Community Link Worker

Early-Years-Alliance; Luton; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 38,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave

Pension scheme

Mileage allowance

Job summary

The Early Years Alliance in Luton is seeking a full-time Community Link Worker to support Flying Start/Family Hub services for families with under-fives. You will deliver outreach to schools, early years settings and community venues, and promote Best Start in Life messages.

You will facilitate evidence-based parenting programmes, engage with partners across Luton, and travel between Family Hub sites. A valid driver’s license is essential.

Qualifications

• Level 3 qualification in Early Years or Health & Social Care or extensive experience with families and early intervention.
• GCSE Maths and English or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Offer a whole family / family centred approach to emerging needs.
• Use evaluation tools to capture progress for families.
• Deliver public health messages to promote healthy lifestyles and development.
• Facilitate evidence-based parenting programmes across community and partner venues.
• Record information on IT systems/databases and support data collection for KPIs.

Skills

IT skills

Interpersonal skills

Education

Level 3 qualification in Early Years or Health & Social Care

GCSE Maths and English

Tools

Office 365

Teams

Word

Excel

Outlook

Job description

About The Role

We are seeking a full-time Community Link Worker to join the Early Years Alliance team in Luton. Working within the Flying Start/Family Hub team, you will deliver family-focused services aimed at improving outcomes for children under five years. Responsibilities include outreach to schools, early years settings, and community venues, as well as facilitating evidence-based parenting programmes and Flying Start sessions. You will promote key Best Start in Life and public health messages, support positive parenting, and collaborate with community, voluntary, and statutory partners to enhance access to services including opportunities for co-facilitation of parenting programmes. Strong IT skills and flexibility to work across multiple Luton sites are essential. Experience supporting families with children showing early developmental delays is highly desirable. We are looking for a highly motivated individual who wants to make a difference. A car driver is essential as the role requires travel across Family Hub sites. Previous applicants for this role need not apply.

Benefits we offer:

• 25 days annual leave plus 8 bank holidays, pro rata for part-time employees
• Additional annual leave for long service
• Enhanced sickness pay.
• Employer and employee contribution pension scheme
• Birthday leave so you can have a day off for your birthday dedicated to you and your well-being.
• Regular access to internal and external learning and development opportunities
• A Recruitment Referral Payment Scheme, giving you an introductory payment of up to £300 if someone you have referred to the Alliance takes up a role in the charity.
• A dedicated mental health First Aider to support your mental well-being.
• Access to our Employee Assistant Programme (EAP), which includes 24/7 helpline access, dedicated managers helpline, confidential counselling sessions delivered by accredited specialists, legal, debt and life management advice, discounts, and wellbeing content plus resources.
• Mileage allowance at 40p per mile from an agreed base.

Main duties of the role

• To offer a whole family / family centred approach to families, with emerging needs, to build confidence, motivation and resilience, using person-centred and strength’s-based approaches.
• Use robust evaluation tools to capture the journey for the families through agreed objectives including case studies. Contribute to Flying Start Key Performance Indicators for funders.
• Deliver key public health messages to families with a focus on supporting healthy lifestyles, oral health, social and emotional development, communication and language development, child safety and children with special educational needs and disabilities.
• Facilitate evidence-based parenting programmes including (but not limited to) the parenting puzzle and Henry healthy families and parenting workshops; both within the community and in partner venues across Luton as well as virtual delivery.
• Facilitate high quality targeted and universal group sessions as part of the Best Start in Life offer, including recording and inputting information on IT systems/databases.

Essential criteria

• Level 3 qualification in Early Years or Health & Social Care, or extensive experience of working with families providing early intervention services and an understanding of why the early years is important for future life chances.
• GCSE Maths and English or equivalent.
• A commitment and interest in supporting families and increasing opportunities to help reduce health inequalities.
• Demonstrable experience in facilitating groups such as parenting programmes or workshops.
• Good understanding of baby and child development and how children and adults learn.
• Able to demonstrate excellent IT skills, including the ability to use Office 365 including Teams, Word, Excel, Outlook etc. alongside experience of recording on IT systems.

This is a fixed term post until March 2028 with the possibility to extend.

Hours per week: 35

Weeks per year: 52

Closing date: 9th November 2026

Interview date: 19th November 2026

About The Service

The Alliance is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. It is a requirement of all staff that they share this commitment and follow the prescribed policy and procedures to continuously promote a culture of safeguarding across the whole organisation.

The charity is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and equal opportunities in employment.