Support worker jobs

We are the Housing Network (THN), a purpose-led organisation working in partnership with the YMCA to support our communities. We are in an exciting period of growth and are looking for experienced and passionate people to help us support vulnerable individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

Are you an experienced Support Worker, looking to join at an exciting time of growth and be part of a brand-new service opening in Aylesbury. If you are passionate about supporting vulnerable people and want to help us shape and create a great service for those who need us most, this could be the role for you!

• Looking for an opportunity to use your skills, experience and commitment to transform the lives of highly vulnerable people
• Highly experienced working with families facing homelessness and/or people struggling with mental-health, substance misuse, a history of offending and other complex needs

What you’ll be doing

• Providing strength based and trauma informed support, building trusting relationships with residents and creating meaningful (outcome focused) support plans.
• Providing 1:1 support sessions, interventions and signposting to help residents gain independence.
• Manage a caseload of residents in an effective way to ensure all residents receive and engage with appropriate amounts and types of support for their needs.
• Support residents to understand and complete tenancy documentation, understand their benefits and identify knowledge gaps which can be added into support plans for future engagement.
• Uphold high levels of safeguarding awareness and protection for individuals, residents, colleagues and the wider community.

What you’ll receive

• Salary - £29,000
• 31 days of annual leave
• 41 hours of training
• On-site parking
• Blue Light Card
• Referral programme

Get in touch!

Calan DVS is one of the largest domestic abuse charities in Wales and we are committed to working in partnership to end domestic violence and abuse. Our staff are passionate about what they do and deliver much needed services to support some of the most vulnerable people in society.

Our service was formed in 2012 as a result of a merger between Neath & Lliw Valley Women’s Aid and since 2012, other Women’s Aid organisations have also joined the group including Brecknock Women’s Aid, Bridgend Women’s Aid and Ammanford Women’s Aid.

Our vision:

At Calan DVS, our vision is to work towards safe and resilient communities free from domestic violence and abuse. To achieve this, we aim to relieve the distress, suffering and poverty experienced by families exposed to domestic violence and abuse. We also aim to educate the public regarding the causes and effects of domestic abuse along with prevention methods

The Lotus Project:

The Lotus Project is a new service within Calan DVS which has been co-produced with survivors and stakeholders.  The new service has been implemented to support individuals who are accessing Calan Domestic Abuse services and who have also experienced Sexual Violence.

The service will operate from a trauma informed, strengths based perspective in order to ensure each survivor has consistent yet individualised support throughout their recovery journey.

Each survivor who accesses the service will have the opportunity to receive specialist support through our Sexual Violence Counselling service, tailor made group work program and one to one support.  Survivors will have regular strength based goal setting sessions with their Sexual Violence Support Worker.

Consultations and collaborative working are at the heart of working in a trauma informed way, therefore the Lotus Project will continue to be developed alongside the support staff and survivors who access the service. 

37.5 hours per week / £27,770 per annum / permanent / working onsite on a seven-day rolling rota, including evenings, weekends and bank holidays.

At YMCA DownsLink Group, our mission is to help children and young people have a fair chance to be who they want to be. We do this by providing a safe home, building life skills and self-confidence, and supporting emotional wellbeing and mental health.

Our Values - we do what’s right, we work with heart, and we build real connections - guide and shape how we show up for children and young people we support and for each other.

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 are recruiting a Supported Housing Support Worker to join our team. Key responsibilities include:

Housing

• Support young people to understand and maintain occupancy agreements and house rules.
• Encourage timely rent payments and promote a positive payment culture.
• Stay informed on housing law and welfare benefits affecting young people.
• Address issues such as rent arrears or property damage using restorative approaches.

Coaching and engagement

• Coach young people to identify aspirations and build independence skills.
• Promote personal responsibility, engagement with support services, and community connections.
• Ensure strong safeguarding practice and maintain professional boundaries.
• Keep accurate records on In‑Form, tracking needs, risks and outcomes.

