Weekend support worker jobs

Youth Worker (Part-time)

17.5 hours per week, worked flexibly to meet the needs-led nature of the programme. The role is primarily evenings typically across 3–4 days, with occasional weekend work.

Grades 4–5 FTE £26,403 - £32,063, pro-rata

Actual £12,322 - £14,962, dependent on qualifications and experience, for 17.5 hours/week plus 5% employer pension. 

Join Greater Manchester Youth Federation (GMYF)—a long-established charity running vibrant youth centres across Greater Manchester. We’re dedicated to raising aspirations and creating opportunities for young people, especially those facing disadvantage, through exciting activities, outreach, and outdoor adventures. Our approach champions youth voice, inclusion, and building confidence and resilience. We offer outdoor education, including residentials at our own Ormside Mill site in Cumbria and other sites nationwide.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop positive relationships with 8–16year olds using a young person-centred approach
• Plan and deliver engaging centre-based and outreach sessions
• Support Outdoor Education, DofE, and adventure programmes, including attending several residentials per year
• Champion youth voice, leadership, and social action
• Monitor progress and ensure a safe, inclusive environment

While the post includes both youth and play sessions, we are particularly keen to attract applicants with youth work experience to strengthen this area within the team.

About you

• Experience working with young people
• Commitment to inclusive, relationship-based youth work
• Reliable, approachable and able to work well as part of a team

Why join GMYF

• Make a real difference to young people
• Access high-quality training, CPD and development opportunities
• Work in a supportive, values-led organisation 

Person Specification

Essential

• Experience of working with young people, demonstrating a young person-centered approach
• Good understanding of safeguarding and risk management
• Able to build and maintain positive relationships with young people
• Experience planning and delivering activities, projects and individual interventions on issues relating to young people’s health and wellbeing
• Good organisational and communication skills, including working with partner agencies
• Experience of record keeping and data capture using MIS systems including recording young people concerns 
• Understand and implement policies and procedures, including completing risk assessments 
• Strong team working skills and professionalism at all times 

Desirable

• Youth Work Qualification L3 or above
• L2 safeguarding qualification or willingness to obtain in first 3 months
• Experience working creatively
• Experience of youth participation and using skills to capture the voice and views of young people
• Experience working 1 to 1 with young people and in small groups
• Ability to utilise technology and IT packages to develop projects with young people
• Driving license/access to car and/or willing to train to drive minibuses
• Experience of leading social action projects with young people
• First Aid & Fire Marshal certificates or willing to obtain in first 3 months

Other Requirements

GMYF is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people; the applicant will be subject to safer recruitment checks including enhanced DBS.

GMYF is an equal opportunities employer and we welcome applicants from all backgrounds.

This is a UK-based post, and applicants must be living in and have the right to work in the UK. If applicable, please detail your Visa status in your covering letter. 

Please let us know if you need us to make any adjustments during the application or recruitment process and we’ll be happy to support you.

Closing date for applications: 12noon, Monday 9th March 2026

Interview date: From 2pm, Wednesday 18th March 2026

Start Date: As soon as possible, subject to the completion of pre‑employment checks, including DBS and onboarding

Please visit our website for more information - Greater Manchester Youth Federation / Current Vacancies – Greater Manchester Youth Federation

Hours: 35 hours per week 
Contract: Fixed term to March 2027 
Location: Hybrid, with regular travel across Hastings & St Leonards 
Reports to: Citadel Coordinator – Hastings 

About Housing Justice 

Housing Justice brings communities together to tackle homelessness by building personal connections, fostering belonging, and working for justice in the housing system. We train and support volunteers to provide personalised assistance that helps people access accommodation, navigate services, and rebuild stability. 

We welcome applications from all sections of the community and recognise the value of lived experience of homelessness. 

About Citadel and your role 

Citadel is a volunteer-powered homelessness prevention project supporting people experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness to settle into a home, sustain their tenancy, and feel part of a supportive community. 

Since 2020, Citadel has expanded across Wales and England. 

This is an exciting opportunity for a proactive, compassionate and solutions-focused individual who believes in the power of community to end homelessness, to be part of our growing community project in Hastings. 

As our support worker, you will work alongside the Citadel Coordinator and our volunteers, to provide short-term, intensive support to individuals with complex needs, helping them overcome barriers to resettlement and tenancy sustainment.

