Specialist family support worker jobs in Liverpool

Change lives in a life-changing career

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

The impact of cancer on young lives is more than medical. And that impact can be felt by entire family. That’s why we exist. Our specialist social workers help children and young people with cancer and their families navigate the emotional and practical impact of cancer.

We remove barriers, solve problems and prioritise wellbeing. And we stop at nothing to make their voices heard and their unique needs understood, so they can get the right care and support at the right time

About the role

We are looking for an experienced and enthusiastic Social Worker to support children and young people diagnosed with cancer in our Liverpool Team.

We pride ourselves on delivering the highest quality support tailored to the needs of the children and young people and their families using a needs based assessment framework. The work we do is rewarding, but also complex and demanding. You will be part of a close-knit Young Lives vs Cancer social work team, working with an established NHS multi-disciplinary team and services in the community across Liverpool and Merseyside.

This role is part home, part site-based – within the parameters of our hybrid working arrangements you will work flexibly across home, Liverpool Clatterbridge Cancer Centre and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. Your contractual base will be both Home and the Hospitals. Your flexibility requirements and that of the role will be discussed at the interview stage.

This post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.

This post is also subject to Social Worker Registration.

What will I be doing?

No two days are the same at Young Lives vs Cancer. So, summarising your ‘day to day’ isn’t easy. Here are some of the main things you’ll be doing, but you’ll find more details in the job description.

• You will work in partnership with families to provide in-person and remote support to children and young people (0-24 years) diagnosed with cancer, and their families.
• You will provide practical and emotional support to mitigate the impact of a cancer diagnosis and provide support during the cancer journey via expert, needs-led interventions.
• You and your team will work closely with colleagues across our local NHS multi-disciplinary teams and other professionals in the community.
• You will ensure the voice of young cancer patients and their families are included in your work at all opportunities and take an active role in amplifying their voices internally and externally.
• You will be an active team member, regularly attending team meetings and contributing to shared learning and development.

What do I need?

You will be committed to delivering high quality social work support to promote the best outcomes for the children, young people and families we work with. You will need to be resourceful and resilient. You will have a positive attitude and be willing to embrace difference. As part of the wider Young Lives vs Cancer Team, you will actively engage with the work of the charity and welcome opportunities to get involved.

You will have:

• A recognised Social Worker qualification and current registration with Social Work England / Scottish Social Services Council / Social Care Wales / Northern Ireland Social Care Council.
• Experience working with children, young people and their families/carers in a social care setting.
• Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary environment, ideally in an NHS setting.
• Sound knowledge of child and young people development.
• An understanding of the impact of serious illness for children, young people and their families.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.

What will I gain?

For people to reach their full potential, they need the right environment. As a member of Team Young Lives, you’ll be made to feel supported, valued and appreciated. Here’s how we do it:

• Flexible working: Young lives vs Cancer is open to and in support of flexible working, and we can talk through your flexibility requirements at interview stage
• Wellbeing, Thinking & Growth Days: four days a year to step back from the day-to-day and focus on your own learning and development
• Generous annual leave allowance
• Great family/caring leave entitlements
• Enhanced pension
• Access to our employee savings scheme

Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging

At Young Lives vs Cancer, we recognise that opportunities for too many people remain a condition of their sex, ethnicity, class, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation – or a combination. This has never been acceptable to us as an organisation. We don’t just accept difference, we value it, celebrate it, nurture it and we thrive because of it.

We’re on a journey to be reflective of the diverse children, young people and families we support. We know we aren’t there yet, and we’re passionately committed to taking actions and making changes to be a truly diverse, inclusive and equitable organisation. This includes taking anti-oppressive action and removing barriers in our recruitment practices. We particularly welcome applications from members of minoritised communities. Our Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Belonging strategy will tell you more.

We operate an anonymised shortlisting process in our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. CVs can be uploaded, but we won't be able to view them until we invite you for an interview. Instead, we ask you to fully complete the work history sections of the online application form for us to be able to assess you quickly, fairly and objectively.

Accessibility

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

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

TACT is recruiting caring, committed, and resilient individuals and families to become foster carers and help transform the lives of children and young people who need a safe, stable, and nurturing home.

Fostering is not an employed role, but as a self-employed foster carer you will receive competitive fostering fees and allowances, comprehensive training, and ongoing professional support every step of the way.

