Youth development worker jobs

Sessional Assessing Social Worker

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Role: Self-employed Form F Assessor

Locations: Applicants must live within the following areas, North West, Merseyside, Sefton, Liverpool, Greater Manchester, Manchester, Stockport, Tameside, Bolton, Oldham, Lancashire, Rochdale, and Wigan.

As a charity, we are committed to ensuring that our resources are directed towards supporting our children. For this reason, we are only able to consider applicants who live within the required geographical areas, as supporting roles outside these locations would create additional costs.

Pay - £2,250 per Form F Assessment / £37.50 per hour,  plus £250 bonus for ‘panel ready’ assessments, plus £250 bonus for completion within 16 weeks, plus 55p mileage.

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 recruiting sessional assessing social workers to undertake Form F assessments. Our assessments are undertaken face to face. Applicants must live within the following areas, North West, Merseyside, Sefton, Liverpool, Greater Manchester, Manchester, Stockport, Tameside, Bolton, Oldham, Lancashire, Rochdale, and Wigan.

Key Duties for Form F Assessors include:

• To undertake and complete Form F assessments in the timescale set out in our policy and guidance.
• To visit personal referees as identified on application form for prospective foster carers.
• To ensure that all checks and references are undertaken and completed.
• To provide to the supervisor, regular written updates of the draft assessment.
• To liaise with our administrative team concerning the progress of administrative checks and completion of the Form F.
• To be available for supervision, consultation or liaison as required.
• To be available to present completed Form Fs to the virtual fostering panel and provide support to the applicants through this process.
• To be aware of our child protection procedures and immediately report any child protection matter or concerns to a TACT manager and any relevant placing authority and the area authority.
• To carry out the duties in line with our Foster Carer and Supervising Social Worker Standards and Practice Guidance.

Rates of Pay for Form F Assessors

• £2,250 per Form F Assessment / £37.50 per hour,  plus £250 bonus for ‘panel ready’ assessments, plus £250 bonus for completion within 16 weeks, plus 45p mileage
• £37.50 per hour for assessments which are not completed, and any other piece of work.

Please see the Self-Employed Form F Assessor Job Information Pack for a full breakdown of role requirements. 

You will be DipSW, CSS or CQSW qualified and registered with the relevant regulatory body (Social Work England).

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

Closing Date: Wednesday 8th July 2026

Interview Date: Tuesday 16th July 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.

#LI-JO1

37.5 hours per week / permanent / working onsite / this role operates on a seven‑day rolling rota following a four‑on, four‑off shift pattern. Shifts will include evenings, weekends and bank holidays.

YMCA DownsLink Group is the leading charity for children and young people across Sussex and Surrey. We offer safe homes, mental health support and trusted advice.

We believe that every child and young person has the right to be safe, heard and to shape their own future. We work alongside them to make that happen.

We are here for children and young people, many of whom face multiple challenges and need our support.

Our Values - we do what’s right, we work with heart, and we build real connections – guide us in all our actions.

Guildford Foyer provides 24/7 supported accommodation for up to 34 young people aged 16–25, many with complex needs, including unaccompanied asylum‑seeking young people. We use a trauma‑informed, psychologically informed approach to help residents build life skills, set goals, and move towards independent living. Our Support Workers, Night Workers and Bank Workers offer guidance around housing, budgeting, living skills, education, employment and community engagement. We adopt a trauma informed and psychologically informed approach to supporting our residents to help them build essential life skills, identify their goals and work towards aspirations so that they can move on to enjoy fully independent futures.

We are looking for a Housing Night Worker to join our team at Guildford Foyer. You will respond promptly to any reported incidents, accidents, or concerns, carrying out thorough checks and taking appropriate action to ensure the safety and wellbeing of everyone on site. You will also take a proactive approach to preventing anti‑social behaviour, working closely with support staff to maintain a positive environment. In addition, you will carry out one‑to‑one interventions with young people who may be experiencing a mental health crisis or who require medical assistance, ensuring they receive timely and appropriate support.

What you will be doing - this is more than a night shift role - it’s an opportunity to make a real difference, working as part of a dedicated team committed to helping young people grow and develop.

Main areas of responsibilities are:

Safety and security

• Provide a friendly, professional presence and ensure the building remains safe, secure and welcoming at night.
• Support resident wellbeing by upholding health and safety procedures, house rules and tenancy requirements.
• Monitor risks and respond to incidents calmly and appropriately, recording and reporting to the relevant teams. 

Resident engagement

• Welcome residents and offer informal, responsive assistance to help them develop confidence, independence and life skills.
• Encourage residents to share their views and engage with available services and opportunities.
• Assist with evening groupwork sessions that promote learning, wellbeing and positive development.

Administration and housekeeping

• Complete essential admin tasks including data entry, case notes and record management.
• Carry out routine health and safety, compliance and room checks.
• Log maintenance issues to ensure the building remains safe and well maintained.

General

• Work collaboratively on a four‑on, four‑off rota, providing consistent, non‑judgemental support overnight.
• Maintain a calm, professional approach and handle challenging situations effectively.
• Take part in ongoing training and reflective practice to support psychologically informed care.

This role involves lone working, so you will need to be confident in decision‑making and in following procedures. However, before joining the rota, you will have the opportunity to get to know the team and services, take part in a full induction, complete the required training, and undertake shadow shifts to ensure you feel confident, supported, and well prepared.

If you are enthusiastic about this opportunity but don’t meet every single requirement, we still encourage you to apply. Your skills and experiences may be more transferable than you think, and you could be exactly the person we are looking for.

About you - this is a dynamic role for someone passionate, empathetic and committed to young people’s development.

Experience and knowledge

• Experience in a customer‑facing role, staying calm and solutions‑focused during challenging situations.
• An understanding of the needs and experiences of young people and adults at risk.
• Awareness of trauma and the ability to work in a strengths‑based, compassionate way.
• Confidence in accurate record‑keeping, including incident logs and health and safety checks.
• Basic safeguarding knowledge and the ability to maintain professional boundaries (training provided).

