Family Worker

Recovery Focus; Morpeth; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

27 days annual leave

Pension scheme with employer contrib.

Life assurance (3x salary)

Enhanced sick pay

Birthday leave

Employer-funded qualifications

24/7 online GP access

Employee assistance programme

Cycle to Work scheme

Blue Light Card discounts

Discounts and tickets for Good

Free will writing service

Job summary

Waythrough is seeking a Family Worker at HMP Northumberland to support families, carers and people in custody on their recovery journey. You will build trusted relationships, deliver evidence-based psychosocial interventions, and coordinate access to services, working with prison-based and community teams.

You will coordinate a holistic caseload, address safeguarding, and collaborate across multi‑agency settings to ensure sustainable support for families during transitions such as release or

Qualifications

• A relevant qualification such as Working with Families Level 3.
• Experience of working with children, young people and families.
• Strong communication skills, including active listening, negotiation, problem solving and the ability to challenge appropriately.
• Ability to build effective relationships while maintaining professional boundaries.
• Resilience to support families who may be experiencing complex or challenging circumstances.
• Experience of working collaboratively with professionals and agencies to coordinate support.
• Good organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage a caseload effectively.
• Experience of working within multi‑agency settings, including meetings involving adult and children's services.
• Ability to maintain concise, accurate records and use IT-based systems to support case management.
• Understanding of safeguarding and data protection and information sharing.
• Willingness to work flexibly, including evenings and weekends.
• Desirable: Experience or a qualification in therapeutic interventions such as MI, CBT or MST, including group work.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of families with risk assessments and safeguarding plans.
• Build professional relationships with families and carers.
• Provide individual and group-based support, including psychosocial interventions.
• Deliver interventions addressing family needs including parenting and mental health.
• Provide information on harm reduction, treatment options, addiction and recovery.
• Act as main contact for families, adapting support to needs.
• Promote the Think Family approach across Waythrough and the Partnership.
• Support families to access universal and community services.
• Assist with transitions within the prison system, including release or transfer planning.
• Plan exits from the service and ensure ongoing support where needed.
• Promote recovery journeys and provide examples of sustained recovery.
• Identify safeguarding concerns involving children and vulnerable adults.

Skills

Strong communication

Active listening

Negotiation

Problem solving

Professional boundaries

Time management

Multi-agency collaboration

IT literacy

Education

Working with Families Level 3

Job description

Family Worker - Reconnected to Health

Location: HMP Northumberland, Wansbeck Road, Morpeth, NE65 9XG

Working Hours: 37 hours per week, Monday to Thursday 08:00-16:00 and Friday 08:00-15:30

Contract Type: Permanent

Salary: £25,877.80 - £34,240.03

Please note: The salary listed reflects the full earning potential for this role. Starting salaries depend on experience and progression within the band.

About Waythrough

Waythrough was formed in 2024 following the merger of Humankind and Richmond Fellowship. Together, we’ve created one of the largest mental health and social support charities in England. Every year, we support around 125,000 people through nearly 200 services - and it’s all made possible by our 3,500 brilliant staff and volunteers.

Make a real difference in your community. Are you passionate about helping others live safer, healthier, more independent lives? Join our team at Waythrough and support people facing challenges around mental health, substance use, housing or domestic abuse. This is more than just a job – it’s a chance to build meaningful relationships and create lasting change.

About the role

As a Family Worker, you’ll play a key role in supporting families, carers and people in custody throughout their recovery journey. You’ll build trusted relationships, provide practical and emotional support, and help families access the right services to improve their health, wellbeing and relationships. Working as part of the Reconnect to Health service, you’ll provide holistic case coordination and evidence-based psychosocial interventions, supporting families through all stages of custody and helping them prepare for important transitions, including transfer or release. You’ll work closely with prison-based and community services to ensure families receive coordinated, person-centred support and have access to sustainable sources of help beyond the service.

What you'll do

• Manage a caseload of families and carers, ensuring appropriate risk assessments, risk management and safeguarding plans are in place and regularly reviewed.
• Build positive, professional relationships with families and carers based on trust, respect and reliable support.
• Provide a range of individual and group-based support, including evidence-based psychosocial interventions, community outreach and partnership working.
• Deliver interventions that respond to individual family needs, including parenting, mental health, health and wellbeing.
• Provide families and carers with information around harm reduction, substance use, treatment options, addiction and recovery.
• Act as a key point of contact for families and carers, adapting communication and support to meet their individual needs.
• Promote the Think Family approach across Waythrough and the wider Reconnect to Health Partnership.
• Support families to access universal and community services, helping them build sustainable sources of support.
• Promote engagement with family, carer, health and wellbeing services.
• Support families through transitions within the prison system, including planned preparation for release or transfer, working closely with prison and community-based services.
• Work with families to plan appropriate exits from the service and ensure ongoing support is in place where needed.
• Promote positive recovery journeys and, where appropriate, provide opportunities for families and carers to see examples of sustained recovery.
• Identify and respond appropriately to safeguarding concerns involving children and adults.

What you'll need to succeed

• A relevant qualification, such as Working with Families Level 3.
• Experience of working with children, young people and families.
• Strong communication skills, including active listening, negotiation, problem solving and the ability to challenge appropriately.
• The ability to build effective relationships while maintaining professional boundaries.
• Resilience and the ability to support families who may be experiencing complex or challenging circumstances.
• Experience of working collaboratively with a range of professionals and agencies to coordinate support.
• Good organisational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage a caseload effectively.
• Experience of working within multi‑agency settings, including meetings involving adult and children's services.
• The ability to maintain concise, accurate records and use IT‑based systems to support effective case management.
• An understanding of safeguarding and the ability to identify and respond appropriately to risk involving children and vulnerable adults.
• A sound understanding of confidentiality, data protection and information sharing.
• A willingness to work flexibly, including evenings and weekends where required.
• Desirable: Experience or a qualification in therapeutic interventions such as motivational interviewing (MI), CBT or MST, including group work.

What We Offer

• 27 days’ annual leave, rising to 32 after 1 year (plus bank holidays)
• Pension scheme with 4.5% employer contribution, matched up to 6.5%
• Life assurance (3× annual salary)
• Enhanced sick pay and family-friendly pay
• Birthday leave and the option to buy up to 5 extra days’ annual leave
• Professional fee reimbursement for relevant qualifications
• 24/7 online GP access and Employee Assistance Programme
• Recognition and long service awards via our Way to Go and Aspirations portals
• £500 Recommend a Friend bonus
• Cycle to Work scheme and Credit Union membership
• Discounts via Blue Light Card, Charity Discounts, Extras and Tickets for Good
• Free will writing service and wellbeing initiatives throughout the year

Inclusion and accessibility

Waythrough is proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and communities, especially those with lived experience of the issues we support. We have signed up to the Disability Confident Scheme - all applicants are welcome, and adjustments can be made to enable fair participation.

Closing Date: 2026-09-28

Waythrough launched in October 2024 following the merger of Humankind and Richmond Fellowship. In April 2026, Aquarius, our former subsidiary partner, merged with Waythrough. Our vision is to break down the barriers that stop people getting the support they need to live a life they value. We tackle poverty and disadvantage in communities, through mental health, drug and alcohol, housing and related support. We have 260 services around England - and nearly 3,500 amazing staff and volunteers who run them. Every year our services support around 130,000 people.