Children social worker jobs

Change lives in a life-changing career

When a child or young person is diagnosed with cancer, their whole world can feel like it’s falling apart. Independence is taken and confidence is stolen. Stability no longer exists. The future suddenly feels uncertain.

The impact of cancer on young lives is more than medical. That’s why we exist. Our specialist social workers help children and young people with cancer and their families navigate the emotional and practical impact of cancer. We remove barriers, solve problems and prioritise wellbeing. And we stop at nothing to make sure they get the right care and support at the right time.

We challenge the systems and policies that surround children and young people, we highlight gaps and campaign for change. Because we know what a better future could look like. And we know what we need to do to make that future a reality. We need to push harder, reach further and work smarter. And we need the right people on our team to help us get there. People like you.

About the role

We’re looking for a Team Manager with extensive social work experience to manage our Northern Ireland Team. In this role, you’ll be supporting children and young people diagnosed with cancer by managing a team of social care staff who deliver services in line with our organisation’s service specifications.

This is a hybrid role; you will be based at the Belfast office, from home with representation within hospitals and the community.

About you

Our work is rewarding but also complex and demanding; you will need to be resourceful and resilient.

We are looking for a social work qualified experienced people manager to take responsibility for operational management and development of our social work services.

You will ensure that effective services are delivered to children and young people with cancer and their families through the professional supervision of our staff group, working across split sites.

You will have:

• You must hold an appropriate social work qualification.
• Extensive experience of working with children and young people including complex case work and risk assessment and care planning, caseload management and interagency working
• Experience of managing safeguarding for children and vulnerable adults, legislation, procedures and best practice
• Experience of supervising students and / or staff in a social care setting
• Experience of delivering support to young people and families via different mediums including individuals, groups and digital delivery.
• A proven ability to manage expectations of key stakeholders including staff and service users

This role is subject to an Enhanced level Criminal Record Check. In the event of a successful application a Disclosure report will be sought.

Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging

At Young Lives vs Cancer, we recognise that opportunities for too many people remain a condition of their race, class, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation – or a combination. This has never been acceptable to us as an organisation.

We are committed to taking anti-oppressive action and removing barriers in our recruitment practices. We particularly welcome applications from members of minoritised communities and creating equitable opportunities for all. We are passionately committed to taking actions and making changes to be a truly diverse, inclusive and equitable organisation, as well as reflective of the diverse children and young people we support. Click here to find out more about our Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Belonging strategy.

Accessibility

We’re committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process and we’ll always aim to be as accommodating as possible.Please let us know in your application form of any adjustments or access requirements we could make to help you with the application process and interview.

What we offer

In return for your commitment, we offer a great reward package, which includes generous annual and family/ caring leave entitlements, enhanced pension and employee savings scheme. To find out more about our benefits package, have a look on our website.

If you join us, you will be part of a community that is committed make a difference to the lives of children and young people with cancer. Young Lives vs Cancer is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment.

To arrange an informal chat, please contact Danielle Cox. 

#ShowTheSalary

Job Title: Refuge Worker x2

Location: Derby City (on-site)
Salary: £25,857.12 per annum
Contract type: Full Time, Permanent 

Hours: 37.5 hours 

We want kind and empathic people to work at Refuge, who believe in equality, diversity, and inclusion, are experts in their area of knowledge, want to make a positive difference and improve the lives of the women and children we support.

The post holder will provide high quality support and safety planning to women and children in crisis. This includes enabling women to access housing, welfare, benefits and legal advice.  A key requirement is to provide personal welfare support and to ensure that women are provided with a safe, supportive and welcoming environment in accordance with Refuge’s philosophical principles. 

This is a rewarding role where your work has a direct impact every day. In return, we offer a supportive team environment, opportunities for training and development, and the chance to be part of a cause that truly matters.

For further information about this role, please view our job information pack. 

This post is restricted to women due to the nature of the role. The Occupational Requirement  under Schedule 9 (part 1) of the Equality Act 2010 applies.

As part of this role, you will be required to participate in an out-of-hours on call Rota. 

Closing Date: 09:00am 30 January 2026

Iterview Dates: 9 and 10 February 2026

At YMCA DownsLink Group, our mission is to help children and young people have a fair chance to be who they want to be. We do this by providing a safe home, building life skills and self-confidence, and supporting emotional wellbeing and mental health.

Our Values - we do what’s right, we work with heart, and we build real connections - guide and shape how we show up for children and young people we support and for each other.