Skills and abilities

• Clear verbal and written communication, with accurate handovers for day‑time colleagues.
• Strong interpersonal skills, able to build positive relationships.
• Comfortable lone‑working, using initiative, and working as part of a team.
• Competent IT skills, including Microsoft 365 and basic system navigation (training provided).
• Ability to de‑escalate situations and manage challenging behaviour calmly.
• You will bring an awareness of the challenges young people face and the ability to connect with them positively 

CLOSING DATE: Sunday 21 June 2026 at midnight. 

PLEASE NOTE: We are unable to provide work permits or visa sponsorship for this role, so 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.

About the role:

Housing can be the thing that helps a young person breathe again — but only when it feels safe, understood and possible to manage. At Camden Young Person’s High Support Accommodation, this role will help turn the practical side of housing into something young people can learn from, build confidence in and use as a stepping stone towards independence.

As Young Person’s Worker — Housing Focus, you’ll support the smooth running of the accommodation while working directly with young people around the housing responsibilities linked to their stay. This will include move-ins, licence agreements, rent and service charge prompts, repairs, voids, occupancy records, building standards and housing-related actions. You’ll work closely with the Service Manager, colleagues, landlords, contractors and internal teams to help keep the service safe, organised and responsive.

This is still a relationship-based role at its heart. You’ll use trauma informed, psychologically informed and strengths-based approaches to help young people understand expectations, build routines, solve problems and prepare for move-on. At Single Homeless Project (SHP), you’ll also be part of a learning culture that values training, development and career growth — with opportunities to build your housing knowledge, deepen your practice and grow your confidence in young people’s services.

About you:

• You understand that housing work is people work — and can help young people build confidence with rent, repairs, licence agreements, routines and shared living expectations.
• You are organised, proactive and good at keeping practical tasks moving, from records and voids to repairs, building checks and follow-up actions.
• You can build warm, boundaried relationships with young people, using patience, consistency and clear communication.
• You are confident working with colleagues, contractors, landlords and partners to solve problems and keep accommodation safe and well managed.
• You can stay calm in a busy service, use IT systems accurately and spot when something needs to be recorded, followed up or escalated.

About us:

We’re London’s leading homelessness charity – and we get things done.

In a city where hundreds are forced into homelessness every day, our work has never been more needed or more challenging. And we’re not shying away. We’re rolling up our sleeves to make change and helping over 10,000 Londoners every year. We prevent homelessness, provide safe places to live and give people the opportunity to rebuild their lives and transform their futures. And we never give up. 

We’re here for Londoners wherever they are on their journey. We start with trust, building relationships that help people feel safe, supported, and ready to move forward. Every day, we put people first in everything we do, challenging injustice and barriers that keep people from the safety, stability and opportunity they deserve. We stand alongside people as they rebuild and shape a future that feels their own. 

Joining Single Homeless Project means joining a team that’s bold, compassionate and determined to do better for the people we support and for each other. You’ll work alongside colleagues with lived experience, in a space that’s trans-inclusive, disability-friendly, and actively striving to be anti-oppressive and equitable. 

We’re not perfect, but we’re real. We listen. We learn. And we push forward, together. Because this isn’t just a job. It’s a chance to lead with empathy, spark change, and help build a London where no one is left behind.

Important info:

Closing date: Sunday 21st June at midnight

Interview date: Monday 30th June in person at a Young Person's Service

This post will require an Enhanced DBS check to be processed (by SHP) for the successful applicant.

Please note applications are reviewed for AI use in application questions. Applications with insufficient right to work or requiring sponsorship will not be accepted or progressed.

We are seeking to recruit a Service Support Worker to join our multi-disciplinary team supporting young people aged 11–25 with their mental health and emotional wellbeing. This role will enhance our team by providing reception duties and administration and support related to our service areas

Key Responsibilities

• Provide welcoming front of house services for young people, professionals and members of the public
• Provide administration support to the CEO, Operations Manager and our specific service areas
• Undertake duties to help ensure the smooth running of the organisation
• Provide services at times suitable for young people. 
• Predominantly requiring the postholder to be based on site, but may involve some remote work if appointed to a fulltime role
• Keeping records on our salesforce database

About You

• Helpful, friendly and has a professional approach to dealing with people.
• Comfortable positively promoting our services and able to work appropriately within a diverse organisation with a wide range of people in regard to their racial, cultural, religious beliefs, gender, sexuality and socio-economic backgrounds.
• Motivated, proactive and flexible
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within multi-agency teams
• Interested in working in a hands-on position in the charitable and voluntary sector

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 making a difference to 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

How to Apply

Applications should be made directly through our website. Depending on the volume of suitable applications, we reserve the right to close the recruitment process early, so early applications are encouraged.

We're looking for a kind, compassionate and resilient Support Worker to join our Young people Service in Bracknell. No personal care or experience is required, just the right values.

£30,784.00 per annum, working 40 hours per week.

Want to feel like you have an exciting future? You'll feel at home here.
Making you feel at home here means helping you thrive in every way. That's why we offer a wide range of benefits, award-winning Learning & Development and a culture that welcomes all. These aren't token gestures - we've thought long and hard about how best to support our team. After all, our people are doing something amazing: helping to transform lives every day.

Our benefits include:
* Annual leave increasing up to 30 days with length of service
* Free DBS
* Exclusive discounts and cashback via Reward Gateway® and opportunity to buy a Blue Light Card
* Fully paid induction programme and further training
* ILM courses and Apprenticeship Programmes
* Cycle to work scheme
* Employee Assistance Programme for 24-7 confidential support
* Online wellbeing resources
* A generous pension - we will contribute up to 4% and life assurance cover up to £10,000 (T&Cs apply)
* Quarterly Staff Awards to reward & recognise our amazing staff's commitment and contribution
All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.