You will use a trauma-informed, person-centred approach to help individuals build confidence, independence and lasting stability. 

The role will require skills in support and advocacy, partnership working, and community building. For more information, please see the attached job description.

About us

Join our team at the MPS Society, one of the leading rare genetic disease charities in the UK aiming to transform the lives of individuals and their families affected by MPS, Fabry and other related lysosomal diseases.  This is a rare opportunity to join our Support & Communities teams who provide direct support, practical guidance and other patient focused activities to over 1500 members and their families, UK-wide. 

Our Support Team raise awareness both within the MPS community and external agencies, offering information, advice, support, and advocacy in a range of areas including clinical management, health and social care, housing, education, transition, independent living, palliative care, and bereavement.  

Ideal candidate

As a Senior Support Officer, you will primarily be responsible for raising awareness and providing a high-quality support and advocacy service to our members and their families.   You will be a relationship builder who cares about the community we serve and ensures that the individual (or family) remains at the centre of support.  You will have experience in multi-agency working and an in-depth understanding of the needs of those with disabilities, their families and carers.  Demonstrable experience and knowledge of health and social care, education and relevant assessment processes are essential. 

As deputy safeguarding lead officer for both shildren and vulnerable adults you will take the lead in the absence of the safeguarding leads and be confident sharing your knowledge with new recruits through mentoring.

You will have excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to uphold best practice, challenge poor policy and inappropriate decisions.  Excellent IT skills and the ability to plan, prioritise and deliver to tight timescales are essential.  You will be self-motivated and highly organised, juggling many strands of work. 

As part of a small, dedicated team, you will have a positive attitude and a willingness to work collaboratively with your colleagues and external parties to raise awareness, advocate for our membership, as well as supporting the delivery and development of services for the MPS Society community.

Whilst a relevant qualification within health & social care, education or a related field is desirable, other knowledge and work experiences may be equally as valuable in this role. Prior knowledge of MPS and related conditions is not required however a special interest in neurology and working with individuals with neurological disabilities is advantageous.  In-depth support and training to develop expertise in MPS and related conditions, and the needs of those affected by these progressive, life-limiting conditions will be provided.   

What we can offer you

Join us and you will be working for a caring charity offering:

• A competitive salary
• Generous annual leave of 25 days plus bank holidays (pro-rata for part time hours)
• Extra leave between Christmas and the New Year
• Pension
• Life assurance (subject to the conditions of the scheme)
• Employee assistance programme offering support 24/7

Further information

The successful candidate must be eligible to work in the UK.

This is a full-time role (35 hrs per week) however part time hours, with a minimum of 28 hrs per week may be agreed for the right candidate.  Salary will be pro-rata for part-time.

The main duties, responsibilities and essential requirements of this role can be viewed on the attached job description.

This is an essential car user post. The applicant must hold a current UK driver’s licence, with no more than 6 points, have access to a car and be able and willing to drive UK wide as required.

This role is offered on a hybrid basis with a minimum of 2 days in our Amersham office each week. As part of the role, UK wide travel is necessary. This may on occasion include early morning and/or evening working and sometimes overnight stays.  You may also occasionally be required to attend evening or weekend conferences and events. We have policies in place to ensure that any unsociable hours worked are fairly compensated.

We encourage candidates to visit the MPS Society website to learn more about us and the community we serve.  Alternatively, if you would like an informal chat about the role or the work of the MPS Society, please contact Bethanie Pentecost.

Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS)

The MPS Society is a charity that provides a range of care, support and activities for children and adults at risk throughout the UK. This is provided through our dedicated support and advocacy service, telephone helpline, clinical research, online activities and forums, annual events, patient expert meetings, focus groups and conferences.  MPS staff, trustees and volunteers may be asked to be involved in the delivery of its regulated services and activities. 

This post is exempt under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.  Due to the sensitive nature of the duties undertaking, the post holder will be expected to undertake a DBS check as part of the recruitment process and for this to be reviewed on a regular basis. 

Next steps: 

Applications:  Please provide your CV and a supporting statement (maximum 750 words) outlining your understanding of how rare, complex and progressive conditions such as Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS), including their neurological impacts, can affect individuals and families across the life course. In your response, please describe the experience, skills and approaches you have developed that would support you to carry out the Senior Support Officer role, including (where relevant) supporting people with complex needs, working across health, education and social care systems, and providing advice, advocacy or casework support.

