Family Support Practitioner (Antenatal / Postnatal Services).

Action-For-Children; Ballymena; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 30,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

29 days annual leave plus bank hols (p

Training and development opportunities

Flexible maternity/paternity packages

Pension with employer contributions

Job summary

Action for Children Ballymena is seeking a Family Support Practitioner to deliver antenatal and postnatal services and provide tailored family support from pregnancy through early parenthood. You will run education programmes, Baby Club and Breastfeeding Support, including home visits and calls.

The role involves working with Health Visitors, Trust Midwifery and other professionals to ensure coordinated care and positive outcomes for families across the Sure Start service areas.

Qualifications

• Level 3 Diploma in Health & Social Care, Early Years Childcare or equivalent.
• Experience of supporting parents, children and families within community, health, family support, early years or perinatal services.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to engage with people of all ages and backgrounds.
• Strong record keeping skills to complete assessments, service plans and reviews.
• Good IT skills.
• The ability to travel across Antrim and Ballymena on a regular basis.
• Role includes a weekly evening shift, typically on a Thursday, with some flexibility.

Responsibilities

• Deliver and support a range of antenatal and postnatal services, engaging families from pregnancy through to the early stages of parenthood.
• Facilitate specialist activities such as Infant Massage, Baby Yoga and/or Infant Reflexology, with training opportunities available.
• Provide compassionate, strengths-based support to parents during the perinatal period.
• Undertake home visits and provide tailored one-to-one support to expectant and new parents.
• Work in close partnership with Trust Midwifery Services, Health Visiting Teams and other professionals for coordinated outcomes.
• Develop strong working relationships within the Health Team and with Sure Start staff and partner agencies.

Skills

Communication

Record keeping

IT skills

Travel

Education

Level 3 Diploma in Health & Social Care, Early Years Childcare or equivalent

Job description

Family Support Practitioner (Antenatal / Postnatal Services).

Salary:£26,006.84 per annum, pro rata.

Location:Ballymena, Northern Ireland.

Contract/Hours:Permanent, Part-time (working 34 hours a week).

Benefits

• 29 days annual leave PLUS bank holidays pro rata, with up to 5 additional days for continuous service and option to buy or sell leave.
• Gain professional qualifications and excellent training/development opportunities
• Flexible maternity, adoption, and paternity packages.
• Pension with up to 7% employer contribution with included life assurance cover.
• Staff discounts and Blue Light Card eligibility with 15,000 national retailers’ discounts.

Vulnerable children in the UK need your help

Wherever you work in the Action for Children family, you'll be helping to change the lives of the most vulnerable children in the UK.

Last year, we helped more than 687,000 children and families across the UK. From direct work in communities to national campaigning, we are focused on making sure every child has a safe and happy childhood, and the foundations they need to thrive.

Why Action for Children?

Working here is more than a job. Everyone in the Action for Children family is passionate about protecting and supporting children. It's the sense of purpose that drives us every single day. Because we know that, when we work together, we can make a huge difference to bring lasting improvements to vulnerable children's lives.

About the service

Ballymena & Little Steps Sure Start provides a range of health, play & learning and parenting support services to children, from pre-birth up to four years, and their families. The project comprises a multi-agency, multi-disciplinary team and works in close partnership with a range of local Statutory, Voluntary and Community service providers to promote effective service delivery in response to the needs of the expectant parents, children and families across the designated SureStart areas. Sure Start services are provided from 3 centre bases across the localities, within the home setting or through outreach settings.

A bit about the role

As a Family Support Practitioner in this role, you will work with families right from the beginning of their parenting journey, from the antenatal period through to the postnatal stage. The role involves facilitating antenatal and postnatal services, including antenatal education programmes, Baby Club and Breastfeeding Support, alongside providing tailored support to families through home visits and telephone contacts where required. You will help parents build confidence, strengthen parent-infant attachment and give their baby the best possible start in life. You will also have access to a range of professional development opportunities, alongside Action for Children's extensive learning and development resources.

How you'll help to create brighter futures

• Deliver and support a range of antenatal and postnatal services, engaging families from pregnancy through to the early stages of parenthood.
• Depending on experience, qualifications and service need, the post holder may also facilitate specialist activities such as Infant Massage, Baby Yoga and/or Infant Reflexology, with training opportunities available.
• Provide compassionate, strengths-based support to parents during the perinatal period, recognising the unique opportunities and challenges this stage of family life can present.
• Undertake home visits and provide tailored one-to-one support to expectant and new parents, promoting parental wellbeing, early attachment and positive parent-infant relationships.
• Work in close partnership with Trust Midwifery Services, Health Visiting Teams and other relevant professionals to ensure coordinated support and positive outcomes for families and babies.
• Develop strong working relationships within the project's Health Team, including working closely alongside the Sure Start Health Visitor to identify and respond to the needs of families.
• Support families to access centre-based and community services, providing information, advice, signposting and referrals to appropriate statutory and voluntary services where required.
• Assess families' needs and develop support plans in partnership with parents, helping them achieve their goals and build confidence in their parenting journey.
• Contribute to the planning, development and delivery of evidence-based individual and group interventions that support families in giving their baby the best possible start in life.
• Collaborate with colleagues across the Sure Start team and partner agencies to deliver high-quality, holistic support for children and families.

Let's talk about you

Ideally you will have:

• Level 3 Diploma in Health & Social Care, Early Years Childcare or equivalent.
• Experience of supporting parents, children and families within community, health, family support, early years or perinatal services.
• An understanding of the importance of the antenatal and postnatal period in promoting positive parent-infant relationships, attachment and child development.
• A thorough understanding of child protection and Safeguarding.
• An understanding of the physical, intellectual, linguistic, social and emotional growth as part of child development.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to engage with people of all ages and backgrounds to build strong and collaborative relationships.
• Strong record keeping skills to complete assessments, service plans and reviews.
• Good IT skills.
• The ability to travel across Antrim and Ballymena on a regular basis. The job requires the ability to travel according to the needs of the job, with reasonable adjustments, if required, according to the Equality Act.
• This role includes a weekly evening shift, typically on a Thursday, to support the delivery of family services. Some flexibility may be available, subject to service requirements.

Contact:

[e-mail] quoting reference 13528.

Closing date:

Monday 31st August 2026.

Interviews will be conducted face to face on 15th September 2026.

Please note we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for thisrole.

Don’t meet every single requirement?

If you're excited about this role but your experience doesn't align perfectly with the job description, we'd love you to apply anyway. You might just be the perfect person for this role, or another role within the Action for Children family.

Want to know more about Action for Children?

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Job Description

See below for further information about working with us:

Action for Children Employee Benefits

AfC Commitment Statement

Action for Children Northern Ireland Booklet

At Action for Children, we're dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace.

Weactivelyencourageapplications from Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic and disabled candidates as they are under-represented within Action for Children. We want to take deliberate and purposeful action to ensure equal opportunity to all groups in society and for Action for Children.

Male staff are under-represented within our Children Service roles. We would like to encourage more male applicants for our Children Service roles.

To be eligible for this position you must complete an Access Ni Enhanced Disclosure.

Having a criminal record will not necessarily be a bar to obtaining a position.

A copy of the Access Ni Code of Practice can be found.

Policies on Recruitment of Ex-Offenders & Access Ni Disclosure Handing Policy are also available on demand.

We know talent when we see it. But sometimes we find the right person but not for the right job. We'd love to keep your details for when the right job comes up. Let us know if you'd rather we didn't.