This is a fixed term contract for 1 year.

What you'll do:
* Undertake key-working responsibilities for a caseload assigned by Management staff
* Meet customers regularly for support sessions, providing emotional and practical support
* Undertake initial and continuous assessment of needs and potential risks and agree levels of support and actions
* Develop support plans with customers to identify their goals, ensuring a person centred approach, enabling the customer to establish positive change
* Support customers to take care of their living environment, providing emotional and
* practical support to ensure customers enjoy a high-quality accommodation

This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead

About you:
* Enjoys social interaction and the company of others, join in local activities to encourage customer involvement
* Approachable and open to others
* Enjoy working as part of a group or team
* Is fundamentally calm and resilient, does not let emotion adversely affect them or obscure
* their judgement
* Has a practical and logical mind and is naturally well organised
* Flexible in work roles
* Open to feedback and good insight into self development

What you'll bring:
Essential:
* Good Listening and Communication skills
* Good organisational skills § Ability to learn and develop within your role
* Up to NVQ Level 2/3 or equivalent or experience in the social care/charity sector
* Good standard of English and Maths
* Good standard of IT skills

Desirable:
* Experience working in mental health customer group
* Experience of working within supported housing environment
* Experience of working as a support worker or similar role
* Experience of working with multi disciplinary teams

About us:
Look Ahead is a leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. Our vision is to build better lives through social care and housing in local communities. As an organisation we deliver over 100 services, providing support to thousands of customers each year. Our mission is to co-design and deliver services that offer innovative social care solutions and support people to thrive. We work across mental health, homelessness and complex needs, young people and care leavers and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.

We have a strong social purpose and we live and work by our values:

We focus on Excellence and innovation.
We are Caring and Compassionate.
We are Inclusive and Trusted.
We work in Partnership and are One-Team.

Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.

If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role.
We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date.
We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.

Please see our website for full job description

Accommodation Support Worker(Future Roots 2 Project) 
Salary Banding: £28,893 per annum with potential to progress through salary band.  Plus additional payment for overnight shifts on occasion.  (£85 per night shift required / £50 per on call shift)
Contract: Permanent 
Hours: Full Time, 37 Hours Per Week 
Location:Hatfield, Hertfordshire, but will include travel across hertfordshire and cover of future roots 1 in WGC when required  - Candidates must have a full driving license and use of own vehicle for business purposes.

Herts Young Homeless is an independent charity that has supported vulnerable young people across Hertfordshire since 1998. We are a professional, compassionate and collaborative organisation, committed to helping young people build safe, independent futures.

About the service

Future Roots Hatfield provides supported accommodation for six young people. The service focuses on developing the practical, emotional and life skills needed for independent living, within a safe, respectful and homely environment.

We’re looking for a Supported Accommodation Worker to support residents on their journey towards independence. The role requires flexibility to meet the needs of the house, which may include changes to working patterns and very occasional paid sleep-in shifts.

Future Roots Hatfield is a welcoming, supported home for up to six young people. We focus on helping them build the practical skills, confidence and resilience they need to live independently.

Our approach is simple: create a safe, respectful and homely environment where every young person feels valued, supported and able to grow.

About the Role

We’re looking for a Supported Accommodation Worker to join our team and play a key role in helping young people move towards independence.

This is a flexible role that adapts to the needs of the home, including occasional changes to working patterns and very occasional paid sleep-in shifts.

The Difference You’ll Make

In this role, you’ll help create a positive and empowering space where young people feel encouraged to take ownership of their lives and futures.

You’ll support them to develop life skills, build confidence and navigate challenges—while ensuring the home remains safe, respectful and supportive for everyone.

The young people we work with are resilient and inspiring, but may face complex challenges. We’re looking for someone who brings patience, empathy and curiosity, and who can support them through difficult moments with encouragement and consistency.

 What You’ll Be Doing

You’ll have a varied and meaningful role, including:

• Managing a diverse caseload with different needs and priorities
• Building trusting, professional relationships with young people
• Delivering 1:1 and group sessions focused on independent living skills, such as:
  • Understanding rights and responsibilities
  • Setting boundaries and making decisions
  • Health and wellbeing
  • Education, employment and volunteering
  • Budgeting, rent and managing money
  • Everyday practical living skills
• Supporting the screening and interview process for new residents
• Facilitating group activities and workshops
• Responding to breaches of house rules in line with policies
• Identifying and managing risk, including safeguarding concerns
• Working collaboratively with colleagues to provide consistent support
• Liaising with external agencies and partners
• Keeping accurate and timely records
• Taking part in the on-call rota (after probation)
• Supporting occasional paid sleep-in shifts

What We’re Looking For

We’re keen to hear from people who are:

• Compassionate, resilient and motivated to make a difference
• Skilled at building relationships and setting healthy boundaries
• Confident communicators with strong interpersonal skills
• Organised, reliable and able to manage competing priorities
• Knowledgeable about safeguarding, confidentiality and professional boundaries
• Flexible and responsive to changing needs

You’ll also need:

• A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle for work
• An understanding of the challenges faced by young people experiencing homelessness

Experience in supported accommodation or the voluntary sector is helpful, but not essential—we value attitude, values and potential just as much.

This post is classed as having a high degree of contact with children or young adults and is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. An enhanced disclosure will be sought through the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) as part of Herts Young Homeless’ pre-employment checks. Please note that additional information referring to the DBS is in the guidance notes to the application form.

