental Health Youth Worker, partnership working to build relationships both internally within the hospital and externally in the local community, and with both statutory and non-statutory partners.

The Senior Youth worker will be expected to support and build trusting relationships with young people who present with acute needs and are often in a crisis. They will manage a caseload of their own, with contact taking place both in the hospital and post-discharge in the community.

The Senior Youth Worker will ensure the integration of the service at their respective hospital A&E department, and work alongside the Team Leader in reporting, monitoring and evaluation requirements

Main Duties & Accountabilities

• Lead the delivery of the Mental Health Youth Work service for young people aged 11-18 who attend the A&E department. Ensure that all young people are assessed holistically and care plans are tailored, trauma-informed and empowering, with the aim of reducing further harm.

• Line manage the Mental Health Youth Worker, providing guidance and direction through regular contact and meetings, case allocation, caseload oversight and one-to-one supervision, both formally and informally.

• In collaboration with the other Senior Youth Worker, provide overall support to the team to develop and improve skills, including assessment and recording, to ensure that Redthread’s model of intervention is delivered consistently.

• Promote high levels of wellbeing for staff members who are working with young people who have experienced acute and chronic mental health challenges

• Hold a caseload and work with young people with often complex needs, in a range of settings, including in A&E, in the community, face-to-face and virtually where required, and promote their personal, educational, health and social development through all interactions

• Assist with the on-going development of the service model to ensure that young people and other stakeholders gain the maximum benefit from Redthread’s interventions

• Along with the team, tailor and design youth work resources that are specific to the young people we are working with

• Contribute to the training programme that Redthread provides for hospital staff, including informal microteaching and more formal presentations.

• With support from the Team Leader, maintain strong working relationships within the Hospital, and NHS staff ensuring that Redthread youth workers are fully embedded in the health setting and are working with clinical staff to deliver a service that meets the needs of young people, including promoting the service within the hospital and attending appropriate internal meetings

• Assist in building and maintaining strong working relationships with Redthread stakeholders, project partners and with other agencies working with young people and to represent Redthread at external meetings as required.

• Ensure that as a team, you are proactive in researching and networking with other organisations working with young people in the area served by the hospital to ensure that the Youth Workers have a good knowledge of other services and projects that may be of interest to the young people we work with or appropriate for us to refer to.

• Attend multi-disciplinary team meetings in hospital, working with ED staff and CAMHS teams to support and safeguard young people

• Maintain a good level of professional knowledge of the issues affecting young people, particularly related to their mental health needs and self harm.

• In all areas of the work, apply an in-depth understanding of safeguarding responsibilities when working with children and young people, and provide guidance to your team members that adheres to Redthread’s Safeguarding policy and procedures and safeguarding policies of respective NHS Trusts.

• Ensure information resources such as client forms, databases and contact files are kept fully up-to-date and secure, in line with GDPR, the Data Protection Act and our Confidentiality Policy and Consent Policy. Maintain high-quality recording of interventions with young people on our database, Salesforce, in line with Redthread’s best-practice requirements. (Training will be provided.)

• Collect and record evidence of project outcomes and young people’s achievements, to ensure the completion of monitoring forms and project progress reports as required.

• Work as part of a team to continue to develop the programme’s monitoring and evaluation in order to facilitate internal reflection and learning, and to demonstrate its effectiveness and impact to external stakeholders.

 • To ensure that the Youth Worker accurately captures and records data on the CRM system. To ensure that it can be used to identify trends and provide insights. To use these insights and trends to shape service delivery and share information with partners.

• With support from the Team Leader and oversight from the Service Manager, produce monthly and quarterly reports as required by funders and to inform leaders of the operational performance of the organisation.

QUALIFICATIONS

Essential:

Relevant level 3 or 4 qualification in health & wellbeing, youth provision or similar or demonstrable equivalent experience

Desirable:

A degree-level qualification in social work, youth work, social science, education or another relevant field
Qualifications in counselling and/or mental health first aid for young people

KNOWLEDGE

Essential

• A thorough knowledge and understanding of the physical, social and emotional developmental needs of young people • Understanding of the issues faced by young people living in inner city areas • An awareness of child protection and safeguarding issues and knowledge of current best practice within the youth work sector • Knowledge of Mental Health systems and processes and the function of statutory services such as CAMHS • Knowledge of the specific needs of young people who self harm • A knowledge of best practice in case recording

