• Suffolk County Council – West Suffolk House, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 3YU - Community based
• £27,711 per annum (pro rata for part time)
• 37 hours per week - Flexible working options available
• Permanent
• 2 positions

When you join the Bury St Edmunds Family Support Team as a Family Support Practitioner, we’ll support your development from the start. We’ll help you to play to your strengths, diversify your skills and build an influential and impactful career. With a variety of career paths and learning opportunities to explore, if you’re motivated and passionate, there’s no limit to how far your ambition could take you.

Reimagine the possibilities.

Your role and responsibilities

• You will work directly with children and their families in their homes, delivering targeted family support interventions designed to enhance safety, informed by comprehensive risk and needs assessments.
• You will collaborate closely with Schools, Social Care, Youth Justice, and Health professionals to develop and implement holistic, multi-agency family support plans.
• You will support the delivery of supervised Family Time (contact arrangements) for children in care, ensuring a safe and positive experience.
• You may also contribute to the delivery of group work sessions for children or their parents/carers.

You will need

• Our ideal candidates will have relevant transferable skills, experience, or expertise from previously working with children and families.
• A strong understanding of safeguarding practice is essential, along with the ability to assess, plan, and intervene effectively in complex family situations.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, IT proficiency, and the ability to work independently are crucial.
• A valid driver’s licence and access to a personal vehicle for work are required.

You can view a full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile (docx). If you believe you can succeed in this role, apply. Even if you don't meet all requirements, still apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.

The team

• The Bury St Edmunds Family Support Team is a highly experienced and supportive team, committed to developing new members to strengthen our well-established service.
• Our team culture is built on collaboration, ensuring we support one another in delivering the highest quality service to children and families, fostering positive and lasting change.
• We take a proactive approach, building and maintaining strong relationships to provide both support and constructive challenge where necessary.
• It is a privilege to facilitate meaningful change and witness the positive, long-term outcomes for the children and families we serve.

Empowering Everyone

We’re big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We’re always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report

For more information

Please contact Steve Breen for a casual conversation. You can reach them by calling 07702517340 or emailing Stephen.Breen@suffolk.gov.uk

How to apply

Step 1 - Read the Job and Person Profile (JPP) (docx).

Step 2 - Click ‘Apply Now’ to start your online application.

Step 3 - Upload a supporting statement indicating how you meet each of the criteria in the ‘Person Profile’ section of the JPP.

You should use the Supporting Statement template.

Please use Arial font size 11 and keep your statement to a maximum of two sides of A4.

Step 4 - Upload a CV (without name and personal details).

Please note: Without a supporting statement and CV, your interest will not be progressed. Any supporting documents must be in either PDF or MS Word format.

We value authentic applications that showcase your genuine skills and experiences. Applications suspected of being generated by AI may be rejected. We encourage you to present your own work and ideas throughout the application process.

If you require any reasonable adjustments to the application process before the next selection stage, please contact our Recruitment Team by emailing recruitment@suffolk.gov.uk or calling 03456 014412.  If you are invited to the next stage of selection, you will have another opportunity to request adjustments for the next stages of the process.

Closing date: 11.30pm, 8 April 2025.

Interview date: 16 April 2025.

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts. #LI-Hybrid

As a modern and effective council, we offer a wide variety of careers to suit people with a range of skills, abilities and ambitions. We offer working options that flex to reflect the way people work today and take the time to understand and support your individual needs. We’re driven to make a positive difference to the world around us and encourage everyone with drive and focus to join us and build an influential and impactful career. Reimagine the possibilities.

In return, you’ll enjoy:

• up to 29 days annual leave entitlement (pro rata), plus UK bank holidays and two paid volunteering days
• membership of a competitive Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• travel, lifestyle, health and wellbeing benefits
• performance-related annual pay progression, in addition to an annual cost-of-living pay increase
• training and encouragement to expand your knowledge
• a variety of career development opportunities across our organisation
• diverse and active staff networks
• flexible working options, with the right to request flexible working from your first day

Plus lots more!

If you want to know more about our benefits, values and equality commitments please visit our Suffolk County Council careers website (careers.Suffolk.gov.uk).