We are looking for Bank Supported Housing Support Workers to join our Our 16+ Older Looked After Young People (OLYP), Care Leavers and Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children (UASC) services. Our OLYP services delivers specialist 24-hour supported accommodation where young people are supported to acquire the necessary skills in preparation for living independently, safely explore their increased freedom of choice and develop responsibilities associated with adulthood, whilst still having the appropriate level of support from an experienced team.

We adopt a trauma informed and psychologically informed approach to supporting our residents to help them build essential life skills, identify their goals and support residents into independent accommodation. We have a dedicated team of Support Workers, Night Workers and additional Bank Workers who provide support, guidance, and signposting around areas such as housing, budgeting, living skills, jobs and relationship building

Our Bank Support Worker roles are similar to our Support Workers roles, but they work on a more flexible, temporary basis – they are great way into the organisation and can be a stepping stone into other roles. 

You will be offered available shifts (day, evening, night, weekends and bank holidays) in advance and at short notice – you choose which ones you want to work.

In this rewarding role you will work proactively and creatively alongside young people providing support, guidance, and signposting around areas such as housing, budgeting, living skills, jobs and relationship building. You will contribute to the smooth and safe running of the services by providing consistency and reliability.

You will ideally have experience of working with a similar client group and a good understanding of the key risks, challenges and opportunities for young people.

If you’re enthusiastic about this opportunity but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every requirement, we encourage you to apply anyway and demonstrate how your experience is transferrable. You may be just the right candidate. 

Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner - Children’s Home - Croydon

Location: Children's Homes, Croydon.

Contract Type: Permanent/ Part time/15 hours a week.

Salary: Equivalent of £ 40,000 per annum for full-time (40 hours per week). Part-time role of 15 hours per week will be paid pro rata at £ 15,000 per annum.

Specific Hours: Flexible (Mondays to Fridays).

Looking for fantastic career progression, excellent training and therapeutic support? Join our committed and professional team and make a difference to young people living in residential care, where no two days are the same!

About Us

Our 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 for children and young people. We are proud of our history of providing fostering, children's homes and innovative leaving care services across the UK & Isle of Man.  We have a passionate commitment to our young people, placing them at the centre of everything we do.  We provide positive life experiences for young people who are unable to sustain a placement in their parental or foster home.

We are an equal-opportunity employer keen to develop an inclusive workforce where people feel they belong.We hope to attract applications from under- represented groups, including people from different cultures, nationalities, socioeconomic backgrounds, ages, disabilities, religions, faith, sex, orientation, childcare responsibilities, and gender-diverse identities.

St Christopher’s Academy

At St Christopher`s we can provide more than just a care job. We can offer you a career where you can develop your skills and knowledge while making a difference to young people’s lives.

When you join St Christopher’s, we will set you up in your career with a tailored development plan. Whether you want to move across to a different service, become a Manager or just explore further your current role, we will support you to map out your career trajectory and help you achieve your professional ambitions. 

We are proud that 84% of all our Team Leaders, Deputies and Managers are internal promotions.

About the role

As a Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner, you will play a key role in supporting and guiding our staff teams to deliver high-quality, person-centred behaviour support for the children in our care. You will carry out functional assessments, develop tailored PBS plans, and deliver both direct and indirect interventions to ensure each child’s individual needs are met. In addition, you will provide advice, coaching, and training to staff and carers, working collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team to promote consistent, safe, and effective support.

Applicants should have

• A higher-level qualification (university degree) in a relevant field such as Psychology, or a Health and Social Care vocational qualification.
• Do you have a recognised qualification/training in Positive Behaviour Support (PBS), or be willing to undertake this training.
• Strong knowledge of Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) theory and its practical application.
• An understanding of current best practices and guidelines for managing challenging behaviour, including approaches that promote restraint reduction.
• A basic understanding of safeguarding regulations and procedures.
• Previous experience supporting children and young people to reach their full potential.
• Proven experience working with children with learning disabilities, autism, and complex behavioural needs.
• Experience implementing physical interventions appropriately and safely and using PBS in practice.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with experience of working within multidisciplinary teams.
• The ability to respond professionally and effectively to challenging behaviour.
• A genuine commitment to supporting children and young people, with the ability to build trusting relationships while maintaining professional boundaries.
• Strong teamwork skills, flexibility, creativity, enthusiasm, and energy to inspire and encourage young people to achieve their goals.
• Flexibility to work outside office hours where applicable.
• A commitment to undertaking mandatory training (via e-learning or in-person courses) and to ongoing continuous professional development.
• Willingness to attend regular supervision.

