Family Solutions Response Practitioner

Telford and Wrekin Council; Shrewsbury; Hybrid; GBP 28,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

On-call allowance

Flexible working arrangements

Learning and development opportunities

Job summary

Telford and Wrekin Council is seeking a Family Solutions Response Practitioner to join our Edge of Care and Crisis Response service in Shrewsbury. You will work intensively with children, young people and families during crises, delivering targeted interventions and coordinating with social workers to prevent care entries.

You'll engage with families to develop practical, sustainable plans, using mediation and relationship-based approaches while supporting risk assessments and safeguarding

Qualifications

• Experience working with vulnerable children, young people and families.
• Ability to manage crisis situations and assess risk.
• Strong communication, mediation and conflict resolution skills.
• Ability to work independently while contributing to a team.

Responsibilities

• Deliver intensive family-based interventions during periods of crisis.
• Work directly with children, young people and families facing complex challenges.
• Support families to remain within their networks and community.
• Undertake strengths-based assessments and identify family-led solutions.
• Promote safeguarding and risk management in planning and intervention.
• Collaborate with social workers, education, health, housing and community services.

Skills

Vulnerable children

Crisis risk management

Communication skills

Mediation

Conflict resolution

Independent working

Resilience

Professional judgement

Job description

The following content displays a map of the jobs location - Telford

Children's Safeguarding & Family Support

Job Introduction

Family Solutions Response Practitioner

2 POSTS AVAILABLE - 1 Post: Core Working Hours: 12:00pm to 8:00pm Monday to Friday and 1 Post: Core Working Hours: 8:00am to 4:00pm

Additional Benefits

• Additional payment for all hours worked whilst on call
• Flexible and mobile working arrangements
• Excellent learning and development opportunities

Do you aspire to work for an Outstanding Local Authority?

And you can peel back the layers?

Children and young people are at the heart of all we do.

When we asked children and young people what matters most, they told us they want professionals who:

• Understand that there are layers to every person and see the whole child and family.
• Demonstrate care, kindness and compassion.
• Really listen to their views, hopes, aspirations and worries.
• Communicate honestly, openly and effectively.

At Telford & Wrekin, we believe children are best cared for within their families and support networks wherever it is safe to do so. This belief underpins our Family First approach and drives our ambition to support more children to remain safely at home, return home from care where appropriate and maintain strong relationships with the people who matter most to them.

There has never been a more exciting time to join our service as we develop innovative approaches to supporting families, preventing unnecessary care admissions and ensuring children can safely remain within their family and community networks.

About the Role

We are seeking passionate, resilient and highly motivated Family Solutions Response Practitioners to join our specialist Family Solutions Service.

This is a unique opportunity to work as part of a dedicated Edge of Care and Crisis Response service, supporting children, young people and families during times of significant challenge and instability. The service provides intensive, flexible and responsive interventions designed to prevent family breakdown, reduce the need for children to enter care and help families find safe and sustainable solutions during periods of crisis.

You will play a vital role in supporting:

• Children at risk of entering care.
• Young people on the edge of care.
• Families experiencing crisis and relationship breakdown.
• Young people at risk of homelessness.
• Children refusing to return home.
• Reunification home from care where appropriate.
• Family-led solutions that safely reduce risk and strengthen resilience.

Working creatively and intensively alongside children, young people and their families, you will help identify strengths, mobilise family and community networks and support families to overcome challenges that place children at risk.

A Different Way of Working

This role has been specifically designed around the times when children and families often need support most.

2 POSTS AVAILABLE - 1 Post: Core Working Hours: 12:00pm to 8:00pm Monday to Friday and 1 Post: Core Working Hours: 8:00am to 4:00pm

Alongside the evening working pattern, you will participate in a planned weekend on-call rota, receiving:

• £25 per day on-call allowance.
• Additional payment for any time worked whilst on call.

This arrangement enables us to provide timely support during evenings and weekends when family crises can elevate and where responsive, relationship-based intervention can make the greatest difference.

For the right candidate, this is an opportunity to be part of an innovative service focused on preventing care admissions and helping families stay together safely.

What You Will Be Doing

As a Family Solutions Response Practitioner you will:

• Deliver intensive family-based interventions during periods of crisis.
• Work directly with children, young people and families experiencing complex challenges.
• Support children to remain safely within their family and community networks wherever possible.
• Undertake strengths-based assessments and identify family-led solutions.
• Use mediation, conflict resolution and relationship-based approaches to support families through crisis situations.
• Support young people at risk of homelessness, family breakdown or care entry.
• Work alongside families to develop practical, realistic and sustainable plans.
• Support placement stability and reunification planning.
• Build strong partnerships with social workers, education, health, housing and community services.
• Ensure children's voices remain central to all planning and intervention.
• Contribute to safeguarding assessments, risk management and safety planning.
• Promote positive, sustainable outcomes for children and families.

What We’re Looking For

We are looking for someone who:

• Has experience working with vulnerable children, young people and families.
• Can build positive and trusting relationships during periods of crisis.
• Has experience managing complex situations and responding to risk.
• Demonstrates strong communication, mediation and conflict resolution skills.
• Can work creatively and persistently with families facing multiple challenges.
• Is confident working independently whilst remaining part of a supportive team.
• Demonstrates resilience, emotional intelligence and sound professional judgement.
• Is passionate about helping children remain safely connected to their families and support networks.
• Shares our commitment to strengths-based, relationship-focused and child-centred practice.

Why Join Telford & Wrekin?

Here at Telford & Wrekin Council, we have been judged Outstanding by Ofsted for the second consecutive inspection and remain the only local authority in the West Midlands to hold this judgement.

Ofsted recognised that:

• Children and families continue to experience exceptional practice.
• Participation is a genuine strength and children's voices influence service development.
• Professionals know their children well and develop meaningful relationships.
• Corporate parenting is a strength.
• Care leavers benefit from an extensive local offer.
• The stability of our experienced workforce benefits children and families.
• Staff enjoy working in an environment where leaders are visible and people feel valued.

We are ambitious for children, ambitious for families and ambitious for our workforce.

What We Offer

We value our employees and offer:

• £25 per day weekend on-call payment plus payment for hours worked.
• Generous annual leave entitlement.
• Free parking.
• Employee Assistance Programme and counselling services.
• Staff discounts and salary sacrifice schemes.
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements.
• Extensive training and development opportunities.
• Career progression opportunities within an Outstanding Children's Service.
• Priority access to Nuplace rental properties.

We believe great services start with great people and that means building a workforce that reflects our community. At Telford & Wrekin Council, everyone belongs and every voice matters.

Roles involving children or vulnerable adults will require a criminal records check. It is an offence to apply if you are barred from working with these groups.

Please note: We do not hold a sponsorship licence for visas.