Eligibility

To become a foster carer with TACT, you must:

• Be over the age of 21
• Be a UK resident or have Indefinite Leave to Remain
• Have a spare bedroom

Financial Stability & Recognition

We value your dedication and expertise – and ensure you are rewarded fairly:

• Up to £27,053 per year (£520 per week) when a child is placed
• Additional payments and allowances available
• Special fostering tax exemptions, meaning lower tax compared to most employed roles

The Support You’ll Receive

At TACT, you are never alone. We provide high-quality support to help you feel confident and supported in your fostering role: 

• A dedicated Supervising Social Worker for guidance and supervision
• A Family Wellbeing Worker to support you and the child
• Access to a network of specialist foster carers for peer support
• Comprehensive training, including therapeutic and neurodevelopmental courses
• Psychological consultations and access to specialist therapeutic input
• 24/7 out-of-hours support whenever you need it

How to apply

Interested in finding out more? We’d love to hear from you. Apply today on the TACT website.

Foster carers are self-employed and subject to fostering regulations and approval processes, including checks, training, and assessment.

TACT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all foster carers to share this commitment.

Sahir (formerly Sahir House) is the oldest continuously operating LGBTQ+ charity in the Liverpool City Region. We are dedicated to fostering a brighter, healthier future for our communities.

We provide practical and emotional support, camaraderie and connection to:

• LGBTQ+ people
• All people living with or affected by HIV

We actively confront injustice, combat discrimination, and address inequalities. By campaigning, we strive to create a fairer and more equitable society for those we serve. Our work is insight and data-driven and our programmes are co-developed with those we serve.

What It Is Like to Work at Sahir 

We want people to enjoy working at Sahir and to feel supported, valued and able to thrive. As a health and wellbeing charity, we place strong emphasis on staff wellbeing, reflective practice and work life balance.

We offer a friendly, inclusive and supportive working environment, with access to regular supervision, training and development. Staff are encouraged to build their skills, confidence and experience in ways that support both personal growth and long-term career development.

This role offers the opportunity for a qualified counsellor to deliver high quality, ethical and affirming counselling within a specialist charity setting.

You will work with LGBTQ+ community members as well as people living with or affected by HIV, providing short term counselling within a stepped care model and a supportive multidisciplinary team.

Practice is grounded in the BACP Ethical Framework and informed by the realities of stigma, identity, health and social inequality.

What We Are Looking For

We are looking for a counsellor who is:

• A qualified practitioner with a recognised counselling qualification at diploma level or above.
• Registered with BACP or working towards accreditation.
• Committed to ethical, reflective and trauma informed practice.
• Confident working with a range of presenting issues, including complexity.
• Empathic, thoughtful and able to work both autonomously and collaboratively.

We particularly welcome applications from counsellors with lived experience of the issues affecting LGBTQ+ communities and/or people living with HIV, while recognising that strong allies and practitioners from a wide range of backgrounds are equally valued.

Equality, Inclusion and Accessibility

Sahir is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation or age.

Lived experience is valued at Sahir, but it is not a requirement. We are interested in people who share our values and want to contribute positively to our communities.

You do not need to meet every requirement listed to apply. If you feel aligned with our values and excited by the role, we encourage you to apply.

We are happy to discuss reasonable adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process.
 

Prospectus is pleased to be collaborating with a UK charity founded by families who lost loved ones to gambling-related suicide to recruit for a new CEO to join them on a 12-month fixed term contract to start in March 2026. The charity operates as a fully remote working organisation however there will be some UK travel required as part of the role.

The Chief Operating Officer is the most senior staff role within the organisation, responsible for the day to day running of the charity and, in close coordination with the co-founders, delivering the organisation’s strategy. During this fixed term contract, the interim COO will be responsible for overseeing major change and growth as they move into a new funding system through the statutory gambling levy. In addition, the interim COO will ensure the ongoing delivery and quality of the charity’s services and activities, and will lead and support their expert and agile staff team.

The successful candidate will have significant experience in a senior leadership role within a small charity setting. You will have demonstrable experience leading, developing and nurturing teams including remote workers. Having worked successfully at a strategic level, you will be adept at delivering strategic and operational plans, with the ability to stay on top of all aspects of the organisation. In addition to the inward facing parts of the role you will also demonstrate the drive and experience to work externally, with a range of stakeholders and contractors. You will demonstrate passion for the mission, operating with a strong political awareness and sensitivity around the subject area.