What We Offer

We want you to feel supported, valued and able to thrive. We offer:

• A friendly, experienced and supportive team
• 25 days annual leave + bank holidays (rising to 28 with service)
• An extra day off for your birthday 
• Holiday purchase scheme
• Hybrid working opportunities
• Refer-a-friend scheme
• Discretionary sick pay (subject to eligibility)
• Paid mileage for work travel
• Long service awards
• Blue Light Card discounts
• Pension and Group Life Insurance
• Health Cash Plan & Employee Assistance Programme
• Ongoing training, development and career opportunities
• Monthly staff perks and prize draws
• Whole-organisation events and celebrations

Full JD available and a day in the life video will be availbale to view via our website and social media platforms..If you are passionate, conscientious and take pride in doing a job well and making a difference, then we would love to hear from you!

Application and Interview Process 

How to Apply

To apply, please visit our website and complete the online application by submitting:

• Your CV
• A covering letter or short video showcasing your skills and experience

Closing date: 3rd July 2026 
Interviews / Recruitment Event TBC 
(Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a further Personal interview stage)

If you need any reasonable adjustments during the application or interview process, please let us know—we’re committed to supporting you.

Our Commitment to Inclusion

We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels respected, valued and able to be themselves. We actively promote equality of opportunity and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities and experiences.

We will always challenge discrimination and strive to build an inclusive culture where everyone can thrive.

Our Promise to You

We will handle your personal information with the utmost care and integrity. Your details will never be shared without your knowledge and consent.

37.5 hours per week / permanent / working onsite / this role operates on a seven‑day rolling rota following a four‑on, four‑off shift pattern. Shifts will include evenings, weekends and bank holidays.

YMCA DownsLink Group is the leading charity for children and young people across Sussex and Surrey. We offer safe homes, mental health support and trusted advice.

We believe that every child and young person has the right to be safe, heard and to shape their own future. We work alongside them to make that happen.

We are here for children and young people, many of whom face multiple challenges and need our support.

Our Values - we do what’s right, we work with heart, and we build real connections – guide us in all our actions.

Gareth Stacey House and Lansworth House are our 24-hour supported housing services in central Brighton and Hove offering high levels of housing-related support for young people aged 16-25 with multiple and complex needs. The services have 15 and 20 bedspaces respectively, with shared communal facilities; the services support young people to manage their daily living activities in areas including finances and budgeting, developing life and work skills, and managing self-care.

We adopt a trauma informed and psychologically informed approach to supporting our residents to help them build essential life skills, identify their goals and work towards aspirations so that they can move on to enjoy fully independent futures.

We are looking for a Housing Night Worker to join our teams across Lansworth House and Gareth Stacey House, working flexibly between both sites to ensure young people are safe.

You will respond promptly to any reported incidents, accidents, or concerns, carrying out thorough checks and taking appropriate action to ensure the safety and wellbeing of everyone on site. You will also take a proactive approach to preventing anti‑social behaviour, working closely with support staff to maintain a positive environment. In addition, you will carry out one‑to‑one interventions with young people who may be experiencing a mental health crisis or who require medical assistance, ensuring they receive timely and appropriate support.

What you will be doing - this is more than a night shift role - it’s an opportunity to make a real difference, working as part of a dedicated team committed to helping young people grow and develop.

Main areas of responsibilities are:

Safety and security

• Provide a friendly, professional presence and ensure the building remains safe, secure and welcoming at night.
• Support resident wellbeing by upholding health and safety procedures, house rules and tenancy requirements.
• Monitor risks and respond to incidents calmly and appropriately, recording and reporting to the relevant teams. 

Resident engagement

• Welcome residents and offer informal, responsive assistance to help them develop confidence, independence and life skills.
• Encourage residents to share their views and engage with available services and opportunities.
• Assist with evening groupwork sessions that promote learning, wellbeing and positive development.

Administration and housekeeping

• Complete essential admin tasks including data entry, case notes and record management.
• Carry out routine health and safety, compliance and room checks.
• Log maintenance issues to ensure the building remains safe and well maintained.

General

• Work collaboratively on a four‑on, four‑off rota, providing consistent, non‑judgemental support overnight.
• Maintain a calm, professional approach and handle challenging situations effectively.
• Take part in ongoing training and reflective practice to support psychologically informed care.

This role involves lone working, so you will need to be confident in decision‑making and in following procedures. However, before joining the rota, you will have the opportunity to get to know the team and services, take part in a full induction, complete the required training, and undertake shadow shifts to ensure you feel confident, supported, and well prepared.

If you are enthusiastic about this opportunity but don’t meet every single requirement, we still encourage you to apply. Your skills and experiences may be more transferable than you think, and you could be exactly the person we are looking for.

About you - this is a dynamic role for someone passionate, empathetic and committed to young people’s development.

Experience and knowledge

• Experience in a customer‑facing role, staying calm and solutions‑focused during challenging situations.
• An understanding of the needs and experiences of young people and adults at risk.
• Awareness of trauma and the ability to work in a strengths‑based, compassionate way.
• Confidence in accurate record‑keeping, including incident logs and health and safety checks.
• Basic safeguarding knowledge and the ability to maintain professional boundaries (training provided).

Skills and abilities

• Clear verbal and written communication, with accurate handovers for day‑time colleagues.
• Strong interpersonal skills, able to build positive relationships.
• Comfortable lone‑working, using initiative, and working as part of a team.
• Competent IT skills, including Microsoft 365 and basic system navigation (training provided).
• Ability to de‑escalate situations and manage challenging behaviour calmly.
• You will bring an awareness of the challenges young people face and the ability to connect with them positively 

CLOSING DATE: Sunday 28 June 2026 at midnight. 

PLEASE NOTE: We are unable to provide work permits or visa sponsorship for this role, so 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.

Barnardo's is one of the UK's leading children's charities, and our North England Fostering Service is committed to providing safe, nurturing, and supportive homes for children and young people. We are now seeking a passionate and skilled project worker to join our dedicated team.

North England service cover Yorkshire, Humber and the North East of England. The successful applicant must be willing to drive across this region as part of their role.