Desirable

• Knowledge of capacity and consent issues including Gillick competence • Knowledge of solution-focused brief therapy tools or a similar counselling methodology. • Knowledge of psycho-education tools appropriate to share with children and young people who also may be neurodivergent • Knowledge of health inequalities and how these can affect different groups/individuals

EXPERIENCE

Essential

Significant professional experience of working with vulnerable young people in a range of activities and settings • Experience working with young people in a health and well-being context, especially with young people experiencing mental health challenges • Experience of working within a multidisciplinary team • Experience of leading and managing a project to enable growth and continuity • Experience in developing and maintaining excellent relationships with partner organisations • Experience in planning and delivering training

Desirable

• Experience of working in a London borough • Experience in leading, managing, supporting, and motivating a team in their work • Experiencing of developing a project’s processes, procedures, and policies • Experience of monitoring and evaluation systems to measure programme impact

SKILLS & ABILITIES

Essential

• Resilient and reflective • Well-developed verbal and written communication skills and an ability to interact young people on a one-to-one basis within a range of contexts • Ability to plan and manage own workload • Accurate data entry and record keeping and monitoring processes Ability to use up-to[1]date IT systems • Able to analyse and evaluate information and provide effective management oversight of high-risk complex cases. • Able to oversee cases using an electronic database

Desirable

• Leadership and management skills to enable the team to have a clear sense of direction, feel motivated and have a clear understanding of how their own roles contribute to and enhance the work of the organisation • Able to provide supervision, guidance, and support to youth work teams, particularly around task allocation, setting priorities and personal development
 

OTHER

Share Catch22 values
Awareness of and commitment to Equality & Diversity
Willing to travel and work flexibly
Desire to develop and undertake training as required
● Enthusiasm for Redthread’s work
● Approachable, self-motivated and committed to continuous personal development
● A commitment to and understanding of equal opportunities as they apply to all aspects of Redthread’s work

Additional information

Those interested in applying for this opportunity should review the Job Description & Person Specification to find out more.

When applying please be cautious over the answers you provide. If you select “NO” to the screening question regarding Right to Work in the UK, your application will automatically be closed. 

Contract: Permanent

Hours & work pattern: 37 hours per week, with regular evening and weekend shifts required. Evening shifts cover the hours of 1pm to 9:00 pm 

Salary: £32,917.50 per annum

Location: King’s College Hospital, Denmark Hill, London. With regular travel to other Redthread sites and offices when required.

Screening: Successful admission to post subject to enhanced DBS check and employer Right To Work in the UK check. The post-holder must have right to work in the UK. Catch22 does not currently provide a licence to sponsor visas but please see this register to see those that do.

To Apply: Please provide your CV and cover letter, along with the completion of the screening questions to express your interest in this opportunity. Please note, in the interest of safer recruitment and ensuring that applicants are a right fit for the role, submitted applications must contain a CV, satisfactory responses to the screening questions, and information detailing interest in the role, to be considered for this position.

Closing date: Thursday 19th February at 5pm

Interviews will be held in week commencing 2nd March

AI generated applications are not acceptable and could lead to a disqualification of your current and future applications across Catch22 jobs. In order to ensure that applications are fair, genuine, and representative of the candidate applying, our teams may use a number of tools to identify occurrences where candidates have not given an honest response during the application process. 

Catch22’s Commitment to Ban the Box

Catch22 is proud to have “Banned the Box”. This means that we do not ask for candidates to disclose criminal convictions at the application stage. Instead, we invite disclosures at interview stage, and encourage them at the offer stage. 

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See the benefits of working for Catch22 here.

See the benefits of working for Catch22 here.

Unless otherwise stated, interviews will be arranged as suitable candidates are identified, so early application is strongly advised.

At Catch22 we value equality, diversity and inclusion. We are wholeheartedly committed to the principle of equality of opportunity, both as an employer and as a provider of services. Diversity and Inclusion is part of what we do every day, working to deliver our vision to build a strong society where everyone has good people around them, a purpose, and a good place to live.

Catch22 is committed to rigorous safeguarding and safer recruitment practices; ensuring that every individual within the organisation has been safely and appropriately checked.

Please note, we will conduct an online search as part of our due dilligence checks for successful candidate(s). This will involve a search of all publicly available information online and in social media.