Education and family support worker jobs

Our amazing team at Alana House are looking for a Women’s Centre Team Leader to join the team. 

Would you like to make a lasting difference to women facing multiple disadvantages? Our award winning trauma recovery service empowers and enables women to access the support they need.  

Position: Women’s Community Project – Alana House Team Leader

Location: The role is based in our Reading office with hybrid flexible working arrangements to provide for working at home and in the office

Contract: Permanent full time – 37 hours per week Monday to Friday.  Working pattern to be agreed within the hours of: Monday to Tuesday 8.30am-5pm | Wednesday 8.30am-7pm | Thursday 8.30am-5pm | Friday 8.30am-4pm

Salary: Starting salary in the range of £35,502  to £43,389 per annum 

Alana House is PACT’s flagship community project that uses a holistic approach to support and empower women. We offer a confidential, women-only, non-judgemental space and our services are delivered for women by women to ensure a safe, comfortable and trauma informed environment for those accessing support.

About the role:

As the Women’s Centre Team Leader, you will be responsible for leading a team of Key Workers to achieve the positive engagement of service users which leads to positive outcomes.  Your responsibilities will include:

· manage a team of Key Workers: monitoring performance and progress to ensure KPIs and goals are met

· contribute to identifying, training and supporting service user representatives and peer mentors

· act as the first point of contact for women referred to our service and conduct structured assessments to understand needs

· regularly meet with women to provide dedicated emotional and practical support

About you:

As the Key Worker Team Leader, you’ll bring highly demonstrable people management skills to encourage, motivate, support and develop a team and monitor and manage performance, along with an in-depth knowledge of issues facing justice involved women and those at risk of entering the justice system.

If this sounds like you please visit our website and apply today to join a collaborative and dedicated team who are part of something truly meaningful.

For an informal discussion about the role please visit the advert on our website for contact details for Sabina, Alana House Manager.

Early applications are encouraged as we may review and appoint on an earlier basis if a successful candidate is secured.

Closing date: 9am, Monday 11 May 2026

All opportunities with PACT are based in the UK, and you must be eligible to live and work in the UK.

Other roles you may have experience of could include: Senior Family Support Worker, Family Key Work Leader, Senior Key Worker, Women’s Support Worker Leader, Women’s Key Worker Manger, Domestic Abuse Support Worker Manager, Domestic Abuse Key Worker Leader, IDVA, ISVA, Probation Services Manager, etc.

Safeguarding is at the heart of everything we do at PACT. We have robust measures and best practices in place to safeguard and protect the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and we take pride in maintaining outstanding safeguarding standards.

Anyone joining our team is subject to PACT’s safer recruitment pre-appointment enquiries, including a Disclosure Barring Service (DBS). The role description provides information on what our safer recruitment enquiries include and the level of DBS required to work in the role.

· The Domestic Abuse Caseworker will provide high-quality, practical, and emotional support to victims and survivors of domestic abuse assessed as standard risk.

· The role focuses on early intervention, safety planning, and enabling clients to access appropriate services to improve their safety and wellbeing.

· To support the aims and principles of Aylesbury Women’s Aid (‘AWA’) including empowering and supporting women and their children in making their own decisions and taking control of their own lives, providing information, advice and guidance.

We’re seeking people in the Hastings area with a genuine passion for supporting children and young people, strong intrinsic motivation and high personal standards. If that sounds like you, we’d be delighted for you to join our team.

Across the UK, millions of children and young people are growing up in poverty, facing complex social and emotional challenges. AllChild works within local communities and wider support systems to identify and support children and young people most at risk of poor social, emotional and academic outcomes. Through our two-year Impact Programme, we help build a joined-up network of support around each child and family, working in partnership with schools, local services and community organisations.

Dedicated Link Workers coordinate bespoke, strengths-based support, delivered both directly and through trusted partners, from counselling and tutoring to engagement opportunities in sport or art and access to wider community and Early Help support where needed. By mobilising trusted relationships and coordinating support across the local system, we help young people flourish, building confidence, skills and a positive future.

Founded in West London, AllChild is now expanding to new places to create lasting, place-based change.

For further information and details on how to apply, please visit our website via the Apply button.