What you should expect from us

• Competitive Salary.
• A friendly working environment, a fun, open and honest culture.
• 25 days holiday rising to 27 days after 3 years’ service, plus Bank Holidays, pro-rata.
• Industry leading training programme including access to level 3 qualifications, children’s right and participation, CSE, empowerment, mental health and social pedagogy.
• Contributory pension scheme, enhanced maternity and company sick scheme.
• UK Life Assurance (Death in service) to the value of 3 times your annual salary.
• BUPA employee assistance programme, offering counselling, financial advice and legal support.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Bluelight card; discount shopping scheme at hundreds of retailers across the UK.
• Discretionary funded training programs.
• Employee awards based on performance and length of service.
• Fantastic opportunities to develop your career within our range of services.

Recruitment Process

At St Christopher’s, we are fully committed to safeguarding all children and young people in our care. As part of the recruitment process, you will be required to complete an online application form so we can gather the information needed to meet legislative, best practice, and vetting requirements. Applicants will ideally already be on the DBS Update Service; however, if this is not the case, St Christopher’s will carry out a DBS check prior to your start date.

Your online application must include a supporting statement addressing the criteria outlined in the Person Specification. CVs will not be accepted.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend an interview at our Head Office in Putney, SW London.

Please note:

• Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.
• This post carries a minimum age requirement of 21 for roles working directly with children and young people in our residential and supported accommodation settings, in line with the Equality Act’s occupational requirement provisions.
• It is illegal to apply for any role involving work with children or young people under 18 if you are barred from working with children.
• All shortlisted candidates invited to interview will be required to complete a Self-Declaration and Disclosure form, which must be returned before an interview can be scheduled.

Participation Worker

We are seeking a passionate and organised participation professional to lead work with care experienced young people and ensure their voices shape policy, practice, and change across Scotland.

Position: Participation Worker, Scotland
Salary: £27,953 to £33,130 per annum
Hours: Full time, 35 hours per week
Contract: Permanent
Location: Hybrid, Scotland, with links to the Glasgow office and travel across Scotland
Closing date: 11.59pm Sunday 1st Feb

About the role

This is an exciting opportunity to play a central role in improving the lives and outcomes of children and young people in foster care. Working as part of the Scotland and Policy and Campaigns teams, you will lead participation activity with care experienced young people and ensure their voices are heard, valued, and acted upon.

A key focus of the role is leading and coordinating the Young Person’s Advisory Board in Scotland, supporting young people to campaign for change in children’s social care and to shape the organisation’s work through meaningful participation.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading and coordinating the Young Person’s Advisory Board, including meetings, one to one support, and skills development
• Co producing, planning, and delivering a programme of participation and engagement events
• Supporting young people to campaign and influence policy and decision making
• Acting as the main point of contact for participation activity in Scotland
• Using trauma informed and strengths based approaches to support wellbeing and engagement
• Building strong relationships with partners, stakeholders, and funders across Scotland
• Coordinating communications and producing project updates and reports
• Managing project budgets, monitoring outcomes, and contributing to evaluation and impact reporting
• Contributing to organisational participation strategy and safeguarding practice

This role requires some travel across Scotland and occasional evening and weekend work, including residential activity.

About you

You will bring experience of participation or co production work with young people, ideally care experienced young people or those from marginalised communities. You will be highly organised, creative, and confident working collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders.

You will be able to demonstrate:

• Experience of participation and engagement work with young people
• Experience supporting young people to campaign or influence change
• Understanding of children’s social care and the issues affecting care experienced young people and foster carers
• Experience of planning and delivering events and projects to agreed timescales and budgets
• Knowledge of trauma informed practice, safeguarding, and children’s rights
• Strong communication skills and confidence working with internal and external partners
• Willingness to travel and work flexibly when required
• Commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-discriminatory practice

Lived experience of care, experience of chairing groups, youth work qualifications, or use of social media in a professional context would be an advantage but are not essential.

About the organisation

The UK’s leading fostering charity and membership organisation, working to improve the lives of children and young people in foster care and to support fostering families and services.

The organisation is committed to listening to those with lived experience and placing their voices at the heart of its work, campaigning for positive change across children’s social care.

What’s on offer

• 38 days annual leave including bank holidays
• Flexible and hybrid working
• A range of family friendly and fostering friendly leave options
• Enhanced maternity and adoption pay
• Enhanced sick pay
• 24 hour Employee Assistance Programme
• Pension and life assurance
• Contribution to eye tests and lenses
• Season ticket loans

The organisation is committed to equal opportunities and welcomes applications from all sections of the community, particularly those from under represented and minoritised backgrounds. Reasonable adjustments are available throughout the recruitment process, and job share applications are welcomed.

