Personal and family support worker jobs

We are wanting to recruit a motivated and experienced support and recovery worker to support homeless and vulnerable guests at our daily drop-in, and in Hope House - our 4 bed supported house 

Responsibilities

Our support workers both work with guests in both Drop-in and in Hope House, but each takes a lead responsibility in one or the other of these projects. This post holder leads on the housing management responsibilities for Hope House.

Drop-in responsibilities :

· Welcome and assess first time guests, identifying priority needs.

· Signpost and support guests to access key statutory and voluntary services, especially housing, benefits, homelessness services etc

· Provide practical support and advice to guests , for example with helping with forms, bill enquiries, budgeting .

Hope House responsibilities

- Vet the suitability of potential residents and support them with their transition in/out of Hope House

· Hold weekly individual support sessions with residents

· Ensure tailored support plans (using Homeless Outcomes Star) are in place for each resident

· Identify “next step” housing options for residents and work with the residents to access these.

Oversee the safe and efficient running of Hope House, taking into account any relevant Supported Housing/ HMO specific requirements.

Established in 1999 SeeSaw Grief Support is an award-winning charity supporting children and young people in Oxfordshire who are bereaved or about to be bereaved. The work supporting children, young people and their families is delivered by a team of clinical staff and volunteers, who work with families in their own homes. Because of this regular travel is involved, often at the end of the school day. We regularly provide support for between 400-500 children and young people each year. 

Our clinical team of 5 practitioners, and 12 volunteers, is supported by our Clinical Data and Volunteer Manager. Due to increasing demand for our service, we are expanding our team and looking for a 6th practitioner to join us, focusing on direct work with bereaved children and young people, and those facing the death of a close family member. We are looking for candidates who have gained experience of working with children and young people in a range of settings. You are a good communicator and skilled at making and sustaining supportive relationships with children and young people to effect change.Our practitioners have a caseload of individual children and their families, and liaise with professionals from schools, health, social care and children and young people’s mental health services, as well as with our team of Volunteer Support Workers. You will be able to work collaboratively and on your own initiative, ideally have a qualification in health care, social work, counselling, psychological services or education; knowledge of therapeutic interventions in grief work would be helpful but not essential as training will be given. 

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

If you feel you have the qualities to join our small friendly team doing vital work for children and young people in Oxfordshire, please read the job description and person specification below.

Interviews will be held on 9th June

We see first-hand the power of family to shape lives, for better or worse, so we speak up for the

importance of family in national and local policymaking, amplify family voices and represent the changing needs of families in the UK today.

This is an exciting opportunity for a Support Worker to join our friendly team and help support the continued work of our LifeSkills Plus team. You will provide intensive support to adults with complex needs who are further away from employment or training by using a strength-based approach, ensuring those accessing the programme receive appropriate practical and emotional support by visiting them at home or in the community.

The LifeSkills programme supports individuals and families to build their confidence, social networks, financial and employability skills. The LifeSkills Support Worker will work closely with the linked LifeSkills programme, entitled LifeSkills Open.

Camberwell with delivery across all London Boroughs

Ref CFC-261(0.5)

Closing date: 18 May 2026 at 9am.

Are you a proactive, compassionate and collaborative individual with a proven record of successfully engaging with challenging families and young people? Do you have lived, personal experience of the Criminal Justice System and/or care system?

If so, join St Giles Trust as our Children and Families Caseworker to support young people and their families who are at risk of Youth violence or criminal exploitation.

About St Giles Trust

An ambitious, well-established charity that helps people facing adversity to find jobs, homes and the right support they need.  Central to our ethos is our belief that people with first-hand experience of successfully overcoming issues such as an offending background, homelessness, addictions and gang involvement, hold the key to positive change in others.

The Children and Families team will support 45 young people and their families a year as part of our Greenwich Gangs team. Gang involvement increases the risk of violence and victimisation to the young person, their friends and their family, therefore, it is essential when supporting young people to exit gangs we adopt a ‘whole family’ approach.