Closing date: 10 May 2026.

Walk alongside people rebuilding their lives

Hope into Action is a national Christian charity that enables local churches to house people experiencing homelessness.

We are launching a new Hope into Action project in Milton Keynes, and are looking for a Church & Tenant Empowerment Worker to support tenants and church volunteers as the project begins.

This role focuses on relationship, encouragement, and practical support as people rebuild stability and independence.

About the role

At launch the project will involve one house with up to three tenants, supported by church volunteers and the Hope into Action network.

As Church & Tenant Empowerment Worker you will:

• Walk alongside tenants as they settle into their new home
• Support them in developing independence and life skills
• Help them access relevant services and appointments
• Encourage positive relationships within the house
• Support church volunteers who build friendships with tenants
• Maintain simple casework records and communication with the team

You will be supported by:

• a Location Lead
• Hope into Action UK systems and advisors
• trained church volunteers
• partner agencies

This means the role focuses primarily on people and relationships, rather than large caseloads or complex housing management.

About you

We are looking for someone who:

• Is motivated by their Christian faith
• Has compassion for people facing difficult life circumstances
• Builds trust easily and listens well
• Is organised and able to maintain clear boundaries
• Enjoys working collaboratively with volunteers and churches

Experience working with vulnerable adults, homelessness services, or community work would be helpful, but the most important qualities are empathy, resilience, and relational skills.

A role that can grow

As the Milton Keynes project grows and additional houses are opened, hours and responsibilities are expected to increase in line with the number of tenants supported.

We are looking for a dynamic, values-led, strategic leader to drive our mission for migration justice and social work solidarity. The role entails oversight of the operations and strategy of the organisation, responsibility for financial management and fundraising, maintaining the health of the organisation and embedding anti-racist and anti-opressive values into every aspect of the organisation. 

As Community Support Worker you will play a vital role in supporting the Project Manager as well as mentors and mentees in the community to encourage a young man make positive connections to enable him to desist from re-offending and give him a sense of hope for the future.

This will involve:

· Visiting the prison to meet mentees and mentors before release and assisting in development of initial three-month plan.

· Assess what support the mentee has in the community (include family, partners) and what additional support is needed.

· Research what services and agencies are available in the area. Identify relevant services (including probation services) to establish and build working relationships with, especially those who can offer Education, Training and Employment opportunities for the mentees.

· Ensure mentee and mentor needs are being met in the community and supportive measures are in place.

· Facilitating and supporting the mentoring relationship within the community when the mentee is released (through the gate) attending housing, probation, job centre appointments when required; being their advocate for making a claim for benefits; attending DWP appointments; accessing drug and alcohol services etc.

· Support mentors in helping mentees improve social skills, daily living skills, such as shopping, cleaning, self-care – find services that can offer additional support to the mentee/mentor.

· Attend and participate in meetings regarding the successful rehabilitation of prisoners

· Provide support to mentors in the community.

· Support the Project Manager with recruitment and training of new volunteers when required.

Person Specification

Essential experience and Knowledge required:

· The ability to communicate effectively with a broad range of stakeholders.

· A proven self-starter with a high level of self-motivation.

· Ability to work in a challenging environment.

· Good IT skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

· Personable in approach.

· Excellent administration and note writing skills.

· Good organisational skills.

· Committed and passionate about the role.

· Experience of work with challenging, hard to engage or disaffected groups of people.

· An understanding of the key issues facing young offenders and the challenges they face in desisting from crime.

· Ability to work independently, make informed decisions but understanding when to access support when needed.

· Driving license required with access to a vehicle.

· Applicants should be based within the Buckinghamshire and Oxford area, with an exceptional knowledge of local services across the specified region.

Preferred experience required:

·       Previous Criminal Justice experience is highly desirable, as well as working with young men or youth.

· Experience of the voluntary sector and ethos of volunteering.

· Experience of working within employment sector.

· Knowledge of the local area and services that are available for mentees and willingness to extend relationships for Trailblazers and other stakeholders.

Applicants should send their CV and covering letter for the attention of John Edu-Amuah

Closing date for applications is 5.30pm on Friday 8th May 2026

Trailblazers Mentoring is committed to equality and diversity and strongly encourages applications from BAME groups and those with personal experience of the criminal justice system.