Kindly note, applications received without a supporting statement will not be considered. 

Closing Date:   Whilst we have an initial closing date of 20th March, we reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive enough suitable applications to take forward to interview and assessment.

1st interviews:  Initial virtual interviews will be held end March/early April.

2nd interviews: Final face-to-face interviews and assessments will be held on 16th & 17th April at MPS House, Amersham.

Evening / Weekend Support Worker (Substance Misuse)

We are looking for someone mature, motivated and caring to provide person-centred support to our residents in their recovery journey. If you have a heart to see people overcome substance misuse - to reset, recover, and restore their lives - please join our friendly team.

The post-holder will form part of our team of staff who support our residents in their recovery primarily outside of office hours. You will therefore have great inter-personal skills and the ability to implement firm but caring boundaries. In addition, you will be responsible for a variety of administrative tasks, including updating records and administering medication as well as managing the house during weekends and overnight.

This is a part-time role on a zero hours contract, including some evenings and weekends, so could work alongside other employment commitments. Hours negotiable.

If you're interested in this opportunity and feel you have the skills to help support the work we do, we’d love to hear from you. Please submit your CV along with a covering letter to explain your suitability for the role as outlined in the job description.

Yeldall Manor is a Christian organisation, and this role has an occupational requirement that the successful candidate be a committed and practising Christian able to support residents in their spiritual journey (in accordance with Schedule 9 of the Equality Act 2010).

Yeldall Manor is committed to safeguard and promote the welfare of its residents. The successful candidate will be subject to a satisfactory enhanced DBS check. We welcome candidates with lived experience but, if you are in recovery, you must have a minimum of two years’ clean time.

We look forward to hearing from you!

We are recruiting a Young Adult Carers (YAC) Support Worker to join the East London YACs Project, delivered in partnership between Carers Centre Tower Hamlets and City & Hackney Carers Centre. 

About Us 

Carers Centre Tower Hamlets has supported unpaid carers for over 25 years, providing advice, advocacy, wellbeing activities and hospital-based support to carers of all ages. We are rooted in our community and committed to tackling inequality, reducing poverty and improving carers’ life chances. 

City & Hackney Carers Centre has been supporting carers in Hackney and the City of London since 1996. They provide information, peer support, emotional wellbeing services and specialist programmes for carers across the life course. Together, our organisations bring deep local knowledge, strong partnerships and a shared commitment to co-production. 

Through this joint project, we are building a cross-borough service that reduces isolation, improves wellbeing and creates real opportunities for young adult carers aged 16–25. 

About the Role 

Young adult carers often balance education, employment and relationships alongside caring for someone they love. Many experience isolation, stress and limited opportunities. 

This role is about creating safe spaces, building peer networks and supporting young people to shape their futures. 

You will: 

• Provide one-to-one support to young adult carers across Tower Hamlets and Hackney 

• Co-facilitate weekly peer support groups 

• Deliver outreach in colleges, community settings and partner services 

• Organise respite activities, workshops and trips 

• Support young people to access education, employment and wellbeing services 

• Contribute to a co-produced programme designed with young adult carers 

You will help deliver clear project outcomes, including supporting at least 120 young adult carers per year and enabling 80% to report improved wellbeing and reduced isolation. 

About You 

We are looking for someone who: 

• Has experience working with young people aged 16–25 

• Can build trust quickly and facilitate engaging group sessions 

• Understands the pressures faced by young carers 

• Is organised and confident managing a caseload 

• Is committed to equality, inclusion and youth empowerment 

About the role:

As a Project Worker at our Stacey Street service in Islington, you’ll support adults who have experienced homelessness or rough sleeping to rebuild stability and move towards independent living. This is a hands-on role in a busy hostel environment where no two days are the same.

You’ll work directly with residents who may be navigating challenges linked to mental health, substance use, trauma or contact with the criminal justice system. Through strengths-based support planning and clear risk management, you’ll help individuals identify goals, overcome barriers and take practical steps forward. From supporting someone to engage with treatment, to sustaining a tenancy or accessing training and employment, your work will focus on realistic, sustainable progress.

Day to day, you’ll build trusted relationships whilst maintaining professional boundaries. You’ll collaborate with internal teams and external partners to coordinate the right support at the right time, ensuring residents are prepared for successful move-on. You’ll keep accurate records, respond calmly in challenging situations and contribute to a psychologically informed environment where people feel respected and motivated to change.