Applicants who identify as care experienced and meet the minimum criteria will be guaranteed an interview under the Care Leaver Covenant.

Other roles you may have experience of could include; Participation Officer, Youth Engagement Worker, Youth Participation Coordinator, Engagement Officer, Policy and Participation Officer, Young People’s Worker, Community Engagement Officer, Youth Projects Officer, Participation and Inclusion Officer. #INDNFP

PLEASE NOTE: This role is being advertised by NFP People on behalf of the organisation.

Mentivity is seeking 2 Senior Youth Workers to support the delivery of high-quality, safe and engaging youth work sessions for young people across our Southwark youth clubs and school holiday provision. Female applicants are particularly encouraged to apply as part of our commitment to building a diverse and representative workforce.

This role is ideal for an experienced youth work professional who is passionate about empowering young people, creating inclusive spaces, and supporting positive personal, social and emotional development.

About Mentivity:

Founded in 2016 by Sayce Holmes-Lewis alongside co-founders Leon Wright and Tyson Holmes-Lewis, Mentivity is an award-winning, inspirational mentoring organisation that provides aspirational support for young people, schools, families and communities.

Through Mentivity House, we provide a dedicated space for youth development and community engagement, including youth clubs, tailored programmes and respite provision. Our work focuses on raising aspirations, improving life outcomes and ensuring young people feel seen, heard and supported.

What we do:

Youth Work & Mentoring
High-quality, relationship-led youth work that supports young people to develop confidence, resilience and life skills.

Mentivity House & Community Delivery
Inclusive youth clubs, community programmes and safe spaces rooted in the needs of the local Southwark community.

Holiday & Enrichment Programmes
Structured, engaging school holiday provision offering activities, trips, meals and enrichment opportunities for young people who benefit from additional support outside term time.

The Role:

As a Senior Youth Worker, you will play a key role in delivering engaging, youth-led sessions across community and holiday settings. You will build trusted relationships with young people, model positive behaviour, uphold safeguarding standards and contribute to a safe, welcoming environment where all young people can thrive.

You will also support inclusive practice, particularly for young people facing additional challenges or vulnerabilities, and work collaboratively with staff, volunteers and partners to ensure high-quality delivery.

This is a rewarding opportunity to make a real difference within a values-driven organisation that is deeply committed to young people and the communities we serve.

#Senior Youth Worker #Mentor #Youth #Youth Worker #Youth Work #Youth Mentoring #Senior Youth Work 

15 hours per week / £26,765 per annum pro rata / fixed term until 31 March 2027 / working two days a week; Tuesday 10am-6pm and Friday 10am-6pm 

At YMCA DownsLink Group, our mission is to help children and young people have a fair chance to be who they want to be. We do this by providing a safe home, building life skills and self-confidence, and supporting emotional wellbeing and mental health.

Our Values - we do what’s right, we work with heart, and we build real connections - guide and shape how we show up for children and young people we support and for each other.

We are recruiting for an Emotional Mental Health Worker to support young people aged 11-25 living in Crawley and surrounding areas.

Mind The Gap Emotional Health Support offers young people an alternative way of accessing mental health support. The service offers support to young people who are struggling to find or engage with the right services. This support offer is youth-work based non-clinical support. Working primarily from Crawley Youth Advice Centre, you will deliver face-to-face sessions using evidence-based interventions to engage, educate and empower young people around issues affecting their emotional wellbeing.

Key responsibilities: 

• Offer seven sessions of support to each young person, including initial needs assessment and weekly sessions
• Lead on facilitation of emotional well-being and psycho-educational groups
• Support young people transitioning from specialist CAMHS/AMHS services
• Work systemically with parents/carers, educators, and health professionals
• Develop links with agencies and make appropriate referrals
• Promote service user participation and voice
•  Comply with safeguarding, health & safety, data protection and EDI policies

Qualifications, knowledge, and experience

• Knowledge of issues facing young people, especially those socially excluded
• Experience in safeguarding children and young people
• Ability to support appropriate mental health pathways
• Training in emotional wellbeing interventions or qualification in youth work
• Understanding of short-term support models

Please note that we are unable to offer a work permit or visa sponsorship for this role; applicants must already have the right to live and work in the UK independently.

An inclusive workplace We are committed to policies and practices of equity, diversity, and inclusion and to supporting our people to make sure our culture is consistent with this commitment. 

Accessibility If you require assistance or have questions regarding the application process, please do contact us.