This is a full time role required to cover Yorkshire and North East areas. We are open to consider the role being split as two part time roles.

About the Role

As a Project Worker, you will play a vital role in supporting foster carers to provide high-quality care. You will:

Be responsible for overseeing foster carer training

Oversee foster carer support groups

Complete unannounced visits to foster carers and children

Complete direct work with children and young people

Plan and co-ordinate participation events in the service

Play a vital role in communicating with carers via online platforms including padlet 

What We're Looking For

We're seeking someone who is:

Skilled in building strong, supportive relationships.

Committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

Able to work to deadlines, has strong IT skills and is organised.

Able to work collaboratively.

Able to accurately and clearly record case notes in a timely manner

Why Barnardo's?

A supportive and inclusive working environment.

Access to high-quality training and development.

Generous annual leave and pension scheme.

Opportunities to grow within a respected national charity.

Supplementary Information

The duties of this post require the applicant to have a full current driving license that enables them to drive in the UK and have use of a car and business use insurance.  

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

We're looking for a kind, compassionate and resilient Support Worker to join our Young People Service located in Tower Hamlets. No personal care or experience required, just the right values.

£30,784.00 per annum, working 40 hours per week.

Want to feel in control of your career? You'll feel at home here.

Making you feel at home here means helping you thrive in every way. That's why we offer a wide range of benefits, award-winning Learning & Development and a culture that welcomes all. These aren't token gestures - we've thought long and hard about how best to support our team. After all, our people are doing something amazing: helping to transform lives every day.

Our benefits include:

• Annual leave increasing up to 30 days with length of service
• Free DBS
• A generous pension - we will contribute up to 8% and life assurance cover up to 3x Pensionable Salary (T&Cs apply)
• Exclusive discounts and cashback via Reward Gateway® and opportunity to buy a Blue Light Card

All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.

Campbell Rd Young Peoples service provides support and housing for 37 young people in Tower Hamlets that are either leaving care of affected by youth homelessness. The Support Worker role will be to manage a caseload of around 7-10 young people. You will be expected to deliver positive outcomes for all our young people and support them to reach independence, keep safe and maintain their tenancy's. Aside from support workers delivering support there is a strong element of housing management associated wit this role, for example managing rents, raising/monitoring repairs and health and safety.

What you'll do:

This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead.

• Building supportive, trusting relationships with customers
• Working proactively with other members of the team to handle the service caseload and administrative responsibilities
• Supporting key customers to set personalised goals in the form of a Support Plan
• Conducting regular key work sessions that are innovative and engaging in order to achieve Support Plan goals
• Ensuring ongoing assessment and management of risks associated with customers within an attitude of 'positive risk taking'

About you:

• Enjoys social interaction and the company of others, joins in local activities to encourage customer involvement
• Approachable and open behaviour
• Prefers working as part of a group or team

What you'll bring:

Desirable:

• Experience working with young people

About us:

We have a strong social purpose and we live and work by our values:

• We focus on Excellence and innovation.
• We are Caring and Compassionate.
• We are Inclusive and Trusted.
• We work in Partnership and are One-Team.

Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.

If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role.

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date.

We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.

Do you have a passion for supporting children and young people to overcome challenges, build resilience, and achieve positive outcomes? Are you committed to providing safe, nurturing, and relationship-based care? If so, we would love to hear from you.

We are looking for a Residential Children & Young People's Worker to join our dedicated team within an Emotional Well-being Home in Leicestershire. This is a full-time, permanent position offering the opportunity to make a genuine difference in the lives of children and young people.

Our home provides a safe, stable, and nurturing environment for children and young people aged 8–18 who may have experienced trauma, loss, disrupted attachments, or other complex life experiences. We support a small number of young people at any one time, enabling us to provide highly individualised care and meaningful relationships that promote emotional well-being, confidence, independence, and long-term positive outcomes.

Our practice is rooted in trauma-informed and relationship-based approaches. We believe that every child deserves to feel safe, valued, listened to, and supported to achieve their full potential.

Key Responsibilities

As a Residential Children & Young People's Worker, you will:

• Build positive, trusting, and nurturing relationships with children and young people.
• Support children and young people with their emotional well-being, daily routines, education, independence skills, and personal development.
• Actively contribute to the creation of a safe, structured, and homely environment.
• Work alongside families, social workers, education providers, health professionals, and other partners to support positive outcomes.
• Participate in key-working sessions, care planning, and review processes.
• Promote and safeguard the welfare of children and young people at all times.
• Complete accurate, professional, and timely recordings and reports.
• Support the day-to-day running of the home, including meal preparation, household tasks, and community activities.
• Be a positive role model, helping children and young people develop confidence, resilience, and life skills.

What We're Looking For

To be successful in this role, you will be able to demonstrate:

• A genuine commitment to improving the lives of children and young people.
• The ability to build positive and meaningful relationships with children, young people, and colleagues.
• An understanding of safeguarding, child protection, and professional boundaries.
• Resilience, emotional intelligence, and the ability to remain calm under pressure.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills.
• A willingness to learn, reflect, and continually develop your practice.
• A Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare, or a commitment to achieving this within the required timeframe.
• Flexibility to work shifts, including sleep-ins, weekends, and bank holidays.

Previous experience working with children and young people is desirable but not essential. We recognise that people bring valuable transferable skills from a wide range of backgrounds and are committed to supporting the right candidates to develop within the role.

Why Join Barnardo's?

Barnardo's is the UK's largest children's charity and has been supporting children, young people, and families for over 150 years. We are committed to ensuring every child has the opportunity to thrive, regardless of their background or circumstances.

Working within our residential services offers the opportunity to:

• Make a lasting difference to children's lives.
• Receive ongoing training, development, and professional support.
• Develop your career within one of the UK's leading children's organisations.
• Be part of a supportive and values-driven team.
• Work within a service that places relationships, safeguarding, and positive outcomes at the centre of everything we do.