Villagers Connect Project – a great opportunity to join our team at Action in rural Sussex

Villagers Connect is a community development project which is working to sustain a strong and vibrant community in the villages of Colgate, Faygate and Rusper. It aims to build connections and relationships which increase confidence, independence and empowerment, particularly for the over 65’s.

We are seeking a part-time community development worker to work as part of a small team that is active in this rural location in the Horsham district. This role involves a good deal of community-based activity, engaging with older people and the wider community. This does therefore require someone who is understanding of older people and their interests, abilities and needs.

We champion an asset based approach to community development, which is about building on existing strengths and supporting local people to flourish; undertaking community led projects that create community cohesion and have lasting impact.

Key Objectives

· Support older people to access services and support locally that will meet their needs and improve their quality of life

· Improve the lived experiences for older people in these rural communities

· Build connections and relationships across and within the three parishes to reduce social isolation

· Develop new and support existing activities to enable a vibrant community

· Increase confidence, independence and empowerment amongst individuals, groups and community based organisations.

· Strengthen existing community assets, knowledge and skills in line with our asset based approach to the Villagers Connect Project

· Support community resilience by building community networks which are strong and sustainable into the future

Two years in, the project is well established and has gone from strength to strength. We are now seeking a new member of the team to help drive this project forward and enable this community to celebrate what can be achieved when people come together and support one another to age well and live full and active lives, despite the challenges of rural living.

Team Leader - Carer Peer Support (Adult Mental Health)

£34,101 FTE, pro rata 28 hours per week, great benefits!

We are looking for someone to join our local, independent, carer-led charity, someone with their own personal story of caring having helped a family member, partner, or friend because they find everyday life challenging on their own due to illness, disability, mental health needs, substance misuse, or age-related conditions. The ideal candidate will be able to draw on their lived experience, alongside their professional skills and knowledge, to support and help others. 

An unpaid carer is someone who regularly helps a family member, partner, or friend because they find everyday life challenging on their own due to illness, disability, mental health needs, substance misuse, or age-related. This might include helping with personal care, medication, appointments, household tasks, or offering emotional support. Unpaid carers can be adults or young people, often balancing caring alongside school, work, or family life. Caring for someone can feel like “just helping out,” but recognising this role can unlock vital advice, support, and services. 

The postholder will collaborate extensively with our funding partner, South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust, as well as other charity delivery partners to improve the identification of, and support for, unpaid family and friend Carers of adults with mental health needs. The work may also involve identifying children and young people in caring roles and brokering access to our Young Carers Support team.

As well as leading a small, part-time team of Carer Peer Support Workers, you will work alongside them, providing front-line, individual and group dedicated support (practical, social and clinical interventions). As well as coordinating services to assist Carers with their own wellbeing needs, you will enable Carers to provide well-informed care for their friends and family. You also will be our representative for the MH Trusts’ Triangle of Care Steering Group.

Closing date for applications: Monday 18th May 2026 at 10am 
Proposed date for Interviews: Tuesday 26th May 2026 

Outdoor and Sustainability Education Specialists (OASES) are seeking to appoint a highly organised and proactive Office Administrator to join our friendly and passionate team.

This is an exciting time to join OASES as we continue to grow our reach and impact. We are a charity committed to creating a more sustainable world where all children can thrive, and we are looking for someone who shares our values and enthusiasm for sustainability, education and community.

This is a varied and hands-on role at the heart of the organisation. The successful candidate will play a key role in the smooth day-to-day running of the office, supporting both administrative systems and essential financial processes.

About the role

You will:

• Manage day-to-day office administration, including handling enquiries, coordinating bookings and maintaining effective systems
• Provide a warm and professional front-of-house service, welcoming visitors and supporting communications
• Support OASES’ communications, including website updates, social media and email mailouts
• Assist with the organisation and preparation of resources and equipment for programme delivery
• Undertake financial administration tasks, including processing invoices, maintaining accurate records and supporting basic bookkeeping processes

About you

We are looking for someone who:

• Is highly organised, reliable and able to manage a varied workload
• Has strong ICT skills, including Microsoft Office, and ideally experience with tools such as Canva, XERO or WordPress
• Has good attention to detail, particularly when working with financial and administrative data
• Is confident communicating with a wide range of people and provides excellent customer service
• Enjoys working as part of a team and is willing to take a hands-on approach to support the wider organisation

The ideal candidate will be friendly, flexible and proactive, with a willingness to contribute to all aspects of office life—from administration and communications to supporting resource development and team activities.