This role is about creating momentum. By helping residents move from crisis towards stability, you’ll play a key part in freeing up hostel spaces for others in urgent need and strengthening SHP’s mission to end homelessness for good. If you’re resilient, person-centred and motivated by seeing people take meaningful steps forward, this is your opportunity to make a tangible impact every day.

About you:

• A non-judgemental approach to working with multi-disadvantaged clients and to promote a strengths-based approach.
• Strong team-working and interpersonal skills, maintaining a collaborative approach to delivering service objectives across work specialisms.
• Experience helping people to identify personal goals and supporting them through a process of change, including managing challenging situations in relation to people, including responding calmly to crisis and deal promptly, effectively and safely to complex situations.
• Strong time management skills, ability to work on own initiative, manage competing priorities and maintain high standards.
• Willingness and ability to work on a rota system of early and late shifts, which may include some variable hours including some evenings and weekends.

About us:

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

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

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

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

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

Important info:

Closing Date: Sunday 1st March at midnight

Interview date:  Monday 9th March at our Stacey Street service in Islington

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

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

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. 

As Youth Worker you will use your experience of working with children and young people to:

• Work alongside the Youth Coordinator to develop and deliver an agreed project plan that meets the requirements of funders and local team priorities, in line with Diabetes UK processes and policies.
• Support young people and volunteers to understand and grow their strengths and skills, empowering them to take action, support others and make change happen.
• Continuously improve our impact and engagement with young people and the diabetes community, identifying opportunities to share learning and good practice across teams.
• Work with colleagues to grow and enhance our engagement with young people, creating opportunities for long term relationships and involvement of young people in the wider work of the charity.

Following a successful application to the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, we are seeking a Youth Worker to lead on systems change as part of our Brighter Rainbow Project. A key requirement of the post is to hold a JNC Level 6 Youth and Community Work qualification or equivalent (or due to complete 2026- 2027). We also welcome applicants with related subjects including nursing, primary teaching, secondary teaching, social work etc.

Support Worker at Plus Services

Are you a positive, engaging and caring person that wants to make a real difference to the world?

Do you think the greatest gift you can give is to make other people’s lives better?

Do you believe that people living with Learning Disabilities and Autism should have happy fulfilling lives, with access to the Community and enjoy the same things the rest of us take for granted?

If you answered “Yes” to these 3 Questions then Plus has an amazing role for you!!!!!
 
Who are Plus Services?

Plus is one of the most respected Learning Disability and Autism Charities in London with a proud history stretching back more than 30 years.  We have an amazing team that is dedicated to supporting people to live their best possible lives and we have literally changed people’s worlds with the support we have provided.

Our Client Group is quite varied and during the recruitment process you would be specifically recruited to work with those that your personality, skills and experience would fit best with.  Some have really challenging behaviour, but unless you had the capability to best serve those people you would be assigned to a different group.  So, there is no need to worry about being out of your depth.

We also provide industry leading training and on-going support, so rest assured you will be ready for anything the job throws at you.  I cannot promise you it will be easy, but I can promise you it will be worth it.  And when you go home you will know you have made a massive difference and the world is a slightly better place as a result of your efforts.

Who are you?

You are a caring, compassionate and capable individual?  You could be either already working within Social Care or are thinking about joining the sector.  We recognise everyone, regardless of their personal history, talents, abilities and unique personal qualities

What does matter is you must care and you must want to enhance the lives of the people who we support and rely on us.

You will need to be comfortable spending large amounts of your day one-to-one with the Service Users, there is no leaping from client to client here with 15 minute blocks.  You will need to be happy supporting people to learn new skills and become independent.  And you will need to thrive on taking people out into the big wide world, expanding their horizons, bringing a smile to their faces and adding a spring in to their step.

To be considered for the role you will need to be able to:

•  Do your share of weekend shifts, sleep-ins, waking nights and bank holidays.
•  Be physically fit and able to move freely and physically and to support service users who may be physically dependent.
•  Have a supportive attitude and want to help individuals to maximise their lives.
•  You must be able to support people with Learning Disabilities who have different ways of expressing themselves
•  Understanding of supporting people with autism would be an advantage but not essential
•  Be eligible to work in the UK

In return we offer opportunities for professional development and real job satisfaction.  We can help you to develop your professional skills and knowledge and progress toward recognised qualifications such as Diploma in Adult & Social Care levels 3/4/5.