Our residential services are delivered in partnership with Leicestershire County Council, providing innovative and high-quality care for some of the county's most vulnerable children and young people.

While your primary base will be in Leicestershire, there may occasionally be opportunities to support other services within the county.

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

Please note that due to the high volume of applications received for some posts, this advert may close before the advertised closing date. We therefore encourage interested applicants to apply as soon as possible.

We're looking for a kind, compassionate and resilient Support Worker to join our Young people Service in Bracknell. No personal care or experience is required, just the right values.

£30,784.00 per annum, working 40 hours per week.

Want to feel like you have an exciting future? You'll feel at home here.
Making you feel at home here means helping you thrive in every way. That's why we offer a wide range of benefits, award-winning Learning & Development and a culture that welcomes all. These aren't token gestures - we've thought long and hard about how best to support our team. After all, our people are doing something amazing: helping to transform lives every day.

Our benefits include:
* Annual leave increasing up to 30 days with length of service
* Free DBS
* Exclusive discounts and cashback via Reward Gateway® and opportunity to buy a Blue Light Card
* Fully paid induction programme and further training
* ILM courses and Apprenticeship Programmes
* Cycle to work scheme
* Employee Assistance Programme for 24-7 confidential support
* Online wellbeing resources
* A generous pension - we will contribute up to 4% and life assurance cover up to £10,000 (T&Cs apply)
* Quarterly Staff Awards to reward & recognise our amazing staff's commitment and contribution
All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.

This is a fixed term contract for 1 year.

What you'll do:
* Undertake key-working responsibilities for a caseload assigned by Management staff
* Meet customers regularly for support sessions, providing emotional and practical support
* Undertake initial and continuous assessment of needs and potential risks and agree levels of support and actions
* Develop support plans with customers to identify their goals, ensuring a person centred approach, enabling the customer to establish positive change
* Support customers to take care of their living environment, providing emotional and
* practical support to ensure customers enjoy a high-quality accommodation

This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead

About you:
* Enjoys social interaction and the company of others, join in local activities to encourage customer involvement
* Approachable and open to others
* Enjoy working as part of a group or team
* Is fundamentally calm and resilient, does not let emotion adversely affect them or obscure
* their judgement
* Has a practical and logical mind and is naturally well organised
* Flexible in work roles
* Open to feedback and good insight into self development

What you'll bring:
Essential:
* Good Listening and Communication skills
* Good organisational skills § Ability to learn and develop within your role
* Up to NVQ Level 2/3 or equivalent or experience in the social care/charity sector
* Good standard of English and Maths
* Good standard of IT skills

Desirable:
* Experience working in mental health customer group
* Experience of working within supported housing environment
* Experience of working as a support worker or similar role
* Experience of working with multi disciplinary teams

About us:
Look Ahead is a leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. Our vision is to build better lives through social care and housing in local communities. As an organisation we deliver over 100 services, providing support to thousands of customers each year. Our mission is to co-design and deliver services that offer innovative social care solutions and support people to thrive. We work across mental health, homelessness and complex needs, young people and care leavers and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.

We have a strong social purpose and we live and work by our values:

We focus on Excellence and innovation.
We are Caring and Compassionate.
We are Inclusive and Trusted.
We work in Partnership and are One-Team.

Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.

If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role.
We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date.
We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.

Please see our website for full job description

We're looking for an organised, kind and resilient Support Worker to join our Learning disabilities service in Hertfordshire.

£28,808.00 per annum, working 40 hours per week.

Want to feel like you have an exciting future? You'll feel at home here.
Making you feel at home here means helping you thrive in every way. That's why we offer a wide range of benefits, award-winning Learning & Development and a culture that welcomes all. These aren't token gestures - we've thought long and hard about how best to support our team. After all, our people are doing something amazing: helping to transform lives every day.

Our benefits include:
* Annual leave increasing up to 30 days with length of service
* Free DBS
* Exclusive discounts and cashback via Reward Gateway® and opportunity to buy a Blue Light Card
* Fully paid induction programme and further training
* ILM courses and Apprenticeship Programmes
* Cycle to work scheme
* Employee Assistance Programme for 24-7 confidential support
* Online wellbeing resources
* A generous pension - we will contribute up to 4% and life assurance cover up to £10,000 (T&Cs apply)
* Quarterly Staff Awards to reward & recognise our amazing staff's commitment and contribution
All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.

The service is staffed 24/7 and this post-holder will be required to cover an average of at least one sleep-in per week (pro rata).

Rota pattern, covering early and late shifts, 7 days per week. Also sleep-in duties.

What you'll do:
- If a need arises, deliver all aspects of support to enable a customer to develop independent living skills as appropriate to the individual needs of the customer. This includes delivering personal and physical care as appropriate;
- Support customers to undertake all domestic tasks wherever possible, including practical assistance where they have not yet developed the skills, to ensure customers enjoy a high quality of accommodation;
- Participate in support planning and risk management, of named customers, as directed by the service management;
- Ensure the safety and security of the customers and the premises whilst on shift;
- Enable customers to make full use of community facilities by providing support that enables maximum external engagement;
- Report any observations relating to customers welfare

This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead

About you:
- Prefers working as part of a group or team
- Flexible
- Open to feedback and self development
- Thrives on change and enjoys dynamic diverse environments
- Is respectful and sensitive in style of communication
- Non-judgemental outlook
- Ability to cope positively with challenging and diverse behaviour

What you'll bring:
Essential:
- NVQ Level 2 or equivalent or experience within charity/social care sector
- Ability to complete written records of support to customers
- Basic knowledge of Microsoft Office applications and able to input information clearly and in good English
- Ability to communicate with colleagues, customers, family members and partner agencies, as required

Desirable:

- Experience of working with people with Learning Disabilities and Autism
- Experience of working with vulnerable adults in a residential setting.
- Knowledge of safeguarding policies and procedures and how to raise a concern
- Experience of co-producing support plans and individual risk assessments with vulnerable adults.