About this key role

As a Children & Families Caseworker, you will be tasked with providing both face-to-face and virtual/remote 1:1 case work to children, young people and their Families who are at risk of; involved in or on the periphery of gangs and serious youth violence.

You will use your cultural competency and lived experience to engage young people involved in serious youth violence and exploitation. You will be one of 4 practitioners for this geographical area, providing a holistic approach to supporting young people and families in the community. Contributing towards the overarching aim of reducing harm, risk and exclusions (where relevant), you will work closely with social workers, youth offending agencies and schools/PRU’s, developing a relationship based on trust, which prioritises safeguarding.

You will play a central role in deterring young people from offending and safeguarding families who may be at risk. You will work with them for a set period, aiming to reduce key risk factors and behaviors. We will be relying on you to maintain the high standards of the service, ensuring the successful delivery of the outcomes, and compiling reports and recording data where necessary.

What we are looking for

• To have lived, personal experience of the Criminal Justice System and/or care system.
• Experience of working with socially excluded children, young people and adults and of providing advice and guidance and/or mentoring to them.
• Experience of successfully engaging with challenging families and young people, e.g. those who have complex needs, people who are reluctant to discuss their needs and people who are angry and confused.
• Understanding of the UK care system and the challenges faced by those who enter it.
• Knowledge of gangs, knife crime and patterns of offending in London.
• Knowledge of safeguarding, child protection and risk management practice
• Understanding of child criminal exploitation (CCE) and child sexual exploitation (CSE)
• Strong IT skills, including case recording systems and standard Microsoft applications

Please note: this role requires an Enhanced DBS check with child barred list.

In return, you can expect a competitive salary, generous leave allowance, staff pension, access to clinical supervision, flexible working, a mentoring programme, an advice and counselling service, season ticket loan and much more.

We are an equity and inclusion confident employer. We welcome all applications, and we particularly encourage applications from people of the global majority (black, brown, multi- heritage) and those who identify as disabled, neuroexpansive, neurodiverse, with any protected characteristics and/or social barriers or challenges. We value the empowering and informative impact that all lived experiences and diversity of thought can offer the organisation.

St Giles will guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria set out in the Job Description for the vacancy.

Closing date: 18 May 2026 at 9am. Interview date: w/c on 25 May 202

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.

We're looking for a kind, compassionate and resilient Senior Support Worker to join our Learning Disabilities Social Care Service in Kensington and Chelsea. No personal care required, just the right values.

£30,969.00 per annum, working 40 hours per week.

This is a fixted term contract until 30th September 2026.

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

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.

As a Senior Support Worker, you will be expected to undertake duties as part of the management team which includes supporting the team with their responsibilities whilst working flexibly to respond to the needs of your individual customer case load.

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

• Carry out administrative tasks as relevant to the service and directed by the contract manager.
• Work proactively with the team to handle the service caseload and support an effective team approach to meeting each customer's identified needs
• Motivate your team and champion a positive local culture within your service
• Carry out initial assessment for new customers and keep up to date referral log
• Deliver effective resident meetings with customers and ensure that information, reporting and communication
• Partnership working with a range of stakeholders including families, healthcare professionals, external personal assistants other support agencies to maximise outcomes for customers

About you:

• Enjoys social interaction and the company of others, networks in local business community
• Approachable and open behaviour
• Prefers working as part of a group or team
• Is fundamentally calm and resilient, does not let emotion adversely affect them or obscure their judgement

What you'll bring:

Essential:

• NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care or equivalent
• Minimum 2 years of experience working people with high complex needs.

Desirable:

• Other relevant professional memberships and/or specialist qualifications

About us:

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

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 looking for an experienced youth worker to join our team and lead our Short Breaks project, which provides activities and support specifically for children and young people who have autism and have low to moderate support needs. Camp Mohawk is a woodland activity centre that provides support to children, young people and families from across the South of England.