YMCA DLG requires all staff and volunteers to be committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and to respond proactively to safeguarding concerns. 

Successful applicants will undergo a thorough background screening process, conducted by an accredited third-party provider. This includes an Enhanced DBS check (with Children’s and Adults’ Barred Lists) as well as comprehensive reference and activity check.

Job Title: Community Outreach Worker x2

Location: Derby City. Please note this is an office-based role. 
Salary: £25,857.12 per annum
Contract type: Full Time, Permanent

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

This is an opportunity to join Refuge as a Domestic Abuse Community Outreach Worker to provide  high quality practical and emotional support to survivors of domestic abuse and their children living in Derby City.

The Community Outreach worker will provide high quality practical and emotional support to survivors of domestic abuse in accordance with Refuge’s philosophical principles. The post holder will inform the survivor on the options and support available, empowering the survivor to make decisions and achieve their goals to increase their safety, confidence and independence. The role involves working with a range of statutory and non-statutory agencies to advocate on behalf of survivors and promote access to services to meet their needs. The outreach worker will work within Derby City.

This post is restricted to women due to the nature of the role. The Occupational Requirement under Schedule 9 (part 1) of the Equality Act 2010 applies.

Closing Date: 09:00am 30 January 2026

Interview Date: 16 and 17 February 2026

Medical Advisor

When registering to this job board you will be redirected to the online application form. Please ensure that this is completed in full in order that your application can be reviewed.

Role:  Medical Advisor (Self-Employed)

Locations:  England and Wales

Pay - £60 per AH1,  £30 per AH2 update,  £60 per 30 minutes consultation 

We are the UK’s largest specialist charity provider of fostering. Our core work involves providing high quality and well supported fostering families for children and young people in the care of local authorities. 

As a ‘not for profit’ organisation, TACT puts the needs of our children and carers first and look to appoint individuals who are as passionate about fostering as we are. TACT invests all surplus income into staff, carers, and child development. This means that we have been able to establish expert in-house support services such as our TACT Health and Education Services and create TACT Connect, our ground-breaking scheme for care experienced young people and adults.  New staff and workers will join us as we  embark on a journey to become a wholly trauma-informed organisation with the aim of increasing our effectiveness and improving outcomes for the children and young people in our care.

As a self-employed worker with TACT, you will be a part of our amazing team of professionals working with our organisational values at the heart of their everyday practice. You can review our values here.

We are seeking Medical Advisors to support TACT England and Wales Fostering Panel. 

Key Duties include:

• To undertake review of medicals completed for fostering applicants and approved foster carers.
• To provide a medical opinion re suitability to foster after reviewing the information on the BAAF form AH1
• To sign off medical updates completed on BAAF form AH2 and provide medical opinion as to continuing suitability to foster. Analyse medical information to identify any health conditions relevant to fostering capacity, with a balanced and proportionate approach..
• Prepare clear concise medical summaries for sharing with the fostering agency and fostering panel. Highlight any health-related considerations, risks and recommendations where appropriate.
• To follow up medical issues with assessing social workers, fostering social workers, managers, GP’s and consultants as required this may include attending fostering panel
• To meet with a senior manager on an annual basis to review the service offered.
• To adhere to relevant TACT policies and procedures, working within relevant legislation, statutory guidance and best practice relating to fostering and medical advice.
• Ensure all medical information is handled in accordance with confidentiality, data protection and safeguarding requirements.

You will be medically qualified and registered with the relevant regulatory body.

An Enhanced DBS check will be required for this role and will be undertaken  by TACT on your behalf.

Closing Date: Friday 6th February 2026

Interview Date: Tuesday 24th February 2026

Safeguarding is everyone’s business and we believe that only the people with the right skills and values should work in social work.  As part of our commitment to safeguarding, we properly examine the skills, experience, qualifications and values of potential staff in relation to our work with vulnerable young children.  We use rigorous and consistent recruitment approaches to help safeguard our young people. All staff are expected to work in line with TACT’s safeguarding policies.

We reserve the right to close a vacancy earlier than advertised if the volume of applications is excessive, you are therefore advised to apply at your earliest convenience.

We do not accept unsolicited CVs from external recruitment agencies nor accept the fees associated with them.

Birmingham and Solihull Women’s aid have for over 45 years supported women and children with services around domestic violence and abuse. Could you be a part of our team as we continue our mission to end domestic violence and abuse? 

The region’s leading charity in tackling violence against women and girls, BSWA offers a helpline, webchat, drop in and and community support as well as emergency accommodation in six refuges across the area.  