General

• Work as part of a rota, including lone working, providing calm and objective support.
• Contribute to a positive team culture and manage challenging situations effectively.
• Take part in ongoing training and reflective practice.

At times, this role will involve lone working, but you’ll be fully supported with a thorough induction, training, and the opportunity to get to know the team and service before starting on the rota. Full role details are available in the job profile.

If you’re enthusiastic about this opportunity but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every requirement, we encourage you to apply anyway and demonstrate how your experience is transferrable. You may be just the right candidate. 

This is a dynamic and varied role, ideal for someone passionate about supporting and empowering young people to grow and thrive.

Experience and knowledge

• Experience in housing, support work, or working with young people at risk.
• Ability to manage a caseload of young people with complex needs and support them toward independence.
• Knowledge of statutory/voluntary services for young people.
• Strong safeguarding awareness and ability to maintain professional boundaries.
• Confident and accurate in completing logs, incident reports, and H&S checks.

Skills and abilities

• Clear written and verbal communication, with strong record‑keeping skills.
• Ability to build effective relationships and advocate/signpost where needed.
• Able to work independently and as part of a team.
• Good IT and keyboard skills.
• Able to de‑escalate challenging situations and manage behaviour appropriately.

CLOSING DATE: Sunday 8 March 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. 

Join Peabody’s Hackney Mental Health Services as a Mental Health Support Worker and make a real difference. You’ll provide high-quality support to people with a history of serious mental illness, helping them live independently and thrive.

What you’ll do
Work collaboratively with customers to promote recovery, build life skills, and support access to housing, income, and wellbeing. You’ll deliver person-centred, trauma-informed care and help customers achieve their goals.

What you’ll bring

• A genuine passion for delivering excellent customer service.
• Kindness, empathy, and an appreciation for diversity.
• Experience in support planning and risk assessment.
• Understanding of mental health best practices and safeguarding.
• Confidence working with people who have a Dual Diagnosis – those who have a mental health condition and a substance use disorder at the same time. 
• Knowledge and experience of the Recovery Model and Trauma-Informed Care.

This role will require an enhanced DBS check.

Why Join Us?
When you join Peabody, you’re joining a team guided by our values, Be Kind, Do the Right Thing, Love New Ideas, Celebrate Diversity, Keep Our Promises, and Pull Together. We believe in creating a workplace where everyone feels supported, included, and empowered.

What We Offer

• 30 days’ annual holiday, plus bank holidays
•  Two additional paid volunteering days each year 
• Flexible benefits scheme, including family friendly benefits and access to a discount portal 
• 4 x salary life assurance
• Up to 10% pension contribution

Please read before applying:  

•  You must have the right to work in the UK, we are unable to provide sponsorship.
•  We reserve the right to close this advert early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

If this sounds like we are right for you and you’d love to be part of Peabody, we’d like to hear from you. Please apply now by submitting an anonymised CV and a short statement explaining why you’re the perfect fit for this role.

Closing date: 24th February 2026 at midnight.

Kentown Family Support Worker

£24,000 annual salary plus Company Car (additional benefit of approx. £5K), 5% employers pension contribution and 25 days annual leave.

To Cover East Lancashire

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 Kentown Team.

Reporting to the Family Support Manager of the Kentown 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 demanding 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 have a range of fantastic benefits that we offer our employees, this includes.

· Flexible working hours to balance home and working life

· 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)

· 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

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

· Bike to work, season ticket loan and payroll giving schemes, as well as a recommend a friend recruitment bonus

· 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

We have a range of fantastic benefits that we offer our employees. If you’d like to find out more about these benefits and working with us, please visit our website.

We also have a fantastic learning and development programme - the Anne Harris skills development programme - in which 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.

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.

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. 