The children and young people (approximately 100 individuals) supported by the project are aged 8 to approximately 25 years and are largely independent in terms of their self care but have a variety of social, sensory and sometimes medical needs that mean it is very difficult for them to participate in mainstream activities. Our Short Breaks service offers after school activities (in 3 age groups) on Tuesdays and Thursdays in term time, as well as full days of activities once per week in school holidays. These activities give the young people essential social opportunities during which they are supported with things they find challenging, encouraged to express their natural personalities and explore and develop their interests. During these sessions they can receive support to develop their social skills if that is what they need, and can take part in fun activities with their peers. The groups generally cater for between 10 and 20 young people per session.

To be a good fit for this role, you will need to be an exceptional and dedicated childcare / youth worker who has proven experience of supporting and safeguarding children and young people, particularly those who have autism. You should have experience of planning inclusive activities, managing budgets and supervising teams of staff. The role is very much a ‘hands on’ role working directly with the project beneficiaries for the majority of the post hours - you must be able to commit to working the majority of Tuesday (16.00 - 19.30) and Thursday (18.30 - 22.00) evenings in term time, and at least one full day (09.00 - 17.30) per week during school holidays, with the exception of the Christmas holidays when the centre is closed. You will work 10 hours per month on project associated admin which can be undertaken remotely and largely at times that suit you. You must have a full UK driving license and access to a reliable vehicle that is insured for business use. Camp Mohawk is not easily accessible by public transport, whilst some Short Breaks activities take place at off site locations in Reading, Wokingham, Maidenhead, Bracknell, Slough and surrounding areas.

The current post holder also works in the role of Duty Manager for other school holiday days / term time weekend days. This aspect of the role, which will be an optional add on to the Short Breaks Coordinator role with negotiable hours, would be undertaken on a rotational basis with our 4 other Duty Managers. The role involves overseeing the daily delivery of general Family Sessions which support families who have children of all ages and who have a wide range of special needs and disabilities. In this role you will guide and supervise a team of support staff and volunteers through set up of the facilities at the start of the day, oversee the smooth and effective delivery of the service and support families during their visits, work effectively within our Safeguarding Lead Team, and supervise the cleaning and close down of facilities once the session has completed.

For full job description and person specification please see the attached application pack. Informal enquiries prior to application to discuss the role requirements, and applicant requirements in terms of hours and salary, are welcomed.

The successful applicant will be required to undergo all checks and training in accordance with our Safe Recruitment policy including enhanced DBS check, satisfactory references and Right to Work check.

The salary for the post is £4,895 gross per annum (based on 7 hours per week off the Real Living Wage full-time equivalent of £24,479)

Based: HMP Norwich Visitors’ Centre

Working Hours and Patterns:

· The work pattern is every Saturday 8:30 – 4pm (7 hours with 30 minutes unpaid break)

· The successful candidate is expected to be available outside of these times to carry out essential training, attend Team Meetings on a Wednesday morning (scheduled in advance every six weeks), and the prison induction on one Monday and Tuesday.

· Overtime, particularly on Sundays, is often available.

· A degree of flexibility will be required at times to meet operational demand.

HMP Norwich, part of the main HMP Estate, offers a varied and exciting opportunity to work in a busy yet rewarding environment where no two days are the same. You will be required to obtain and retain enhanced security vetting for this role.

The Ormiston Families team based at HMP Norwich provide a personal welcome for first-time and returning visitors to help them access the services available to them.

We are seeking a Family Support Worker to join the team in providing effective and efficient running of the Visitors Centre on Saturdays. This will involve booking visitors in for visits, serving refreshments to visitors, providing information for visitors who need additional support, signposting and making referrals to other prison departments. The overall purpose of the role is to ensure that prisoners and their families have a valuable visiting experience, improving the quality of visits for children and families, helping to maintain positive, healthy and resilient family relationships.

Ideally, you will have experience of dealing with people in a customer service-based role and be able to demonstrate excellent communication and problem-solving skills, sometimes under challenging circumstances, whilst embracing a non-judgemental and empathetic work ethic. You will have had experience working with children and families or be able to demonstrate a commitment to this area of work. 

For further information and to apply, please visit our website.