To apply please submit your CV and a two page supporting statement, preferably in Microsoft Word/PDF format. The statement should outline your motivation for joining the charity and why you feel you would be a good fit for this role. You should also demonstrate your experience and skillset with examples relating to the Person Specification section in the Job Pack. If you have any further questions or would like to know more about this opportunity please contact Steven Fraser from Prospectus.

As a specialist Recruitment Practice Prospectus are committed to building inclusive and diverse organisations, and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Prospectus invest in your journey as a candidate and are committed to supporting you in your application.

Change lives in a life-changing career

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

The impact of cancer on young lives is more than medical. And that impact can be felt by entire family. That’s why we exist. Our specialist social workers help children and young people with cancer and their families navigate the emotional and practical impact of cancer.

We remove barriers, solve problems and prioritise wellbeing. And we stop at nothing to make their voices heard and their unique needs understood, so they can get the right care and support at the right time

About the role

We’re looking for a Individual Giving Officer with Individual Giving or project management experience to join our Individual Giving, Legacies and E-commerce Team. 

Working within the Individual Giving, Legacies and E-commerce Team, you’ll have a varied role managing and supporting the delivery of  fundraising appeals which will recruit, retain and develop supporters across our acquisition and retention programmes. These appeals will include utilising online and offline channels such as direct mail, organic and paid social advertising, email, face-to-face fundraising, Payroll Giving and telemarketing.

This role would suit someone with some experience of marketing or fundraising or who would like to expand their experience of Individual Giving.

What will I be doing?

No two days are the same at Young Lives vs Cancer. So, summarising your ‘day to day’ isn’t easy. Here are some of the main things you’ll be doing, but you’ll find more details in the job description.

As part of the ambitious Individual Giving, Legacies and E-Commerce Team you will:

• Work with the Individual Giving Manager (Loyalty) to develop and implement Individual Giving campaigns
• Support development within the team by researching and implementing innovative campaigns, testing and rolling out successful areas
• Work with suppliers to ensure the smooth running of campaigns and maximum impact from the relationship with them. 

What do I need? 

Diverse perspectives and unique skillsets are at the heart of Young Lives vs Cancer. If you're passionate about making a positive impact and eager to learn, we encourage you to apply, even if you don't meet the criteria and person specification fully. Your potential is what matters most to us, and we’re committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive work environment to help you develop.

The key skills we’re looking for in this role are:

• Proven experience of managing successful Individual Giving or similar campaigns across all channels, including print and digital
• Experience of project management and reporting
• Experience of managing external agencies and suppliers
• Experience of implementing marketing plans
• Experience of budgeting and forecasting

What will I gain?

 For people to reach their full potential, they need the right environment. As a member of Team Young Lives, you’ll be made to feel supported, valued and appreciated. Here’s how we do it:

• Flexible working: we’re open to working hours outside of 9 - 5 and we can talk through your flexibility requirements at interview stage
• Wellbeing, Thinking & Growth Days: four days a year to to step back from the day-to-day and focus on your own learning and development
• Generous annual leave allowance
• Great family/caring leave entitlements
• Enhanced pension
• Access to our employee savings scheme

To find out more about our benefits package, have a look on our website.

Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging

At Young Lives vs Cancer, we recognise that opportunities for too many people remain a condition of their sex, ethnicity, class, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation – or a combination. This has never been acceptable to us as an organisation. We don’t just accept difference, we value it, celebrate it, nurture it and we thrive because of it.

We’re on a journey to be reflective of the diverse children, young people and families we support. We know we aren’t there yet, and we’re passionately committed to taking actions and making changes to be a truly diverse, inclusive and equitable organisation. This includes taking anti-oppressive action and removing barriers in our recruitment practices. We particularly welcome applications from members of minoritised communities. Our Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Belonging strategy will tell you more.

We operate an anonymised shortlisting process in our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. CVs can be uploaded, but we won't be able to view them until we invite you for an interview. Instead, we ask you to fully complete the work history sections of the online application form for us to be able to assess you quickly, fairly and objectively.

Accessibility

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

Medical Detection Dogs trains dogs to save lives.

We train specialist dogs to detect the odour of human disease, providing life-saving alert assistance dogs to people with complex health problems across the UK and collaborating with NHS Trusts and other researchers and Universities both in the UK and internationally to advance the early diagnosis of disease.  

We have an exciting new opportunity to join this innovative charity that is a world-leader in its specialist field.