Projects supports women in the criminal justice system, in healthcare settings, and throughout the community, offering support to women and children experiencing domestic violence. Alongside this, we also have staff offering training and consultancy to businesses and health and social care professionals alike, raising awareness on gender based violence issues.  

We seek like-minded women to join our enthusiastic team of workers, all of us passionate about the vital and valuable work we do to support women and children who have experienced domestic abuse, and tackling the wider issues of violence against women and girls. 

To assist the refuge manager in the day-to-day running of the refuge, developing and delivering a front line service offering support, advice and guidance to women and their children living in the refuge.

*BSWA provides safe secure accommodation to some of the most vulnerable women and children therefore in order to ensure we provide maximum support and safety it is essential that our service is available to them 24/7. We do this through operating an on-site rota that covers weekends, evenings and bank holidays as well as a 24 hour call out system.

seeking a refuge project worker to join our emergency accommodation refuge housing team. 

 - Providing practical and emotional support to women and children affected by domestic violence
- Offering advice and information and advocating for service users on a range of issues including homelessness, benefits, legal, social welfare issues etc.
- Developing and maintaining effective working relationships with external agencies
- Working within safeguarding guidelines to protect and promote the well-being of children and vulnerable adults

Benefits  

• 31 days annual leave (excluding bank holidays) 

• Up to 6% matched pension contribution 

• Free access to Employee Assistance Programme 

• Life Assurance scheme while in employment (a lump sum of 4 times salary) 

• Cycle to Work scheme 

• Health Cash Plan scheme available to all employees from day one 

• Successful candidates may have the opportunity to work under hybrid working arrangements, subject to the role and to the terms of our Hybrid Working Policy 

BSWA is a Disability Confident Employer. We want everyone to have equal chance at being considered for our jobs. Should you be unable to submit your application online and would prefer an alternative method, or you are experiencing another barrier to completing your application, please contact our recruitment.

These posts are covered by a Genuine Occupational Requirement (Schedule 9; Equality Act 2010) and women only need apply.  

The closing date for receipt of completed applications is at 12 noon on Monday 9th Feb. Interviews will take place weeks commencing 2nd and 9th March.  

Join Our Team – Youth Support Worker

Ready for a new challenge in 2026?
Do you have a passion for working with young people, helping them grow in confidence, discover their strengths, and explore new opportunities?
If so, we'd love to hear from you!

About the Role

The Barnardo's Co-op Partnership is an exciting, innovative project aiming to support over 1 million young people to build positive futures.
Our Sedgemoor for our Future service is co-designed by young people and built around a social kitchen concept. We create welcoming spaces where young people can:

• Learn to cook healthy, nutritious meals
• Share food and eat together
• Have fun through games and activities
• Explore topics that matter to them
• Build confidence, teamwork, and life skills

Session Details

• Tuesdays – Highbridge, 4:30pm–6:00pm
• Wednesdays – Bridgwater, 4:30pm–6:00pm

Applicants must be available to facilitate these two sessions, you will need to be able to design and deliver these workshops in different places and spaces to help young people develop confidence, teamwork, and skills. You will also need to attend events, find creative ways to engage young people across Sedgemoor, and evaluate sessions by recording outcomes.

Contract Hours

Hours will be between 18.5 – 25 per week (flexible, including evenings).

What We're Looking For

• Experience engaging with young people aged 10–25
• Creativity and confidence in designing inclusive group sessions and workshops
• Ability to provide emotional and practical support in line with safeguarding policies
• Flexibility to adapt to young people's needs
• Strong partnership skills to work with Co-op, Children's Services, and the community

If this sounds like a role you would be interested in please apply and if you would like more information please Contact Jess Hanson, Children's Service Manager

When applying, please refer to your skills and experience in relation to the Person Specification and Job Description.
Apply early – this advert may close before the stated deadline due to high interest.

We’re an award-winning charity running local learning centres in the heart of the communities where the young people we support live. Our centres provide a high-impact education programme which includes practical learning support, pastoral care, and motivational and confidence-building activities for young people aged 7-18. Our aim is to enable students from the least advantaged neighbourhoods to realise their ambitions and achieve their wonderful potential.

We are looking someone who will thrive in a varied and innovative role as a fixed-term Project Worker in the Adult and Family Learning team. You will be based at our Maryhill (Glasgow) centre with frequent travel to our centres in Govan and Craigmillar (Edinburgh). This is a role focused on how we can offer additional impactful support in the local communities in which our Scotland centres are based. The Adult and Family Learning team will work in close collaboration with colleagues at the Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow.