Closing date for applications: 9am, Monday 11th May 2026

Safeguarding and DBS requirements for your role: Ormiston Families is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts. We are an equal opportunities employer; we value diversity and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

Family Support Worker – Thames Valley

£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

Thames Valley and surrounding areas.

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

About the role:

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

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

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

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

What we’re looking for:

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

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

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

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

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

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

What we offer:

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

· Flexible working hours to balance home and working life

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

· Company car for front line care posts

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

· Time off in Lieu

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

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

· A recommend a friend recruitment bonus scheme

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About us:

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

How to apply:

Please visit our website and apply online.

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

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

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

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

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

Vision: Home-Start Southwark and Lewisham believes every parent should have the support they need to give their children the best possible start in life.

Main purpose of the job: Providing targeted, specialised support to parents with at least one child under 5, but with a whole family approach. The post carries a high level of responsibility in ensuring that a quality service is offered to families through a team of trained volunteers.

Our ambition is to continue to develop outstanding services that meet the needs of our community; if you want to be part of our future, we would love to meet you to discuss this further.

Help lead a high-quality supported housing service and make a real difference to the lives of people experiencing homelessness. Join SPEAR as our Hostel Manager and play a key role in supporting residents to achieve stability and move towards independent living.

SPEAR is a charity working to end homelessness across South West London. We believe homelessness should be rare, brief and non-recurring, and our teams work every day to support people into safe, stable accommodation.

We are looking for an experienced and motivated manager to lead a 14-bed, 24-hour supported hostel service in Richmond. You will oversee the day-to-day running of the service, ensuring it operates safely, effectively, and in line with SPEAR’s values, while delivering high-quality, trauma-informed support to residents with complex needs. 

About the role

This is a hands-on leadership role where you will:

• Lead and manage a team including a Team Leader and Support Workers
• Ensure safe staffing levels and effective rota management
• Oversee safeguarding, risk management, and incident response
• Drive high standards of service delivery and resident support
• Build strong relationships with local authorities and partner agencies
• Ensure compliance with health and safety, including fire safety and building standards
• Support residents to progress towards independence and move-on opportunities

You will combine operational leadership, staff management, and service development to create a safe, respectful, and recovery-focused environment.

About you

We are looking for someone who:

• Has experience working with people experiencing homelessness or complex needs
• Has managed or supervised staff in a supported housing, hostel, or similar setting
• Has strong knowledge of safeguarding, risk assessment, and trauma-informed practice
• Can lead and motivate a team in a fast-paced environment
• Is confident managing complex and high-risk situations
• Has excellent communication and organisational skills

Why join us

At SPEAR, you’ll be part of a passionate, skilled team dedicated to ending homelessness. We offer a supportive environment where you can grow your career while making a meaningful impact.

Your benefits

• Generous holiday – 26 days plus public holidays, rising to 31 days with length of service
• Wellbeing & EAP – 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme with free counselling, money and legal advice
• Health support – Occupational health service and free annual eye test (with contribution towards glasses if required)
• Cycle to Work – Save on a new bike and accessories through salary sacrifice
• Season ticket loan – Interest-free loan for annual travel passes
• Moving house day – Extra day’s leave when you move home
• Financial security – Life assurance (4x salary) and interest-free emergency staff loan
• Family-friendly policies – Enhanced maternity and adoption pay, plus flexible working options
• Career development – Ongoing training, learning and progression opportunities
• Blue Light Card – Discounts across a wide range of shops, restaurants and services

About the Role

Location: Cornwall (Agile / Field‑based)
Hours: 35 hours per week
Salary: £24,544.91
Contract: Permanent
DBS: Enhanced with Adults

Who We Are

At Rethink Mental Illness, we believe recovery is possible. We exist to improve the quality of life for people severely affected by mental illness by providing person‑centred, strengths‑based support that helps people live fulfilling, connected lives.

We work closely with individuals, families, and partner organisations to support recovery, independence, and wellbeing within local communities.