About us:
Look Ahead is a leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. Our vision is to build better lives through social care and housing in local communities. As an organisation we deliver over 100 services, providing support to thousands of customers each year. Our mission is to co-design and deliver services that offer innovative social care solutions and support people to thrive. We work across mental health, homelessness and complex needs, young people and care leavers and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.

We have a strong social purpose and we live and work by our values:

We focus on Excellence and innovation.
We are Caring and Compassionate.
We are Inclusive and Trusted.
We work in Partnership and are One-Team.

Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.

If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role.
We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date.
We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.

Please see our website for full job description

We are looking for a Weekenders Journey Guide to support prospective Weekend Foster Carers from their first conversations with Now Foster through to the next stages of the recruitment and assessment journey.

This is a highly relational, candidate-facing role. You will be one of the main people helping applicants understand what Weekenders is, explore whether it is right for them, stay motivated through the process, and feel supported to take the next step.

Introductory conversations (our ‘intro chats’) will be a core part of the role. You will speak with people who are curious about fostering, but who may also feel unsure, nervous or are still working out whether they can foster. Your role will be to bring warmth, clarity and momentum: helping people feel welcomed, informed and confident, while also making sure the right people progress at the right pace.

You will use Now Foster’s digital platform (a bespoke CRM system) to manage the candidate journey, track progress, record key information and help the team understand where applicants are getting stuck or moving forward. You will play an important role in making sure we are attracting the right leads, supporting them well, and learning how to improve the journey as we grow.

This role would particularly suit someone with experience of fostering or working in fostering. It could also suit someone from a related background who is deeply motivated by innovation in this area and excited by what fostering could look like if it were designed around children, carers and relationships.

You do not need to be a qualified social worker, but you do need to be emotionally mature, reflective, organised and comfortable working closely with a social work-led team. You will need to understand safeguarding, and be confident holding thoughtful conversations with prospective carers.

What You’ll Be Doing

Supporting candidates through the journey

• Acting as a consistent, warm and encouraging point of contact for prospective Weekend Foster Carers.

• Carrying out intro chats with people who have expressed interest in the Weekenders programme.

• Helping candidates understand the Weekenders programme, what the role involves, and what the journey looks like.

• Supporting candidates to reflect on whether Weekenders is right for them.

• Keeping candidates engaged, informed and motivated as they move through the process.

• Helping people overcome practical barriers where appropriate, while being honest and clear about expectations.

• Making sure candidate communication feels relational, timely and values-led.

Helping the right people progress

• Helping identify candidates who are ready to move forward, as well as those who may need more time, more information or a different route.

• Support candidates to progress, pause or close, as advised by our fostering service colleagues.

• Using strengths-based and motivational approaches to help candidates reflect on their motivations, support networks and capacity.

• Working closely with social work colleagues to escalate questions, concerns or safeguarding issues appropriately.

• Supporting candidates to prepare for training, home visits and assessment stages.

• Helping ensure the process is clear, efficient and supportive.

Supporting groups, events and community activity

• Supporting information events, training sessions and candidate-facing events.

• Co-delivering sessions with social workers and other colleagues.

• Helping create a welcoming community for people exploring Weekenders.

• Supporting socials and community-building activity for applicants and approved Weekend Foster Carers.

• Helping candidates connect with the mission and feel part of something meaningful.

Administration, data and follow-up

• Keeping candidate records, notes and next steps up to date on Now Foster’s digital platform.

• Using Google Workspace, Trello and other tools to access key documents and manage your workload. 

• Making sure no candidate falls through the cracks.

• Supporting data capture so the team can understand what is working and where candidates are getting stuck.

• Helping improve templates, messages, prompts and workflows for the candidate journey.

• Supporting home visit admin and logistics where needed.

Contributing to innovation and learning

• Gathering feedback from candidates to help improve the journey and bringing this insight from candidate conversations into team discussions.

• Helping the team understand what motivates people to become Weekend Foster Carers, what worries them, and what helps them move forward.

• Supporting testing and iteration of new candidate journey approaches.

• Helping us build a process that is warm, efficient, inclusive and effective.

• Contributing to a new model of fostering that is relational, ambitious and designed around children and young people.

You’ll Thrive in This Role If You Are

• Warm and relational – able to build trust quickly and make people feel welcome.

• Emotionally mature – able to have thoughtful conversations about motivation, care, family life and uncertainty.

• A strong communicator – clear, encouraging and confident across phone, video calls, emails and written updates.

• Motivational and strengths-based – skilled at helping people see their potential while also being honest about what fostering involves.

• Organised and proactive – able to manage a busy candidate journey, track next steps and keep people moving.

• Tech-savvy – comfortable using digital platforms, Google Workspace and Trello.

• Confident in your judgement – able to decide when someone should progress, pause or close, while knowing when to seek advice.

• Safeguarding-aware – able to recognise when something needs to be escalated and comfortable working within clear safeguarding processes.

• Reflective and curious – interested in learning what works and improving the candidate journey over time.

• Comfortable with ambiguity – happy working in a small, growing charity where things are evolving.

• Committed to better outcomes for children and young people – motivated by Now Foster’s mission and the potential of Weekenders.

Experience We’re Looking For

Fostering experience would be highly beneficial. For example, this could include experience as a foster carer, working in fostering, supporting foster carers, working with fostering services, or working in a closely related part of children’s social care.

We are also interested in people with experience in:

• Volunteer management

• Children’s social care or youth work

• Community work

• Social prescribing

• Mentoring or coaching

• Recruitment, onboarding or candidate support

• Relationship-based support roles

Most importantly, we are looking for someone who understands the importance of relationships, can guide people through a meaningful decision-making process, and is excited by the possibility of building a different kind of fostering journey.

