Family Practitioner

Staffordshire County Council; Leek; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A local authority in Leek is seeking a Family Practitioner to support children and families in need. The role involves leading early help assessments, conducting parenting assessments, and providing crisis intervention. Candidates should have an NVQ3 or equivalent and be skilled in effective communication and conflict resolution. The position may require availability outside traditional hours, and the council promotes flexible working arrangements.

Qualifications

• Holds a minimum standard of NVQ3 in working with children and families.
• Understands child development and related vulnerabilities.
• Can communicate effectively with children and their families.
• Demonstrates restorative approaches.
• Uses IT systems effectively.

Responsibilities

• Be a key worker leading early help assessments.
• Contribute to parenting assessments and support mediation.
• Carry out work on staying safe and behaviour management.

Skills

Effective communication with children and families

Building relationships and delivering interventions

Conflict resolution skills

IT skills for record keeping

Education

Minimum NVQ3 or equivalent

Job description

Our Family Practitioners play a key role in working with children and families to support children to remain within their families. Providing crisis intervention and working collaboratively with social workers to support children in need, children on child protection plans and children in care.

You’ll be expected to undertake flexible, creative, and imaginative approaches to offering support to children, young people, their families and carers whilst underpinning our restorative approach.

This may include being available outside of traditional working patterns including evening and weekends to provide support to children, families and carers when it is needed.

Main Responsibilities

As a member of the district team, you will:

• Be a key worker for children and families leading on early help assessments and plans and work collaboratively with social workers to support children in need, children on child protection plans and children in care.
• Work with children and families including contributing to parenting assessments, support mediation, crisis prevention, conflict resolution and Life Story Work.
• Carry out work outlined within assessment and planning on specific topics with children, families and carers (including but not limited to) staying safe, loss and grief, behaviour management, attachment and criminal exploitation.

The Ideal Candidate

You will:

• hold a Minimum standard of NVQ3 in respect of working with children and their families or equivalent plus an understanding of child development and the knowledge of mental health, substance misuse, domestic abuse, poverty and other vulnerabilities and how these impact on families
• have the ability to communicate effectively with children, their families and carers.
• have the ability to build relationships and deliver interventions to children, families and carers as well as being able to work effectively in conflict situations
• have the ability to use IT systems and to write a good standard of records
• have the commitment and ability demonstrate restorative approaches to working with children and families.

We’re happy to talk flexible working.

This role is currently subject to a review of weekend working arrangements, including any paid enhancements.

For more information about this role please contact, Marie Brockley, Family Practitioner Lead, on [e-mail]

Interviews will be held on the 15th of January 2026

Our recruitment process

We anonymise applications during shortlisting to ensure only relevant information is considered. Please complete your application fully, especially the supporting statement, to highlight what you’ll bring to the role.

As an Authority we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Staffordshire County Council is an equal opportunities organisation and Disability Confident employer. We encourage applications from all backgrounds and communities.

As part of our commitment as a Disability Confident employer, a Gold Award Armed Forces employer and our commitment to supporting care leavers – we offer a guaranteed interview as long as your application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

As you’ll know safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our children and young people/vulnerable adults is important to us and that’s why this position is subject to a criminal record check from the Disclosure and Barring Service. If applicable you should disclose details of unspent and unfiltered spent reprimands, formal warnings, cautions and convictions in your application form.