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:  Tuesday 17th March

Interview Date:  Wednesday 25th March

Job Title: Children's Support Worker

Location: Warwickshire - Travel required across Warwickshire, predominantly South Warwickshire. Use of a car is essential to the role. 
Salary: £25,857.12 per annum 

Contract type: Full Time, Permanent 

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

We are recruiting for a Children’s Support Worker who will be working closely with children and their parents who are living in our dispersed accommodation refuges escaping domestic violence and other forms of violence and abuse, to provide personal welfare support and ensure that our clients are provided with a safe, supportive, and welcoming environment.

A key requirement is to provide personal welfare support and to ensure that women are provided with a safe, supportive, and welcoming environment. The post holder will support children who have witnessed or experienced domestic violence and plan and provide stimulating, safe, and appropriate play opportunities.

Please note that post is restricted to women due to the nature of the role. The Occupational Requirement under Schedule 9 (part 1) of the Equality Act 2010 applies.

A driving license and access to a car is essential to the role. 

Closing Date: 09:00 am 13 March 2026

Interview Date: 23 March 2026

Would you like to make a lasting difference in the lives of children affected by domestic abuse? Join an award-winning trauma recovery service provider that is passionate about making a positive difference to the lives of children and families.

Bounce Back for Kids (BB4K) is a lifeline for children healing from the trauma of domestic abuse. From April next year, we’re expanding our service and looking for new Support Workers to join our team – helping guide children and families on their healing journey.

Position: Bounce Back for Kids (BB4K) Support Worker

Location: Homebased with frequent travel. Role covers casework activity across Oxfordshire area including Cherwell, West Oxfordshire and the wider Oxfordshire area.

Contract: Permanent part time – 18.5 hours per week, weekdays.

We’re open to discussing working patterns that match both your needs and our service delivery. We’re also open to discussing an opportunity for 24 hours.

Salary range: £12,868 - £15,727 pro-rata per annum (full time equivalent range £25,735 - £31,453 per annum) 

About the role:

As a Support Worker you will play a significant role in supporting children and families affected by domestic abuse, some of your key responsibilities will include:

· the completion of assessments to understand the needs of families

· delivering group work for children and parents

· provide 1-2-1 sessions to children and families most in need

· supporting our families through providing outreach support

About you:

A successful Support Worker will need a good understanding of domestic abuse and the impact on children and families (or an interest in working in this field), with experience of delivering groupwork programmes for vulnerable parents and/or children.

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

We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds, including those with personal lived experience of domestic abuse or from underrepresented communities, who meet the essential role requirements.

For more information about our BB4K service please visit our website where you will also find contact details and information about how to apply.

Closing date: 9am, Fri 27 February 2026      

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

Other roles you may have experience of could include: Family Support Worker, Family Key Worker, Children’s Support Worker, Domestic Abuse Support Worker, Domestic Abuse Key Worker, Recovery Worker, Assistant Support Worker, IDVA Independent Domestic Violence Advocate, ISVA Independent Sexual Violence Advocate, etc. 

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

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

All opportunities with PACT are based in the UK.

£13.85 per hour

Variable hours (24 hours rota)

South London- Croydon

We are currently recruiting Bank Support Workers to join our permanent staff team at our new Children’s Home in Croydon, South London. We are seeking committed and compassionate individuals who can build positive relationships with young people and are passionate about improving their life chances, even in the most challenging circumstances.

You will join a team of St Christopher’s workers providing day-to-day care and support for young people aged 12–18. The role includes administrative duties and accurate record-keeping, which are essential to ensuring high-quality care and compliance.

As the service operates on a 24-hour rota, the role will include weekends, bank holidays, early and late shifts, sleep-ins, and waking nights. You will need strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively within a diverse, multi-disciplinary team.