About the Role

We’re looking for a Lifestyle Support Worker to join our Cornwall Community team and support people with long‑term mental health challenges to live healthier, happier, and more connected lives.

In this role, you’ll work alongside other Lifestyle Support Workers, therapists, and multi‑disciplinary teams to engage people in meaningful activities that promote wellbeing, confidence, and independence. This could include:

• Supporting individuals one‑to‑one to build confidence accessing community spaces such as gyms, groups, or public venues
• Facilitating group activities such as healthy eating, wellbeing, or lifestyle sessions including activities in the community.
• Encouraging engagement in volunteering, recovery activities, and local community opportunities
• Supporting people to develop routines, life skills, and social connections

This is a field‑based role across Cornwall, with some administrative work based in NHS buildings and opportunities for agile working.

What You’ll Bring

We’re looking for someone who:

• Has experience supporting people with mental health needs in a community or support setting
• Is passionate about recovery, empowerment, and person‑centred support
• Can build positive, respectful, and professional relationships with service users
• Has experience in facilitating group work in the community.
• Is confident working both independently and as part of a multi‑disciplinary team
• Has strong communication, organisational, and basic IT skills
• Holds a full driving licence with access to a vehicle (essential for covering Cornwall)
• Believes in equality, inclusion, and strengths‑based approaches

Formal clinical qualifications are not essential — we value empathy, professionalism, and a genuine commitment to supporting others.

What We Offer

At Rethink Mental Illness, we’re proud to support our staff. You’ll receive:

• A comprehensive induction programme
• Regular supervision and reflective practice
• Ongoing training and development opportunities
• The opportunity to contribute to service development
• A supportive, values‑driven culture where your voice matters

Ready to Apply?

If you believe in recovery, want to make a real difference, and are passionate about supporting people to live well in their communities, we’d love to hear from you.

Rethink Mental Illness welcomes applications from all backgrounds and is committed to creating an inclusive workplace.

Why Work With Rethink Mental Illness?

At Rethink Mental Illness, we believe that when you feel supported, you can make the biggest difference. That’s why we offer a wide range of benefits:

• Inclusive Culture: Staff networks that champion diversity and inclusion
• Wellbeing Support: Access to our Wellbeing Hub, Employee Assistance Programme, and Unmind mental health app
• Recognition & Rewards: Discounts, cashback offers, and recognition through our PULSE platform
• Flexible Working & Generous Leave: 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays and your birthday off, with options to buy or sell leave
• Learning & Development: Structured onboarding and ongoing training
• Financial & Family Support: Pension scheme, enhanced family leave, and travel benefits
• Referral Bonus: Earn up to £300 for introducing someone to our team

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Diversity is important to us, and we value difference, inclusiveness, and belonging. By welcoming a wide range of perspectives and experiences, we strengthen our ability to support the diverse communities we serve.

We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and identities and are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer and a signatory to the Race at Work Charter.

Becoming a Truly Anti‑Racist Organisation

We have an ambition to become a truly anti‑racist employer, campaigning organisation, and service provider. Through our Anti‑Racist Statement and Race Equality Action Plan, we are committed to accountability, learning, and meaningful progress.

Barnet Mencap is a charity based in Finchley that provides support and runs a multitude of projects for people with learning disabilities and/or Autism. We are dynamic, enthusiastic, diverse, and committed to equal opportunities and the safeguarding of children and adults at risk.  

There is currently a vacancy within our Equality Housing Team for a focused individual to join our caring, passionate, and diverse team in supporting adults with moderate learning disabilities and autistic adults to live independently in housing situations of their choice. Please view the Job Description and Person Specification for a better idea of what the role entails and what we’re looking for. 

The successful candidate will have: 

• Experience of working with adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults in a community setting 

• Understanding of the issues faced by people with learning disabilities and autistic people living independently and the skills to meet their practical, social and emotional needs 

• A ‘Person Centred Planning’ ethos 

• Providing support with personal care as required

• Excellent communication and record keeping skills 

We know job satisfaction, flexibility, work/life balance, and a great team are incredibly important. So, at Barnet Mencap, in addition to offering 30 days of annual leave per year (including Bank Holidays), we have a TOIL system to allow flexible working, and our team can benefit from other perks including the Blue Light Card. 