JOB TITLE:Regional Assistance Dog Instructor Scotland

LOCATION:Scotland (Central belt, between Glasgow and Edinburgh)

SALARY:£24K - £29K per annum, depending on experience

JOB TYPE:                         Part time and full time hours considered, with occasional evening and weekend work required

REPORTS TO:                   Instructor Manager

The Job

We are looking for a passionate and driven person who ideally has previous experience and skills working as an Instructor within an Assistance Dog organisation, who has worked with clients and partnerships. The role includes supporting both clients who have had a MDD dog placed with them and also our own dog applicants with their puppies and young dogs to ensure they receive the highest standard of socialisation and early training in terms of obedience, public access and developing an alert to the applicant’s condition, with the aim to reach an accreditable assistance dog partnership status. It is also will include carrying out client specific and odour training for MDD own dogs, placing these dogs with their new clients and looking after a number of established partnerships. This role would suit somebody residing in the central belt of Scotland, between Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Duties that encompass the role of an Instructor include:

• Be the first point of contact for the allocated partnerships in your area, covering all areas of Scotland. To provide guidance and instruction to applicants who have applied to the charity to have their own dogs considered for the training programme guidance and instruction on handling, behaviour and obedience and odour training as well as newly placed partnerships.
• Alongside the Instructing team, to run puppy classes, public access training, recall sessions in small groups for applicant own dogs that are in line with the charity’s quality standards and in accordance with timescales and targets. 
• To also carry out support visits and home interviews for applicants and clients that have been allocated to you.  
• Regularly monitor progress of the puppies and partnerships in training in your area and provide detailed, evidenced feedback to Instructor Manager and Head of Assistance Dog Programme.
• To carry out client specific training with any MDD owned dogs that have been matched, including the required odour scent training.
• Instructing, guiding and supporting new assistance dog clients in managing and handling a Medical Alert Assistance Dog effectively, via pre training, placement training and aftercare visits.
• Supporting partnerships in training in successfully reaching an accreditation standard and in maintaining this
• standard throughout the life of the partnership.
• To support a number of established partnerships in the form of aftercare, refresher training and yearly re-accreditations, assisting further afield on occasions as required.

Responsibilities

• To escalate issues and problems to the Instructor Manager as appropriate.
• To assist the Dog Supply Team with carrying out scent assessments on any MDD dogs in socialising as and when required with the support of the Instructor Manager and rest of the Instructing Team.
• To plan, organise and deliver practical and theoretical training to clients, meeting their individual needs in line with agreed standards to include areas such as dog welfare, appropriate handling, commanding and overall management. This will involve working with the parents as Team Leader and child as Client and working with adult clients.
• Assess the team dynamics of the family & balancing the needs of all family members as well as those of the dog.
• Assess the individuals preferred learning style and amending as relevant to aid a client.
• To accompany the client into all regular environments that they will take the dog to, ensuring the dog behaves in an acceptable manner and that the client and others are aware and clear in terms of where they dog should reside and behave for eg public transport, place of work. To complete a check list of environments for any applicant own dogs in training who are on the programme to be assessed within.
• To support and advise clients in transferring the odour training from pot training and recognising alerting behaviours to establish real life alerting.
• To monitor the correct and false alerting percentages of allocated partnerships via data analysis, advising where necessary until the correct alerting levels are achieved.
• To complete comprehensive reports and paperwork for any time spent with applicants or partnerships in training or established. Maintain accurate records by providing verbal and written information with agreed timescales about clients, dogs, applicants and apprentices as appropriate.
• To work alongside allocated partnerships with the aim of the partnership reaching an accredited standard and feeding back to the Instructor Manager and Assistance Dog Programme Manager if there are any concerns that the accreditation cannot be achieved.
• To provide clients with appropriate aftercare services at regular intervals in their own homes in the form of annual visits, support visits or at refresher workshops run at the Centre to agreed standards.  This will include continual re-assessment of the dynamics of family and dog, formulating and training on appropriate solutions, as well as offering additional dog training advice.
• To deliver handling days as part of an applicant’s pre training to include ‘Introduction to Assistance Dog’ ‘Advanced Handling’ and Family Handling.
• To scent train and seizure proof advanced dogs in preparation to be partnered with an adult or child client and ensure that applicant own dogs have received this at the earliest opportunity.
• To maintain the ongoing public access training with any advanced dog in scent training that has been allocated to them.
• To provide local support to the growing puppy socialisation scheme, based in and around Perth.
• To provide support to the Charity’s public relations and fundraising functions as required, specifically in your area.
• To act as the ‘contact’ person for the assistance dog programme in relation to training policy procedures with clients and their families, other professional service providers and members of the public.  This will include on-going research and development of the project.
• To liaise with and provide support for Volunteers who may operate as part of the aftercare programme provided by the charity.
• To ensure all partnerships are in line with the ADUK regulations with regards to behaviour, obedience and welfare and branding.
• Due to the nature of the role, flexible working hours may be required in some instances to facilitate the effective delivery of the work e.g. working during the school holidays with school age clients.