An Enhanced DBS check will be required for this role.

Application Deadline: Monday 11th May 2026, 9am
Interview Date: Friday 15th May 2026

Senior Supervising Social Worker

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.

Salary: £42,032 per annum + £750 Homeworking Allowance per annum + £1,500 OOH allowance per annum (once on the rota)

Hours:  35 Hours per week

Contract - Fixed Term - 12 Months 

Location: Homebased - Somerset and Devon. Travel predominantly across Somerset and Devon, specifically from Bridgewater down the M5 to Exeter and the A380 to Torbay, for home visits to support carers and children, and to complete Form F assessments. Travel also requires the postholder to attend staff meetings and team away days. 

We are developing our services across the South -West and are seeking a motivated, passionate, and values-driven Senior SSW to support that development. This will include undertaking initial visits, completing Form F assessments, and supporting foster families post approval. There is potential for the post to become permanent with the successful growth across the area. 

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. We are a homeworking organisation, and we pride ourselves on our flexible working opportunities, available from day one, an extensive wellbeing programme and our benefits package, all curated to nurture a healthy work life balance for all our employees so they can give an excellent service to our carers and the young people and children we care for.

As a foster care charity, TACT invests all surplus income into services, staff, carers, and child development. This means that we have been able to invest unique projects like TACT Connect, our unique and ground-breaking scheme for TACT care experienced young people and adults,  as well as our expanding TACT Education Service and our new Health Service. All our activities are built on our commitment to becoming a fully trauma informed organisation, in line with our key values and ethos.

TACT achieved 16th place in the UK Best Companies Work For survey results in 2023, with 91% of employees acknowledging that the organisation is run on strong values and principles and 94% stating they feel proud to work for this organisation.  

As a Fostering Senior Supervising Social Worker with TACT South West, you will be a part of our amazing team of professionals working with our organisational values at the heart of their everyday practice.

If you want to be valued as a professional, be appreciated at work and contribute to better outcomes for the children and young people connected with TACT, apply now. 

Overall Duties of the Senior Supervising Social Worker will include:

• An appropriate social work qualification
• Up-to-date registration with Social Work England
• A minimum of 2 years post-qualifying experience in fostering/family placements or other childcare settings
• Experience in supporting and supervising 10-12 foster families to meet the complex needs of the looked-after young people
• Undertaking Form F assessments where needed
• A proven track record in working with and on behalf of children, respecting and maintaining their individuality, and promoting their positive development.
• Experience in group work and/or delivery of training.
• Up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation and regulations including the Children's Act and NMS Fostering Standards.
• Experience of working with/supporting looked after children and their foster carers.
• Ability to prioritise, plan and self-organise efficiently.
• Capable of using electronic records systems and IT effectively, including participating in virtual meetings and webinars

TACT offer an excellent employee benefits package including:

• 31 days paid holiday plus annual bank holidays.
• Flexible working arrangements (including compressed hours, flexibility around core hours, volunteer days policy).
• Family friendly policies.
• Homeworking ‘bundle’ including annual allowance, IT equipment and a loan for home office set up.
• Help@Hand Employee Assistance Programme (including CBT counselling, 24/7 remote GP appointments, physiotherapy, mental health support and second opinions on serious diagnosis).
• An hour a week of live, expert led activities through the Annual Employee wellbeing Programme.
• Menopause Policy and free Menopause Clinician Appointments.
• Stakeholder Pension Scheme (salary sacrifice).
• Fantastic learning and development opportunities for all roles.

An Enhanced DBS clearance is required for this role and will be processed by TACT on your behalf.