Please note that unfortunately we are unable to support with sponsorship.

To apply, please send your CV alongside a covering letter explaining how you meet the criteria on the person specification or fill in an application form which you can find on our website.   

The successful candidate will be required to complete an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service application in line with Section 115 of The Police Act 1997.   

Closing Date:  Thursday 14th May

Interview Date:   We will review applications as they come in and offer interviews to those who meet the criteria. 

At St. John's, we have a proud history of making a positive difference to the lives of young people. We are now looking for amazing Learning Support Workers to support us in continuing that impact. Could that be you?

Why join our inclusive team?

St. John's is one of the largest employers in Brighton and Hove.

What can we offer you?

• £27,976.00 FTE for 52 weeks (Your actual salary will be £25,286.00 as your contract will be term time only). 
• 32-days paid holiday (plus bank holidays) - 32-days are taken outside of term time
• Fulfilling and meaningful work – make a difference!
• Career development plans that are tailored to you
• Discounts across businesses in the local community.

Who are we?

St. John's is a non-maintained specialist provision, working with autistic people, the majority of whom also have learning disabilities. Some of our learners have co-occurring conditions such as epilepsy, hearing or visual impairments, or mental health needs. We also support autistic learners who have an additional profile of Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) syndrome. We have a team built up of support workers, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, nurses, PBS practitioners, assistant psychologists, and more, to support us in our holistic approach to development.

Each learner's curriculum is shaped by their individual strengths, interests, and challenges. St. John's is awarded with Autism Accreditation by the National Autistic Society (NAS). We support our learners to develop their skills in the NAS's four focus areas of:

• Difference in social communication and interaction
• Self-reliance and problem-solving
• Sensory
• Emotional Well-being

What are we looking for?

We've been doing this long enough to know that, whilst desirable, experience is not everything! Our amazing learning and development team and our passionate managers have coached people new to this field into support working roles. We know that if you have, the passion and desire to learn, and the want to empower others, you already have the foundations of an outstanding support worker. We are looking for drivers to support our young people to access the community, but having a licence isn't essential.

Sound like you? Then keep on reading!

What will you be doing?

• Supporting the young people in a classroom setting and during breaktimes
• Implementing the learner's behaviour support plan and risk assessment
• Working within a team of multidisciplinary professionals across the charity
• Tracking the progress of individuals and reporting to the teacher, care manager, and/or parents at review meetings.

Exciting opportunity? We think so! Click apply to start your journey as part of the St. John's College family as a Learning Support Worker

Please note that interviews will be arranged progressively as suitable applications are received. Early application is therefore advisable.

This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship, renewals or transfers. Candidates must have the right to work in the UK at the time of application.

Ambitious about Autism is committed to fostering equity, diversity, and inclusion at every level of our organisation. We warmly welcome applications from all qualified candidates, valuing the diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives they bring. We encourage applications from individuals regardless of race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or parental status, disability, or age.

Our recruitment process promotes equal opportunities, and we are committed to providing reasonable adjustments for candidates with disabilities or additional needs throughout the recruitment process. Please contact our Recruitment Team for accommodations. We recognise disability as a physical or mental impairment that significantly and long-term affects a person's ability to perform day-to-day activities, as defined by the UK Equality Act 2010. All applications will be considered solely on merit, aligned with our mission to support autistic children and young people.

Ambitious about Autism is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and successful candidates will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check. As part of our Safer Recruitment checks, an online search maybe carried out in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education.

The Safeguarding responsibilities of the post as per the job description and personal specification.
Whether the post is exempt from the rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendment to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2021. This means that when applying for certain jobs and activities certain spent convictions and cautions are ‘protected', so they do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. Further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS Filter Guidance.

Documents

• Learning Support Worker- Recruitment Pack 2026.pdf (1.42 MB)