Our benefits package includes: 
• Pension contribution scheme
• Fully funded Learning and Development
• Company employee assistance programme service
•  Sleep in allowance

Charity ref number: 1031595

Operational Support Worker *(Female Only)

Location: Sheffield

Closing date: 6th March 2026

Overview of Role:

The Operational Support Worker plays a vital role in enabling the team to offer compassionate, Christ centred support to vulnerable women. As the project has seen growth over the last few years, in response to rising demand, this role will play a key part in shaping and establishing the administrative systems, processes and procedures we’ve not yet had the capacity to formalise—ideal for someone who is energised by building structure, improving practice, and being part of creating solutions rather than stepping into a readymade setup. By carrying out the administrative, organisational, and practical tasks that keep the project running smoothly, they will help free frontline staff and evangelists to focus on building relationships, offering pastoral care, and walking alongside women in their daily challenges.

Salary: £24,570 per Annum (FTE)

Hours:37.5  per week

Pension: Church Army is an auto enrolment pension employer. You will be assessed under pension auto enrolment criteria.

Annual Leave: 25 days, plus Bank Holidays (total 33 days)

Contract:Full-Time – Open Ended

DBS: This post is subject to a enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check and compliant with safeguarding policies and procedures. Safeguarding training will be required.

Everyone in Church Army whether a staff member, volunteer, Evangelist, Evangelist in Training or Licenced Waterways Chaplain is responsible for making sure that Church Army has a safe and healthy safeguarding culture.
We are committed to protecting the vulnerable and ensuring the highest possible safeguarding standards. We expect everyone in Church Army to be familiar and comply with our Safer Ministry Policy, undergo any safer recruitment processes, and report any concerns or behaviours they don’t think are right to a member of the safeguarding team: or someone they trust.

Occupational Requirement:  This post is subject to an Occupational Requirement under the provisions made in the Equality Act 2010 that the post holder has an active faith in Jesus. The successful candidate must be in agreement with the vision and values of Church Army.

*Due to the responsibilities of the role, there is an occupational requirement under the Equality Act 2010 that the post holder is female.

Application Deadline:6 March 2026

Interview Date:   16 March 2026

Next Steps:

For more information on the role, you can find the job description and person specification for the post here.

To apply, please download and complete a Faith Based Application Form  for this post. When you are ready to submit your application, please email your completed application form, in word format,

PLEASE NOTE, WE DO NOT ACCEPT CVs

Support Worker at Plus Services

Are you a positive, engaging and caring person that wants to make a real difference to the world?

Do you think the greatest gift you can give is to make other people’s lives better?

Do you believe that people living with Learning Disabilities and Autism should have happy fulfilling lives, with access to the Community and enjoy the same things the rest of us take for granted?

If you answered “Yes” to these 3 Questions then Plus has an amazing role for you!!!!!
 
Who are Plus Services?

Plus is one of the most respected Learning Disability and Autism Charities in London with a proud history stretching back more than 30 years.  We have an amazing team that is dedicated to supporting people to live their best possible lives and we have literally changed people’s worlds with the support we have provided.

Our Client Group is quite varied and during the recruitment process you would be specifically recruited to work with those that your personality, skills and experience would fit best with.  Some have really challenging behaviour, but unless you had the capability to best serve those people you would be assigned to a different group.  So, there is no need to worry about being out of your depth.

We also provide industry leading training and on-going support, so rest assured you will be ready for anything the job throws at you.  I cannot promise you it will be easy, but I can promise you it will be worth it.  And when you go home you will know you have made a massive difference and the world is a slightly better place as a result of your efforts.

Who are you?

You are a caring, compassionate and capable individual?  You could be either already working within Social Care or are thinking about joining the sector.  We recognise everyone, regardless of their personal history, talents, abilities and unique personal qualities

What does matter is you must care and you must want to enhance the lives of the people who we support and rely on us.

You will need to be comfortable spending large amounts of your day one-to-one with the Service Users, there is no leaping from client to client here with 15 minute blocks.  You will need to be happy supporting people to learn new skills and become independent.  And you will need to thrive on taking people out into the big wide world, expanding their horizons, bringing a smile to their faces and adding a spring in to their step.