The pilot will focus on supporting the parents, carers and families of young people accessing the centres, with the potential for this to extend to wider adults in the community. As a Project Worker you will deliver the programme and support the Adult and Family Learning Manager to plan and develop activities tailored according to and with an understanding of the different communities in which it will be offered.

Working with colleagues based at the three centres, you will provide a range of activities which will support parents and carers to support their children in their learning, develop their own skills and knowledge around employment and education, and provide a range of family learning activities to engage the whole family together.

As a charity with social mobility as its core objective, IntoUniversity is wholly committed to equality of opportunity. We work with families, children and young people from a diverse range of backgrounds, and we believe that our staff team should be similarly diverse and representative. 

The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be, and we recognise that we have much more to do in this regard. We are committed to building a culture where students, staff and volunteers are valued for the unique people they are. We therefore encourage applications from candidates from as wide a range as possible of ethnic, cultural and social backgrounds. In particular, we actively and warmly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates, male candidates and candidates with a disability as they are currently under-represented within IntoUniversity.

Contract

Full-time, fixed term until 31 August 2026, with the potential for extension

Start date

February 2026

Working hours

Normal working hours: Mon and Thurs: 09:30-18:00 Tues, Weds, Fri: 09:00-17:30

Some out-of-hours work will be required from time to time. This is a new project and the team will be developing programmes for parents and carers, which may result, for example, in some workshops running during the evening for a set of period of time (with a later start on the day of the workshop).

Programme delivery staff are based at one of our IntoUniversity learning centres and work directly with young people and families on a regular basis. It is therefore not a hybrid role and is based full-time in our centres.

Salary

£28,250 per annum

Location

This role will be based at intoUniversity Maryhill with frequent travel to our centre in Govan and Craigmillar (Edinburgh). 

Occasional travel out of your local area e.g. to London is also required, this may include overnight stays.

Annual leave

33 days (inc bank & public holidays)
+ 3 closure days (two in December and one in July) + additional length of service entitlement (one day per year of service, up to 5 days)

Staff benefits

• Employer pension contributions of 6% (and up to 8% after two years)
• Year round ‘early finish’ Fridays at 4.30pm
• Summer working hours (finish at 1pm on Fridays for six weeks in the summer)
• Employee Assistance Programme including access to medical and legal support
• Life Assurance scheme with AIG including SmartHealth service with access to 24/7 online GP appointments
• Interest-free new starter loans of up to £1,000
• Cycle to Work Scheme and Travelcard Loan Scheme
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, shared parental and adoption pay and sick pay allowances
• Staff in FOCUS – rewards, competitions and prizes across the year 

Live Well Wakefield is a community-based service that supports adults aged 18+ to improve their health, wellbeing and independence. The team is growing and we're looking for dynamic, compassionate, and motivated individuals to join our team as Social Prescribing Link Workers, working within Wakefield District Primary Care Networks.

With major developments in Primary Care and neighbourhood working, now is the perfect time to join us on this exciting journey of transformation and innovation in health and wellbeing support.

About the role

As a Social Prescribing Link Worker within Primary Care, you’ll work with Wakefield’s communities, connecting people to local non-medical services, support, and activities that help tackle health inequalities and improve quality of life. You’ll:

• Support people one-to-one to identify their needs, set wellbeing goals, and access community-based solutions
• Be embedded within a local Primary Care Network and work as part of a multidisciplinary team
• Develop and grow strong partnerships with voluntary and community organisations, and NHS and social care services

We’re looking for individuals who:

• Are great listeners, relationship builders, and natural motivators
• Are experienced in supporting people to improve their health and wellbeing, including those with complex needs, or from diverse communities
• Are confident working independently and within multi-disciplinary teams
• Are committed to equality, inclusion, and making support accessible to all
• Have a strong understanding of health inequalities and social determinants of health
• Have excellent organisational, communication and IT skills
• Have a full driving licence and access to a vehicle

What do we offer?

In our 2025 staff survey, 100% of the team told us they enjoy working at Live Well Wakefield. “I’ve not worked anywhere as supportive as Live Well”.

• 28 days holiday a year plus bank holidays
• 5% salary contribution to a pension scheme
• Access to Occupational Health
• Access to health service discount schemes, including Blue Light Card
• A range of policies and practices to ensure a supportive and inclusive workplace
• Competitive salary and annual pay reviews

Nova Wakefield District is a local charity that supports Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise organisations in Wakefield District. Nova and South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust deliver Live Well Wakefield, which is commissioned by Wakefield Council and Wakefield’s seven Primary Care Networks.