To apply you will have:

• At least two year’s experience supporting young people to achieve their full potential.
• The ability to motivate, encourage, and inspire young people towards positive outcomes.
• Patience and resilience when managing challenging behaviour.
• The ability to act as a positive and consistent role model.
• Good literacy, numeracy, and IT skills.
• Flexibility to work a rota including nights, weekends, and bank holidays.
• A Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare or equivalent is essential

About UsOur vision is for every child and young person to be safe, loved and happy, to achieve their potential and have a bright future.

St Christopher’s is a leading charity supporting children and young people, with a proud history of delivering high-quality fostering, children’s homes and innovative leaving care services across the UK and the Isle of Man. We are passionately committed to placing young people at the heart of everything we do and to providing positive life experiences for those who are unable to remain in their parental or foster homes.

We are an equal opportunities employer and are dedicated to building an inclusive workforce where everyone feels valued, respected, and able to belong. We welcome applications from under-represented groups and encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds, including—but not limited to—different cultures, nationalities, socio-economic backgrounds, ages, disabilities, religions and beliefs, sexes, sexual orientations, gender identities, and those with caring responsibilities.

Recruitment Process

At St Christopher’s, we are fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and young people in our care. As part of the recruitment process, applicants are required to complete an online application form to ensure that we gather essential information in line with legislation, best practice, and safer recruitment requirements.

Applicants will ideally be registered with the DBS Update Service; however, where this is not the case, St Christopher’s will arrange for an enhanced DBS (police) check prior to commencement of employment.

It is a criminal offence to apply for work with children or young people if you are barred from working in Regulated Activity or if your name appears on the Children’s Barred List.

All shortlisted candidates invited to interview will be required to complete and return a Self-Declaration and Disclosure form before an interview can be arranged.

Please note that this post has a minimum age requirement of 21 years for roles working directly with children and young people in our residential and semi-independent homes, in accordance with the Equality Act and its occupational requirement provisions.

We are excited to be advertising for a unique opportunity to join the team at Basis Yorkshire as a Navigation and Support Worker for women who sex work. 

You will provide appropriate emotional and practical 1-to-1 support to women involved in sex work and those who are sexually exploited, who often experience stigma and face barriers to accessing services. You will be enabling people to access support and navigate services,  You will be working in partnership with other agencies and making appropriate referrals for people to access other services to support their wider needs. You will contribute to wider team responsibilities including outreach, drop in and duty. 

We have an exciting opportunity for Children & Young People Domestic Abuse Practitioners (CYPDAP) to join the New Era team in Staffordshire, working 37.5 hours a week on a Permanent Contract.

Do you want to make a difference every day? Do you want to contribute to change & improvement for those who need it?

Do you have resilience & adaptability? Can you work effectively with a focus on customer service and care?

If yes, then we'd love to hear from you…

What we offer

At Victim Support, we are committed to attracting and retaining the best talent. Our competitive rewards and benefits package includes:

• Flexible Working Options: Including hybrid working.
• Generous Annual Leave: 28 days plus Bank Holidays, increasing to 33 days plus Bank Holidays, with options to buy or sell annual leave.
• Birthday Leave: An extra day off for your birthday.
• Pension Plan: 5% employer contribution.
• Enhanced Allowances: Enhanced sick pay, maternity, and paternity payments.
• Exclusive Discounts: High Street, retail, holiday, gym, entertainment, and leisure discounts.
• Financial Wellbeing: Access to our financial wellbeing hub and salary-deducted finance.
• Wellbeing Support: Employee assistance programme and wellbeing support.
• Inclusive Networks: Access to EDI networks and colleague cafes.
• Sustainable Travel: Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loans.
• Career Development: Ongoing training and support with opportunities for career progression.

About the role:

This role is based in Staffordshire (we have an office in Stafford or Stoke). The caseworker will work directly with children and young people across the area; with hybrid working an option after the 6 month probationary period.

As a Children & Young People Domestic Abuse Practitioner you will be:

• Working directly and indirectly with children and young people
• Delivering services mostly through education establishments
• Working within a wider DA service for the whole family approach

You will need:

• Good communication skills
• An ability to engage, build rapport and motivate young people
• A good understanding of domestic abuse and its impact on young people

Please see attached Job Description and Person Specification for further details.