To be considered for the role you will need to be able to:

•  Do your share of weekend shifts, sleep-ins, waking nights and bank holidays.
•  Be physically fit and able to move freely and physically and to support service users who may be physically dependent.
•  Have a supportive attitude and want to help individuals to maximise their lives.
•  You must be able to support people with Learning Disabilities who have different ways of expressing themselves
•  Be eligible to work in the UK

In return we offer opportunities for professional development and real job satisfaction.  We can help you to develop your professional skills and knowledge and progress toward recognised qualifications such as Diploma in Adult & Social Care levels 3/4/5.

Our benefits package includes: 
• Pension contribution scheme
• Fully funded Learning and Development
• Company employee assistance programme service
•  Sleep in’s allowance

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

We're looking for a kind, resilient and compassionate Support Worker to join our Learning Disability Service in Newham.

£28,808 per annum, working 40 hours per week.

Hi, I'm P and I am a 27-year-old man who currently lives in a supported living service in Newham. I have lived here for just over one year, and came to England with my mother from Poland in 2015.
I am a friendly and engaged man, but I speak very little English and communicate easiest in Polish so need someone who can support me with this and support me with learning some English. I do enjoy staying connected with my Polish heritage but would like support to socialise better with those around me. I have a very good relationship with my family, particularly my mother, brother, nieces and nephews, and usually spend the weekends with my mother at her home when I can.
I enjoy dancing and singing, and like watching Youtube to sing and dance along to the videos. I also attend the local learning zone for crafting classes, and enjoy games and other crafting activities. I also enjoy "man things" like sports and drinking coffee (decaf!) or going shopping and to the pub (where I enjoy non-alcoholic beer). It is important to me that I can live as independent and adult a life as possible.
My favourite foods are burgers, pizza and cola but I need to be supported and encouraged to keep healthy, and make healthy choices as well as maintain my environment - I may need prompting and support to engage in chores such as cleaning my room, doing my laundry, washing up etc.
I am looking for a proactive individual to support me with these daily living skills, building and maintaining relationships, keeping myself and my home safe but also to help me develop my skills to live more independently, to share my hobbies and interests and to explore new activities.
I am looking for someone who is a good and clear communicator, in both Polish and English, is assertive, has good IT skills and shares my enthusiasm for what interests me, like music, food and meaningful activities.
Look Ahead ensures I am treated with dignity and respect and only staff who can live up to the organisational values become part of my support team.

Professional Skills:
* Compassionate and able to help me manage my support needs
* Assertive and able to help me make choices that I want for my life
* Experience in working with people with Learning Disabilities and Mental Health
* Understands the Positive Behaviour Support framework
* Can be creative around activities, both in the house and in the local community
* Calm and patient
* Good reporting skills, IT skills and keen on using digital systems and new technologies.

Essential criteria - Polish Language Speaker

Shifts are 07:00-15:00 or 14:00-22:00 so includes evenings, weekends and bank holidays as required.

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

Making you feel at home here means helping you thrive in every way. That's why we offer a wide range of benefits, award-winning Learning & Development and a culture that welcomes all. These aren't token gestures - we've thought long and hard about how best to support our team. After all, our people are doing something amazing: helping to transform lives every day.
Our benefits include:
* Annual leave increasing up to 30 days with length of service
* Free DBS (take this out if BSW advert)
* Exclusive discounts and cashback via Reward Gateway® and opportunity to buy a Blue Light Card
* Fully paid induction programme and further training
* ILM courses and Apprenticeship Programmes
* Cycle to work scheme
* Employee Assistance Programme for 24-7 confidential support
* Online wellbeing resources
* A generous pension - we will contribute up to 4% and life assurance cover up to £10,000 (T&Cs apply)
* Quarterly Staff Awards to reward & recognise our amazing staff's commitment and contribution
All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.

About us:

Look Ahead is a leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. Our vision is to build better lives through social care and housing in local communities. As an organisation we deliver over 100 services, providing support to thousands of customers each year. Our mission is to co-design and deliver services that offer innovative social care solutions and support people to thrive. We work across mental health, homelessness and complex needs, young people and care leavers and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.
We have a strong social purpose and we live and work by our values:
* We focus on Excellence and innovation.
* We are Caring and Compassionate.
* We are Inclusive and Trusted.
* We work in Partnership and are One-Team.

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

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

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

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