Other

• Share best practice with colleagues across the charity.
• Any other duties or tasks that are required to ensure the successful running of the Medical Alert Assistance Dog Department and the Charity overall.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• High level of preparation, organisational and co-ordination skills
• Strong and clear teaching and instructing skills
• Experience of running puppy classes and carrying out public access training and recall sessions
• High level of self – motivation and planning
• Approachable, calm and empathetic to children and adults with debilitating and life threatening conditions
• Happy to travel alone within the UK to visit any clients as necessary.
• Happy to be on call at all times for partnerships as and when required.
• Happy to stay away from home and stay in local hotel when the client’s location is too far from your home to travel back.
• Happy and able to have Medical Alert Assistance Dogs in training to reside in their home.
• Good team worker, but equally able to work alone.
• Positive, empathetic and calm attitude
• Able to embrace a constantly evolving organisation
• Flexible

KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE

Essential

• Previous Assistance Dog Instructing or Dog Training with puppy socialisers experience
• Knowledge of AD(UK) and ADI regulations
• Law in relation to dogs. 
• Knowledge of medical conditions relevant to puppies between 8 weeks and 2 years of age. 
• Dog and human psychology. 
• Proven evidence and experience of dog handling and training skills
• Previous experience of teaching and instructing
• Sound dog training and dog behaviour knowledge
• IT literacy and report writing skills
• Experience of using Microsoft based programs such as Outlook, Word,
• Excel, Internet Explorer and Power Point, teams, zoom and Microsoft
• Share point for data etc
• Full UK driving licence
• Pass a DBS (CRB) check due to regular contact with children

Preferable

•  Knowledge of debilitating medical conditions and understanding of how they can impact people, both physically and psychologically, particularly when they are unstable and fluctuating.
•  Previous knowledge of odour/scent training.

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• High level of preparation, organisational and co-ordination skills
• Strong and clear teaching and instructing skills
• High level of self – motivation and planning
• Approachable, calm and empathetic to children and adults with debilitating and life threatening conditions
• Happy to travel alone within the UK to visit any clients as necessary.
• Happy to be on call at all times for partnerships as and when required – to include outside standard working hours.
• Able and willing to stay away from home and stay in local hotel when the client’s location is too far from the Centre to travel back.
• If able, possibility of having Medical Alert Assistance Dogs in training to reside in their home through the 6 – 8 week training phase.
• Good team worker, but equally able to work alone.
• Positive, empathetic and calm attitude
• Able to embrace a constantly evolving organisation
• You should be supportive of the charitable aims of Medical Detection Dogs and capable of working as part of a team, as well as able to motivate yourself. 
• You should be adaptable and positively embrace change by not only being flexible towards the ideas of others but also putting forward ideas to colleagues. This will involve creativity in problem solving and making appropriate responses to new ideas and unexpected situations.
•  

DIVERITY, EQUALITY & INCLUSION

We are a welcoming, diverse and inclusive charity. Medical Detection Dogs thrives when everyone feels comfortable bringing their best self to work. We celebrate difference, whilst striving to create an environment where colleagues feel respected and valued for their unique potential. We are committed to our values on equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Values & Behaviours

Working at Medical Detection Dogs will be a richly rewarding experience.

Our Values & Behaviours encapsulate who we are, what we stand for and what it will feel like to be part of our team:

• We are respectful.
• We stay positive.
• We strive for excellence.
• We communicate and listen.
• We are ambassadors.
• We are one team.

And of course, we advocate for Medical Detection Dogs whenever we get the chance, and we pride ourselves on our role as ambassadors for the charity.

Finally, the successful candidate will also be expected to:

• Hold a full UK Driving Licence
• Provide proof of identity and eligibility to work in the UK.
• Undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
• Work some evenings and weekends
• Be willing to travel to the Centre based near Milton Keynes