About Us:

Victim Support is an independent charity dedicated to supporting people affected by crime and traumatic incidents in England and Wales. We put them at the heart of our organisation and our support and campaigns are informed and shaped by them and their experiences.

Victim Support are committed to recruiting with care and to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Background checks and Disclosed Barring Service checks may be required.

At Victim Support, we're proud to celebrate diversity and create a workplace where everyone feels they belong. We're committed to being an antiracist organisation, and we actively welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, including those from Black and Asian and other minoritised communities.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we will offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet all essential criteria for a job where it is practicable to do so. We are also happy to make reasonable adjustments during the recruitment and selection process.

How to apply:

To apply for this role please follow the link below to the Jobs page on our website and complete the application form demonstrating how you meet the essential shortlisting criteria.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early, if we receive enough suitable applications to take forward to interview prior to the published closing date. If you have already registered & started an application, then we will contact you to advise of the amended closing date wherever possible.

Are you passionate about mental health and making a real difference in people’s lives? Join our dedicated team as a Crisis Café Support Worker.

You’ll provide compassionate, person-centred support to individuals experiencing mental health crises. You’ll play a key role in de-escalating crises, fostering recovery, and empowering clients to develop self-management strategies.

You’ll also facilitate group activities, collaborate with colleagues and partner agencies, and help create a welcoming, supportive environment for service users.

The role requires evening and weekend work.

What You’ll Bring:

 •  Experience working with individuals in mental health crises or with complex needs.

 •  Excellent listening, communication, and motivational skills.

 •  Resilience and a calm approach to challenging situations.

This is an exciting opportunity to make a tangible difference in mental health provision and join a supportive team.

Apply Now to be part of a service that saves lives and transforms wellbeing.

We offer:

· 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays per year, increasing by 1 day per full year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days) [pro rata]

· Contributory pension

· Bonus 1 day of annual leave per year over the festive period (pro rata)

· Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) which includes free counselling sessions

· Training and personal development opportunities

· Paid time off for medical appointments

· Staff away days and socials

The successful candidate will be subject to a Disclosure & Barring (DBS) check.

Richmond Borough Mind is committed to diversity and inclusion. We are actively interviewing for this role. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Specialist Behaviour Support Worker

We're looking for a kind, compassionate and resilient Specialist Behaviour Support Worker to join our Learning Disabilities Service. No personal care or experience required, just the right values.

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

Want to feel valued? You'll feel at home here.

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.

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.

Your role will include:

• Supporting the customer to lead a full and active life and do things they enjoy, sensitively and persistently trying to new things to open up new opportunities for the customer.
• Developing the customer's independent living skills and involving them in aspects of maintaining and developing their home, including cooking, shopping, cleaning and decorating.
• Supporting the customer in their sensory routine, trialling and testing new sensory experiences.
• Supporting the customer to communicate their wants and needs and develop new ways of doing this, communicating with them in a person-centred way.

• Supporting the customer to manage their anxieties, using Positive Behaviour Support and Autism-specific approaches.

About you:

• Enjoys social interaction and the company of others, joins in with the hobbies and interests of the customer and can facilitate connections with new people and places.
• Has a reasonable level of physical fitness and is able / likes to participate in active pursuits such as running.

What you'll bring:

Essential:

• NVQ Level 2 or equivalent
• Minimum 2 years of experience working with customers with Autism/Challenging Behaviour/learning disabilities

Driving licence and a willingness to drive as part of support duties.

Desirable:

• Experience of engaging vulnerable people with complex needs in meaningful activities.

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.

Job Title: West London Family Support Worker 

Salary: £25,353.06

Team: Family Support Team

Hours: 30

Location: Based at Shooting Star House (Hampton), This role will be working across sites and in the community

About Shooting Star Children’s Hospices

We have an exciting opportunity to join our Family Support Team at Shooting Star Children’s Hospices.