• Closing Date: Sunday, 10th May 2026
• Interview: Monday, 18th May 2026 (via Microsoft Teams)

Safeguarding is everyone’s business and TACT believes that only the people with the right skills and values should work in social work.  As part of TACT’s 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 TACT’s young people.  All our 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.

TACT does not accept unsolicited CVs from external recruitment agencies, nor the fees associated with them.

#LI-JO1

Barnardo's is seeking an empathetic and child led individual who can work within a dynamic and fast-paced environment using their strong organisational, communication and time management skills to support children in the secure estate.

This part-time position (Independent Children's Rights and Advocacy Worker – Project Worker 2) is based within HMYOI Parc, which accommodates children aged between 15-18 years, who are in custody, either sentenced or on remand.  Barnardo's refers to Young Offender Institutions (YOI) and Secure Training Centres (STC) as the ‘Secure Estate'.

Barnardo's is commissioned by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to provide an Independent Children's Rights and Advocacy (ICRAS) Service to children accommodated in a secure setting. The service is known to children as Barnardo's: Your Rights, Your Voice, and currently works within  four Young Offender Institutes and  one Secure Training Centre. The ICRAS service is child led and independent of the secure estate; our service is delivered within HMYOI Parc to ensure children can freely access support for a range of issues linked to their needs, rights & experiences of custody, resettlement, and safeguarding.  As such this is a child-facing service, and at times involves lone working in the establishments, so we are seeking someone who can see the child, not the offence.

We hold ‘voice' at the heart of all we do, therefore we feel the role is best described by someone who is currently working in this sector: “The role is an Independent Children's Rights and Advocacy role, which means it is our job to empower the children we work with and help them to understand that what they think, what they feel and what they want, really matters. We can speak on behalf of children to ensure their voice is heard and we also have the opportunity to help them to find the tools and confidence to raise their voices for themselves.  Advocacy and Children's Rights support is particularly crucial in the secure estate because children are away from home, family and natural advocates, and also because children in secure estate are some of the most vulnerable children in society; they have often faced considerable adversity, disadvantage and discrimination prior to arriving into custody and they might not, therefore, be equipped with the skills needed to articulate their concerns. Through the work you do with a child such as  simply helping them make contact with friends or family on the outside, to helping them with concerns they may have in relation todiscrimination, resettlement or safeguarding issues, you  may be the one person telling them that  they matter for the very first time.”

The position (Independent Children's Rights and Advocacy Worker – Project Worker 2) is line managed by a Team Manager, reporting to an off-site manager. The post holder will need to be able to work autonomously, working to the requirements of the contract and the regime of the YOI. The secure estate is a highly structured environment; as a Barnardo's service we deliver independent advocacy and support for a range of issues, whilst still having to follow and adhere to this structure.

This role includes lone working in this challenging secure environment. It is, therefore, critical that the successful candidate can follow guidance and policy and is able to take proactive and individual responsibility to understand and access the service support mechanisms.  This role requires the worker to be onsite for their contracted hours, working remotely only for occasional training or meetings. The advocacy team work on a rota system with set hours each week, which includes weekends and bank holidays. Applicants should also be aware, that due to the nature of working within secure estate, the vetting and induction process can take several months to complete.

When completing your application please refer to your skills, knowledge and experience in relation to the Additional Information, Person Specification and Job Description document. This should be done with an understanding of the context of the service described, including advocacy and safeguarding.  

This is a part-time vacancy with 18.5 hours available per week.

Please note due to the high volume of applications for some posts, this advert might close before the displayed closing date. We recommend that you apply for this role as soon as possible.

About Us

West Sussex Parent Carer Forum (WSPCF) is an independent organisation for the parent carers of children and young people aged 0-25 with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).  We support parent carers by providing information, signposting, and training that equips them in their lifelong caring role and empowers them to participate in shaping services for their children and young people.  WSPCF is hosted by local Sussex based charity Amaze. 

About the job

This is a great opportunity for a proactive and passionate person who lives in the mid/north of the county to empower and amplify the voices of parent carers across West Sussex. You will help deliver events and activities, encourage parent carers to get involved, especially those whose voices are less often heard, and provide friendly, accessible information and signposting to families. You will be a ‘people-person’ with excellent interpersonal and communication skills, and able to plan and prioritise your own work.

