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Context
Childhood First enables children and young people to recover from early life abuse and relational trauma, to enjoy life and to achieve their potential. We do this through the provision of specialist therapeutic residential care and treatment, together with family and network support.
Greenfields House is a specialist residential children’s home providing a programme of care, treatment and education for up to ten children aged between 5 and 13 years.
Role Description
The role of the Placement and Family Support Worker is to directly support, maintain and develop the network around the child, liaising, building relationships and communicating between multiple agencies and multi-disciplinary roles, these include, the local authority, social workers, family members, carers and significant others and the child in placement.
Within the community, the role is closely linked with each child in placement and will closely work with the Community Director and the senior management team to ensure that it meets the therapeutic and educational needs and interests of each child. This will necessarily include working closely with professionals and developing their expertise in a psychoanalytic-systemic approach to care, education and treatment.
Responsibilities include:
- Ensure that plans for the process of assessment, co-ordination and delivery of placement and family support and transition plans are developed and managed on a day-to-day basis to agreed standards.
- Co-ordinate and facilitate contact arrangements, linking with networks and families in a manner which is integrated with the community’s existing relationship and contribute to and develop its professional effectiveness.
- Contribute to the holistic assessment of needs of children, families and networks.
- Devise and develop tailored packages of support based on assessment.
We would like to hear from you if you have a Level 3 qualification or substantial work experience related to social care, social work, family support or early help. The ideal candidate will also have experience working with children, adolescents and families and have knowledge of parenting skills.
Benefits:
- 25 days annual leave plus public holidays (pro rata)
- Health benefit package and life assurance
- Up to 6% pension contributions
Closing date: Friday, 15 May 2026
Interview Date: Tuesday, 19 May 2026
To apply Please submit your CV with a covering letter describing your suitability for this role or complete the application questions below.
Childhood First is committed to safeguarding children. We follow safer recruitment guidelines and all appointments will be subject to a satisfactory Enhanced DBS and references.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
The Role
We're looking for an experienced community development worker to lead a portfolio of projects and support the wider Lost Woods team. Using an asset-based community development (ABCD) approach, you'll work with adults, children, young people and families — particularly those facing barriers to accessing nature.
Your lead projects will include:
- Woods on Prescription and sustainable community woodland wellbeing activities
- Five Ways to Family Wellbeing – building confidence to take children and YP into woodlands
- Networking for underserved groups engaging with woodland and nature
- Evaluating and legacy-planning for all lead projects by November 2027
Alongside the team, you'll:
- Engage communities, map needs and help overcome barriers to participation
- Support volunteer groups to develop their own sustainable woodland activities
- Work with landowners, local authorities and partners to improve woodland access
- Deliver training, events and networking for stakeholders
- Report accurately on outcomes and maintain GDPR-compliant records
- Represent AirS at events and through social media
- Contribute to fundraising for Lost Woods and future AirS projects
About You
Essential:
- Experience of community development, including asset-based approaches and mentoring community groups
- Experience delivering nature-based, outdoor or conservation activities across a range of ages and abilities
- Experience working with people from diverse backgrounds, including those with vulnerabilities or complex support needs
- Experience on multi-organisation partnership programmes
- Confident collecting, monitoring and evaluating data and writing funder reports
- Knowledge of ABCD and an understanding of barriers to community involvement, particularly in rural areas
- Strong interpersonal skills — able to influence and motivate volunteers, communities and stakeholders at all levels
- Good organisational skills and experience meeting monitoring and reporting requirements
- Qualified to GCSE level or equivalent; Forest School (level 2/3), Eco Psychology, Nature Connection or Counselling training also considered
- Current driving licence and use of own vehicle
- Outdoor First Aid trained, or willing to be — you'll lead risk assessments for woodland activities
Desirable:
- Accredited qualification or significant experience in community development or community organising
- Knowledge of rural Sussex, relevant statutory services and local conservation organisations
- Experience of line management or team leadership
- Coaching, mentoring or training facilitation skills
- Experience using social media to promote projects
Location: Lost Woods programme area (West, Mid & East Sussex) with home working Hours: 21 hours per week (some evenings/weekends – TOIL given) Salary: £30,833 pro rata Contract: Fixed term – programme ends November 2027 Annual leave: 28 days pro rata | Pension: 5% employer contribution
AirS is committed to equality of opportunity. This post is subject to a DBS check.
Registered Charity
11 - 20
To increase the capacity of rural communities to manage change for the benefit of all their constituents.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.