Family Support Worker - Children in Care North team

Northamptonshire Childrens Trust; Kettering; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 28,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

28 days annual leave

Local Government Pension Scheme

Life cover

Employee discounts

Flexible working arrangements

Career development opportunities

Job summary

Northamptonshire Children’s Trust is seeking a Family Support Worker to build positive relationships with children and families, supporting them to achieve positive outcomes. The role is based in Kettering and may involve county-wide travel to support care plans and assessments.

You will work alongside social workers, contribute to planning and documentation, and help supervise family time to promote safe rehabilitation where appropriate. A DBS check and safeguarding compliance are required.

Qualifications

• Experience of working directly with children and families.
• Strong written recording and communication skills.
• Educated to GCSE level or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Work directly with children and families looked after by the Local Authority to achieve agreed outcomes.
• Support social workers and partner agencies; contribute to assessments and planning.
• Supervise family time and support safe rehabilitation where appropriate.
• Maintain accurate and timely records of work and liaise with professionals.

Skills

Experience with children and families

Written and verbal communication

IT literacy (MS Word/Excel)

Education

GCSE level or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Job description

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

Family Support Worker - Children in Care North team

Job Reference Ref/77/9277

Number of Positions:

1

Contract Type:

Full Time

Working Hours:

37

Location:

Kettering

Closing Date:

27/09/2026

Job Category:

Social Care - Children

Organisation:

Northamptonshire Children’s Trust

We are committed to continuous improvement, building a skilled, knowledgeable, and flexible workforce alongside promoting innovation and creativity whilst keeping children, young people and families at the heart of all we do.

We really value our workforce and offer you a great benefits package including:

• 28days annual leave, plus 8 Bank Holidays (pro rata for part time) and an additional 5 days,after 5 years
• Local Government Pension Scheme plus immediate life cover (3 times your annual salary from day one) and ill-health pension protection.
• Opportunity to purchase up to 25 days annual leave
• Employee Assistance Programme - We have an employee support programme run by Health Assured, an independent, external organisation. Health Assured is available for you and your immediate family members, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and includes telephone counselling, legal advice, bereavement support and medical information.
• Employee discounts with local and national retailers, days out, finance, health and beauty, travel and eating out plus lots more.
• Flexible and family working arrangements including enhanced maternity benefits
• A permanent, supportive and inclusive management team where you will be empowered to make good professional decisions
• Extensive Learning & Development andcareer development opportunities
• Subsidised town centre car parking scheme

About the role

Do you have the skills and experience to engage and build positive trusting relationships with parents, children, and young people to inspire them to make worthwhile changes and improve life opportunities?

As Children’s Services are improving, exciting new opportunities have opened in the Children in Care Service based in Kettering, providing support to families and children, who reside county wide.

We are looking to recruit a Family Support Worker to be part of the team building meaningful relationships with children and their families helping them grow, prosper and achieve. The role is based in Kettering but you will be required to move effectively across the county and beyond if required.

What will you be doing?

The primary focus of this role is to work directly with children and families where children are looked after by the Local Authority.

You will provide targeted support and undertake direct work with children, young people and their families to help achieve agreed outcomes and progress care plans. Working closely with social workers and partner agencies, you will contribute to assessments, gather and record information, and support planning and decision-making processes.

Working predominantly with children and families involved in care proceedings, you will supervise and facilitate family time, support the completion of assessments, and work alongside families to promote positive change and enable safe rehabilitation wherever appropriate. You will liaise with a range of professionals to ensure coordinated support and maintain accurate and timely records of your work.

About you

You are enthusiastic, highly motivated and able to work effectively both independently and as part of a team. You have experience of working directly with children and families and are committed to achieving positive outcomes.

You have experience supporting children and families, including contributing to assessment-based work, and you possess strong written recording and communication skills.

Educated to GCSE level or equivalent, you are confident in using IT systems and have a good working knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel.

You have a sound understanding of current legislation, policies and guidance relevant to working with children, young people and families, and you are able to apply this knowledge within your role.

This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore subject to an enhanced DBS certificate. It is also a regulated activity and will be subject to a Barred List check

About us

At Northamptonshire Children’s Trust, children, young people and families are at the heart of everything we do. Every decision we make and every action we take is guided by our commitment to delivering high-quality services that make a lasting difference to the lives of children, young people and families across Northamptonshire.

We know that our people are our greatest strength. Our workforce is at the centre of our success, and we are committed to creating an environment where colleagues feel valued, supported and empowered to do the best job of their lives every day. We foster a culture built on kindness, collaboration and trust, where achievements are recognised, ideas are welcomed and innovation is encouraged.

We are proud of the positive impact we make together and delighted that our work has been recognised by Ofsted, with anOutstanding rating for Leadership and Management and Good ratings across Help and Protection, Children in Care and Care Leavers.

At NCT equality, diversity and inclusion are part of us and in everything we do, to enable all colleagues to develop and thrive in our organisation. We are a Disability Confident employer and have a commitment to care leavers, who we guarantee an interview if they meet the essential criteria.

If you are passionate about making a difference and want to be part of an ambitious, supportive and forward-thinking organisation, Northamptonshire Children’s Trust could be the place for you.

Supporting Children – A Career That Matters

Northamptonshire Children's Trust 28 subscribers