Family Worker - Preparation for Adulthood Team

Dorset Council; England; Hybrid; GBP 28,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Job summary

Dorset Council is seeking an experienced Family Worker (G8) to join the Preparation for Adulthood team within Birth to Settled Adulthood Service. You will support young people aged 14–25 with disabilities to develop independence and prepare for adulthood, delivering Preparation for Adulthood Plans and, when needed, Care Act assessments.

The role involves working across health, education and social care, with hybrid working options and travel across the service area.

Qualifications

• Experience of working directly with children or adults with a disability.
• Strong understanding of the importance of a positive transition to adulthood.
• Ability to build engaging professional relationships with families who may be difficult to engage.
• Excellent communication, assessment, and report-writing skills.
• Ability to travel across the service area as required.

Responsibilities

• Lead on Preparation for Adulthood Plans with young people and families.
• Complete Care Act assessments and care and support planning when required.
• Provide information, advice, and guidance to support transition.
• Work with multidisciplinary teams across health, education and social care.
• Travel across the service area as required.

Skills

Disability experience

Communication

Assessment

Report writing

Team player

Education

Childcare / Family Support

Job description

About the role

We are seeking an experienced, passionate, and motivated Family Worker (G8) to join our preparation for adulthood team which sits within the Birth to Settled Adulthood Service. This is an exciting opportunity to work with children and young people aged 14–25 with a range of developmental and physical conditions, and those who are neurodivergent, supporting them to achieve their full potential in everyday activities and to prepare them for adulthood.

As a Family Worker, you will take a lead role in supporting young people and families, helping them to develop independence and ensure that young people and their families have the right information at the right time to support smooth transition into adulthood. The key focus of the role is around completion of preparation for adulthood plans. On occasions you may be required to complete Care Act assessments and care and support planning for young people. You will be working within adult social care legislation, particularly the Care Act 2014, Mental Capacity Act 2006, as well as the Children and Families Act.

Your role will include completing Preparation for Adulthood Plans with young people and their families/carers. A Preparation for Adulthood Plan focuses on how a young person is developing their independence. You will offer information, advice, and guidance to support this process and inform the plan.

You may also be required to complete adult Care Act assessments and undertake other adult social care activities, including Mental Capacity Assessments and Best Interests decisions.

Much of our work is multi-disciplinary and requires a coordinated response between services. This includes working alongside Health, education, Children and Young People's Continuing Care, SEN Case Workers, specialist schools, and other clinical and therapeutic practitioners. We also work closely with colleagues in Adult Services to ensure young people are supported to transition successfully into adulthood.

The cohort of young people we work with requires exceptional skills, including the ability to work with pre-verbal children and children who use AAC, alongside undertaking direct work using tools such as PEIC-D.

About You

We are looking for someone who:

• Has experience of working directly with children or adults with a disability.
• Demonstrates a strong understanding of the importance of a positive transition to adulthood.
• Is confident in building effective professional relationships and engaging families who may be difficult to engage.
• Has excellent communication, assessment, and report-writing skills.
• Can work independently while contributing positively to a supportive team environment.
• Is committed to achieving the best possible outcomes for children, young people, and families.

Desirable Requirements

• Relevant qualification in Childcare, Family Support, Youth Work, Social Care, Education, or a related field.
• Experience of delivering support interventions or preparation for adulthood work.
• Sound knowledge of safeguarding legislation, guidance, and best practice.
• Ability to travel across the service area as required

The role is across Dorset and there are opportunities for Hybrid working and use of Dorset council offices closest to your location. You will however be expected to do home visits and attend the office for required meetings.

Further Information

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Ceri David Area Practice Manager on [e-mail]
This role is full-time at 37 hours per week.
Interviews are planned for 2nd December 2026

This role requires significant travel. You must have a vehicle (or transport we deem suitable) available for use as needed.

This post involves working with children and/or vulnerable adults and/or havingaccess to significant information about them. It will be subject to a Disclosure andBarring Service check. See our policy on the employment of ex-offenders.

See our policy on safeguarding children and young people.
See our adult safeguarding policy.

The friends and family referral scheme applies to this post. If an employeerecommended this post to you, mention them when asked on your application form. Employees can share this advert by using the button links alongside the job title.

About Us

At Dorset Council, it's not just about the work we do, it's about how we do it. Hear directly from our employees about what makes Dorset Council special in this short video:

At Dorset Council, we are working together to create a fairer, more prosperous, and more sustainable Dorset for everyone, now and in the future.

We:

• provide essential services that support over 300,000 residents
• work in partnership to make a real difference
• value every role and the impact it has on our communities
• support our employees to grow, develop, and thrive

You will:

• be part of a team that works together for a better Dorset
• have access to a range of benefits and support
• receive training and development opportunities to help your career progress

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation where different skills, perspectives, and backgrounds strengthen both our council and the communities we serve.

We welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. If you declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role, we will offer you an interview. We also want our recruitment process to be accessible, if you need any reasonable adjustments, just let us know on your application.

This role is UK-based, and we will need to confirm your Right to Work as part of the appointment process. We use generic job descriptions and person specifications, so the job title in any attachments may differ from the advert. If needed, we will provide additional details in a context statement.

If you’re passionate about making a difference, we’d love you to join us.

Find out more about how to apply.