 This is a part‑time, flexible, hybrid role where lived experience really matters.

We are committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe having a diverse workforce at all levels allows us to represent the communities we serve.

We want to employ staff who have lived experience of disability themselves and/or as a parent/carer of a child, young person or adult with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND), and have an excellent understanding of the issues faced by SEND families

We particularly welcome applicants from Black Asian and minoritised ethnic communities. 

Our benefits

Some of the benefits of working for WSPCF, hosted by Amaze • Hybrid working out of WSPCF’s Pulborough office, with some homeworking • + 5% pension, pro-rata 26 days a year, + extra 3 days at Christmas + Public Holidays • Flexible, family and carer-friendly working • Support for staff health and wellbeing including an employee assistance programme • Commitment to learning and development • Access to charity worker discounts scheme • See full benefits policy

To support your application, please visit the Amaze website and read:

WSPCF Participation Officer Job Description

Staff benefits policy

Terms and conditions

Please visit the West Sussex Parent Carer Forum to read more about our work.

To apply

The closing date for applications is midnight 6th May 2026 and the provisional date for interviews is w/c 11th May 2026.

You are warmly encouraged to contact us for an information discussion about the role.

We are committed to improving diversity and inclusion across our organisation. Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and the Global Majority are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single specification. If you’re excited about the role but your experience or qualifications don’t perfectly align, we encourage you to apply anyway. We particularly encourage applications from underrepresented groups such as the global majority, LGBTQA+, and those with a disability and neurodiverse conditions.

The role:
Shakespeare's Globe is seeking a Learning Coordinator to join the Learning team which focuses on delivering a range of projects for young people, schools and teachers. This team is responsible for coordinating the delivery of the ground breaking annual Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank project; daily Lively Action workshops which bring Shakespeare to life for students from across the globe; high quality CPD for teachers, and a vast range of other projects, both revenue-generating and funded.

The Learning Coordinator will be responsible for planning and delivering day-to-day and project-based Learning activity. This is essentially a project management role that offers the opportunity to work with a positive and inspiring team of permanent colleagues and freelance creatives, and to have a wide-ranging impact on young people across the UK and beyond.

In the Learning team, we work with a diverse community of students from across London, the UK, and around the world. We want our team to reflect the breadth of perspectives and experiences within that community.

We are committed to building an inclusive recruitment process that attracts and supports talented people from a wide range of backgrounds, particularly those who are currently underrepresented in our team, including those from a global majority background. Our aim is to ensure that the people we work with can see themselves and their potential reflected in who we are.

We are looking for someone who is open to learning and is passionate about having an impact on young people’s learning and lives. If you feel that you do not meet all of the criteria, but could contribute to the team and the experience of the young people we engage with, we want to hear from you!

For principal responsibilities, please see the job description (downloadable from our website)

Work pattern: Full time, Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm, working from home 1 day per week.

The skills:

• A working knowledge of how schools and teachers function.
• A growth mindset - the belief that setbacks are learning opportunities that can help us improve.
• The ability to pick up new processes quickly, manage them independently and improve them further.
• Effective interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate diplomatically with a wide range of people at all levels from within and outside of the organisation.
• Strong organisational skills with proven ability to plan and prioritise a varied workload.
• Customer-focused with a professional approach to tasks.
• A supportive team member and good team worker.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Enthusiasm and willingness to learn.
• Excellent administrative skills with a good working knowledge of Windows-based software (particularly Excel); some familiarity with digital meeting platforms (e.g. Zoom or Teams) and customer relationship management (CRM) systems.
• This post is subject to an Enhanced DBS check

Applications:

For more information, please download the job description from our main jobs page.

To apply, please complete the online application form (on our main jobs page) by 10:00am on Monday 11 May 2026.

Tips for your cover letter (supporting info section of the application form):

• Be concise - no more than 2 pages, please!
• Focus on evidencing statements about your approach to work. If you are a team player, give us an example. If you are a problem-solver, give us an example.
• Remember, the main qualities we are looking for in this role are a growth mindset (see above), the ability to learn, and strong interpersonal skills. Examples of you demonstrating these qualities are what we are most interested in from your cover letter.