We are an equal opportunities organisation and invite applications from all sections of the community. It’s important to us that everyone is welcomed and valued in our workplace, so we support staff and applicants in a number of ways.

How to apply

If you’re ready to support us in achieving our goal of creating healthier, more connected communities across Wakefield District. Whether you’re already experienced in social prescribing or passionate about community wellbeing and ready to take your next step, we’d love to hear from you.

To apply, please visit our website and complete the Application Form.

Please note this post requires an Enhanced DBS Check to be carried out.

Closes: Tuesday 27 January 2026 at 9am
Interviews: will take place in person in Wakefield District on 18 February

About Us

Our 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 for children and young people and we are proud of our history for providing fostering, children's homes and a range of innovative leaving care services across the UK & Isle of Man.  We have a passionate commitment to our young people, placing them at the centre of everything we do.  We provide positive life experiences for young people who are unable to sustain a placement in their parental or foster home.

We are an equal-opportunity employer keen to develop an inclusive workforce where people feel they belong.  We hope to attract applications from under- represented groups, including people from different cultures, nationalities, socioeconomic backgrounds, ages, disabilities, religions, faith, sex, orientation, childcare responsibilities, and gender-diverse identities.

St Christopher’s Academy

At St Christopher's we can offer you a career where you can develop your skills and knowledge while making a difference to young people’s lives.

When you join St Christopher’s, we will set you up in your career with a tailored development plan. Whether you want to move across to a different service, become a Manager or just explore further your current role, we will support you to map out your career trajectory and help you achieve your professional ambitions. If you want to learn more about St Christopher’s Academy, please visit our website.

We are proud that 84% of all our Team Leaders, Deputies and Managers are internal promotions. 

Watch our short video to gain an insight into our working life here at St Christopher’s

About the Role

As Team Leader, you will assist the Manager in the running of a 16+ semi-independent supported accommodation service, supporting the delivery of high quality transition services for young people that promote their independence and increase their life skills.

We have an enthusiastic team including Support Workers, Waking Night Staff and Management who all have different interests which they bring to the service. If you’re ready for a challenge and think you have the skills to drive St Christopher’s forward we would love to hear from you!

Applicants should have

· At least two year’s relevant experience providing housing and/or support services to vulnerable individuals

· A good understanding of the regulatory framework relevant to the provision of housing services for young people

· Knowledge of the welfare benefits system in relation to young people.

· Ability to lead, motivate, supervise and support staff and be a positive role model.

· Ability to prioritise own workload and to work flexibly to meet deadlines or service requirements.

· Ability to use own initiative as well as be an active team member.

· Flexibility to occasionally work evening and weekend shifts and participating in the On-Call system.

In return we offer:

· Salary of £30,784 per annum.

· Competitive pay and reward structure offering salary progression based on performance.

· A friendly working environment, a fun, open and honest culture.

· 25 days holiday rising to 27 days after 3 years’ service, plus Bank Holidays, pro-rata.

· Industry leading training programme including access to level 3 qualifications, children’s right and participation, CSE, empowerment, mental health and social pedagogy.

· Contributory pension scheme, enhanced maternity and company sick scheme.

· UK Life Assurance (Death in service) to the value of 3 times your annual salary.

· BUPA employee assistance programme, offering counselling, financial advice and legal support.

· Cycle to work scheme.

· Bluelight card; discount shopping scheme at hundreds of retailers across the UK.

· Discretionary funded training programs.

· Employee awards based on performance and length of service.

· Fantastic opportunities to develop your career within our range of services.

Recruitment Process

At St Christopher’s we are committed to the safeguarding of all children and young people in our care. During the recruitment process you will be expected to complete an online application form to ensure we capture essential information to meet legislation, best practice and vetting requirements.

Applicants will ideally already be on the DBS Update Service; if this is not the case St Christopher's will carry out a DBS (police) check prior to starting.

Your online application must include a supporting statement addressing the criteria stated in the Person Specification. For the full Job Description and Person Specification visit our website. CV’s will not be accepted.

For more information or assistance during the application process, please contact us via our website.

Closing date:  30th January 2026

We advise to apply as soon as possible as applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Please note that it is against the law to apply for work with Children/Young People if you are barred from working in Regulated Activity and if your name is added to a Children Barred List.

All shortlisted candidates invited to interview will be asked to submit a Self-Declaration and Disclosure form which will need to be returned prior to an interview being booked.

Please note this post has a minimum age restriction of 21 for roles working directly with children and young people in our residential and semi-independent Homes in line with the Equality Act ‘occupational requirement’.