Bonus Points For

• Lived experience of the care system or fostering.

• Experience working directly with prospective or approved foster carers.

• Experience using motivational interviewing, coaching or strengths-based approaches.

• Experience supporting people through an application, recruitment, assessment or onboarding journey.

• Experience delivering or supporting information sessions, preparation groups, training or community events.

• Experience working remotely or in a flexible, fast-moving team.

An interest in innovation, service design or changing how fostering works.
 

About Us

Now Foster is a team of innovative social workers, designers, and entrepreneurs on a mission to change fostering in the UK.

We bring together social work, service design, public sector transformation and lived experience to create better outcomes for children and young people. Our overarching vision is to transform the fostering system by bringing many more wonderful people into it as foster carers, so that children and young people have the relationships, stability and support they need to thrive.

You will be joining a small, ambitious and passionate team, alongside our trustees, freelancers and advisors, all of whom play an active part in shaping our work. We partner with local authorities and not-for-profits who share our values and are ready to embrace change. As a registered charity, everything we do is driven by purpose, not profit.

About Weekenders

Weekenders is Now Foster’s flagship programme. It pairs children and young people in foster care with inspiring adults who can offer guidance, stability and encouragement on a regular basis. It is about showing up, making a difference, and being that person a young person can count on.

The programme is growing quickly. We are scaling Weekenders across London and beyond, testing new ways to support applicants, local authorities and independent social workers, and building the operational foundations needed for long-term growth.

A core part of this growth is making sure that people who are interested in becoming Weekend Foster Carers receive the right balance of warmth, encouragement, information and challenge as they move through the journey. That is where the Journey Guide comes in.

Working Pattern and Location

This role is offered at 4 to 5 days per week, with a salary of £34,000 pro rata.

The role can be based anywhere in England, with occasional travel to our Weekender delivery areas. Our Weekenders team is currently based across London and Manchester, and our wider organisational team is based in Oxford. Most work will be home-based, but there will be some in-person meetings, events, training sessions or bi-monthly co-working days.

The role will involve some work outside standard office hours. This is likely to include:

• Around one weekend day per month, which you would take back as time off during the previous or following week.

• Some evening work, for example around one information event per month.

• Some evening intro chats with prospective foster carers, where this helps people engage with the process.

We work flexibly and will support the successful candidate to manage their time in a sustainable way.

Safeguarding

Now Foster is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.

This role will involve contact with prospective carers, rather than direct work with children and young people. However, you will need to understand safeguarding, work within Now Foster’s safeguarding processes, and escalate any concerns appropriately.

This role will require an enhanced DBS check.

What’s In It For You

Joining Now Foster means being part of something different. We are small, ambitious and innovative, and you will play a key role in helping Weekenders grow.

You will be close to the people exploring whether they could become Weekend Foster Carers, and your work will directly shape whether they feel supported, confident and ready to take the next step.

You will join a supportive, collaborative and values-led team. We work hard, care deeply about what we do, and are building something bold and lasting: a new way of fostering that blends social work, design, technology and relational practice.

We will provide the tools and technology you need, cover agreed travel and expenses, and support you to work flexibly within the rhythm of the programme.

How to Apply

Please send us your CV and a short cover letter explaining:

1. Why you are interested in Now Foster and the Weekenders programme.

2. The experience you would bring in supporting, guiding or motivating people.

3. Any experience you have of fostering, working in fostering, children’s social care, community work, volunteer management or similar.

4. What excites you about innovation in fostering and what fostering could look like.

5. Your availability, including whether you are looking for 4 or 5 days per week and when you could start.

You must have the right to work in the UK.

We recognise that some candidates may use generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, to support the preparation of their application. While this is acceptable, applications must remain an authentic reflection of your own experiences and motivations. We ask candidates to let us know if and how they used AI as part of the recruitment process.

Our Commitment to Equality

Now Foster is committed to being an equal opportunities employer. We celebrate diversity and actively encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, identities and experiences.

Recruitment and selection decisions are made on the basis of fair, objective and transparent criteria. We will also make reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process to ensure accessibility for all candidates.

Please Note: We are hoping to appoint as soon as possible and will close recruitment once we find the right person so candidates are advised to submit an application as soon as they are able.

Family Support Worker

£24,000 pa + Company Car (with an approx. retail value of £23,000-26,000, taxable benefit in kind of £6-£8K) and other excellent benefits

Dorset, Hampshire and parts of Wiltshire and Isle of Wight

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, 5 days per week), to deliver a high-quality family support service as part of our Southampton Care Team to families in the local area, at a time where they need it most.

Reporting to the Family Support Manager of the Southampton 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. You will enjoy responsibility for managing your own schedule, remaining flexible to the needs of the families on your caseload.

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.

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 proud to be a Best Companies Two-Star rated organisation, an outstanding place to work! As a Top 10 Charity, we have a range of fantastic benefits that we offer our employees, including:

· Control over your own schedule, based on the needs of families on your caseload, to balance home and working life

· Company car for front line care posts (car P11D value of £23,000-26,000, taxable benefit in kind of £6-£8k)

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

· 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)

· 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

· Time off in Lieu

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

· 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

· 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

· 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 why work with us page on our website.

More information about us and our recruitment process can be found in our Candidate Pack on our website.

Development opportunities:

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 the best they can be, and feel a valued member of a high performing organisation.

Our Family Support Workers 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, and Introduction to Play.

The programme aims to provide a building block for you to individually tailor your own learning and development needs, with all family support workers having a foundation level of skills within their first year.

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 their 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:

To apply please visit our website via the link and apply online.

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

Early application is encouraged as we will review applications throughout the advertising period and reserve the right to close the advert early.

Additional information:

Interviews will take place via Teams or in person with a date 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 the team and family need. An enhanced DBS disclosure will be required for this post.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and we expect 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.