If you have any questions on the recruitment process or the online application form, please via our main jobs page.

Barnardo's is seeking an empathetic and child led individual who can work within a dynamic and fast-paced environment using their strong organisational, communication and time management skills to support children in the secure estate.

This part-time position (Children's Rights and Advocacy Worker – Project Worker 2) is based within Oakhill Secure Training Centre, which accommodates children aged between 12-18 years, who are in custody, either sentenced or on remand.  Barnardo's refers to Young Offender Institutions (YOI) and Secure Training Centres (STC) as the ‘Secure Estate'.

Barnardo's is commissioned by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to provide an Independent Children's Rights and Advocacy (ICRAS) Service to children accommodated in a secure setting. The service is known to children as Barnardo's: Your Rights, Your Voice, and currently works within  four Young Offender Institutes,  one Secure Training Centre and one  Secure Children's home. The ICRAS service is child led and independent of the secure estate; our service is delivered within Oakhill STC to ensure children can freely access support for a range of issues linked to their needs, rights & experiences of custody, resettlement, and safeguarding.  As such this is a child-facing service, and at times involves lone working in the establishments, so we are seeking someone who can see the child, not the offence.

We hold ‘voice' at the heart of all we do, therefore we feel the role is best described by someone who is currently working in this sector: “The role is a Children's Rights and Advocacy role, which means it is our job to empower the children we work with and help them to understand that what they think, what they feel and what they want, really matters. We can speak on behalf of children to ensure their voice is heard and we also have the opportunity to help them to find the tools and confidence to raise their voices for themselves.  Advocacy and Children's Rights support is particularly crucial in the secure estate because children are away from home, family and champions, and also because children in secure estate are some of the most vulnerable children in society; they have often faced considerable adversity, disadvantage and discrimination prior to arriving into custody and they might not, therefore, be equipped with the skills needed to articulate their concerns. Through the work you do with a child such as  simply helping them make contact with friends or family on the outside, to helping them with concerns they may have in relation todiscrimination, resettlement or safeguarding issues, you  may be the one person telling them that  they matter for the very first time.”

The position (Children's Rights and Advocacy Worker – Project Worker 2) is line managed by a Team Manager, reporting to an off-site manager. The post holder will need to be able to work autonomously, working to the requirements of the contract and the regime of the STC. The secure estate is a highly structured environment; as a Barnardo's service we deliver independent advocacy and support for a range of issues, whilst still having to follow and adhere to this structure.

This role includes lone working in this challenging secure environment. It is, therefore, critical that the successful candidate can follow guidance and policy and is able to take proactive and individual responsibility to understand and access the service support mechanisms.  This role requires the worker to be onsite for their contracted hours, working remotely only for occasional training or meetings. The advocacy team work on a rota system with set hours each week, which includes weekends and bank holidays. Applicants should also be aware, that due to the nature of working within secure estate, the vetting and induction process can take several months to complete.

When completing your application please refer to your skills, knowledge and experience in relation to the Additional Information, Person Specification and Job Description document. This should be done with an understanding of the context of the service described, including advocacy and safeguarding.  

This is a part-time vacancy with 25.5 hours available per week.

Please note due to the high volume of applications for some posts, this advert might close before the displayed closing date. We recommend that you apply for this role as soon as possible.

Pay & Reward Framework

We know that our colleagues go above and beyond in delivering our vital work, driven by their passion and commitment to Barnardo's values.  We also know that we can only realise our ambitions and achieve better outcomes for more children, thanks to the talent, hard work and creativity of our people. 

For all these reasons, we are committed to a new approach to pay and reward, to ensure it is fair, attractive and progressive, which was rolled out in April 2023. This is a positive change for the charity, and a part of our People & Culture Strategy. It will assist us in supporting colleagues to belong, thrive and grow in their colleague journey at Barnardo's and in time will offer clear routes of progression for colleagues in both their career and their pay. 

Whilst the full pay band and salary range is advertised, our approach to starting salaries is to appoint between the minimum to mid-point of the pay band – this ensures that pay steps are available to reward our colleagues annually based on their contribution to excellence and alignment to our values and behaviours.  More details on Barnardo's pay framework can be found upon application.