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices provides specialist care and support to families who have a baby, child or young person with a life-limiting condition, or whose child has died. Rated ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission, our teams support families across Surrey, north-west London and south-west London from diagnosis to end of life and throughout bereavement with a range of nursing, practical, emotional and medical care.

About the role

Family Support Workers (FSW) are the frontline of our care. Each FSW holds a caseload of end-of-life and bereaved families. They get to know their families, and check-in regularly with phone calls and home visits and can provide enhanced emotional support where required through more regular contact and interventions. Our FSWs tell families about the many services they can access at Shooting Star, assess their needs and make recommendations to our multi-disciplinary team. They  support families of different ethnicities and families living in poverty, helping our service be as accessible as possible.

Our FSWs work closely with our Therapists, Counsellors, Social Workers, Transition Team and our Care Events Team. Weekly MDT meetings bring the team together to think of ways to help families in crisis. The work is varied and creative, taking place at the hospices, in family homes and hospitals, allowing the support to be where the families need it. Our Family Support Workers are hugely appreciated by the families we support.

The ambition of our strategy is to ensure every family affected by a life-limiting condition, or the sudden death of a child, has access to the specialist care that they need. Day to day duties are:

• Being the on-site duty FSW, welcoming families on site, monitoring email inboxes and answering the Family Support Line.
• Helping with support groups and family events
• Providing on the spot emotional support, sometimes in a crisis where a calm and supportive response is required.
• Visiting newly bereaved families in their homes.
• Supporting families staying at our Christopher’s hospice (booked stays and end of life).
• Attending various locations over the course of a week: hospice, hospital, family homes.
• Building connections with families from different backgrounds, delivering culturally sensitive care.
• Helping safeguard families at risk of harm.
• Acting as an ambassador for Shooting Star’s Specialist Bereavement Service, supporting other care team members with their learning and delivery of the bereavement pathway, and continually seeking ways to improve what we offer families.

The post holder will need to have a UK driving license.

The hours are predominantly worked 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

Once a month, the FSW will work a weekend day (with advance notice). This is in place of a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday that week.

About you

This role requires experience of working with children and families who have experienced hardship, or those with complex needs. You should have a calm, positive manner, conveying empathy whilst maintaining professional boundaries. We are looking for someone passionate about supporting children and families.

Please see the attached job description for more information about this opportunity at Shooting Star Children’s Hospices.

What we offer

In return you will receive a competitive salary along with a range of benefits, which include:

Pension scheme

• NHS Pension Scheme (for eligible employees) or our stakeholder pension scheme, with up to 7% employer contributions
  
  Annual leave

• 27 days plus Bank Holidays rising with length of service
• 2 weeks paid sabbatical leave after 5, 10 and 15 years’ service
  
  Contractual benefits

• Generous sick pay scheme
• Enhanced maternity, adoption, and paternity leave pay
• Flexible working arrangements
• Death in service benefits
• Reimbursed professional membership fees
• Eye care
• Employee referral scheme
• Blue Light discount card
  
  Health and wellbeing

• Employee Assistance Programme
• Occupational Health
• Mindfulness sessions
• Cycle to work scheme
• Mental Health First Aiders

Safeguarding

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all our staff to share this commitment. Also, we are committed to equal opportunities and consider all applicants to be in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Employment is subject to receipt of satisfactory references and a DBS check.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices is committed to inclusion and diversity in everything we do. We know that getting things right is critical for us to live our organisation’s values: Professionalism, Respect, Integrity, Diversity and Excellence.

We are always trying to improve our way of working to be more inclusive and equal. Our vision is for Shooting Star Children’s Hospices to be a place where people of all backgrounds, groups and communities feel welcomed to work and volunteer.

Anticipated Start Date: 06/04/2026