Functional Family Therapy Practitioner

Cheshire East Council; Macclesfield; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid/remote working options

34+ days annual leave (up to 39)

Salary sacrifice green car scheme

White goods salary sacrifice scheme

Enhanced public pension

Cycle to work scheme

Employee assistance programme

Discounted gym membership

Job summary

Cheshire East Council’s Children's Services is seeking a Functional Family Therapy Practitioner to work with families and children to deliver FFT-CW interventions in the community. You will support parents, strengthen relationships and help families build resilience through an evidence-based programme.

You’ll join a dedicated team, work with partner agencies, maintain accurate case records and participate in supervision to ensure fidelity to the model. Hybrid/remote working options available.

Qualifications

• Hold a relevant degree and have experience working with children, young people and families.
• Understand child development, trauma and safeguarding, and can apply this knowledge in practice.
• Have strong communication skills and the ability to engage and motivate families.
• Be organised, adaptable and able to manage a varied caseload.
• Work effectively both independently and as part of a multi-agency team.
• Be committed to continuous learning and delivering high-quality, evidence-based support.
• Have a flexible approach and be willing to travel across the borough.

Responsibilities

• Deliver intensive, home-based FFT-CW interventions to children and families.
• Support parents and carers to strengthen family relationships and manage children's behaviour effectively.
• Help families develop resilience, improve communication and create positive, lasting outcomes.
• Work collaboratively with partner agencies to provide coordinated support for children and families.
• Maintain high-quality case records and ensure practice complies with safeguarding and statutory requirements.
• Participate in specialist training and ongoing clinical supervision to maintain fidelity to the FFT-CW model.
• Work flexibly, including occasional evenings, to maximise family engagement and support positive outcomes.

Skills

Communication skills

Trauma awareness

Safeguarding knowledge

Flexibility

Education

Relevant degree

Job description

Join our dedicated Children's Services team and help make a lasting difference to the lives of children and families across Cheshire East as a Functional Family Therapy Practitioner

What is Functional Family Therapy Child Welfare (FFT-CW)?

Functional Family Therapy Child Welfare (FFT-CW) is an evidence-based therapeutic intervention that will be delivered in Cheshire East for children aged 0-9 and their families who are at risk of care entry due to significant child welfare concerns. FFT-CW works with children, parents, carers and wider family networks to strengthen relationships, improve communication, enhance parenting approaches and reduce the factors placing children at risk.

The model combines structured family-based therapeutic intervention with practical support, helping families build on their strengths and develop the skills, confidence and resilience needed to achieve lasting change. FFT-CW can support families experiencing challenges such as family conflict, emotional wellbeing concerns, trauma, anxiety, substance misuse and difficulties within family relationships.

FFT is an internationally recognised model delivered to thousands of families each year and is supported by ongoing research, training, and clinical oversight to ensure high-quality, evidence-based practice.

Previous FFT-CW qualifications are not required.

Successful candidates will receive comprehensive training in the licensed FFT-CW model, together with ongoing coaching, supervision, consultation and fidelity support from an FFT consultant.

This role provides a unique opportunity to develop therapeutic and systemic practice skills within internationally recognised, evidence-based interventions.

About us

At Cheshire East Council we are resident, and partner focused with a vision to enable prosperity and wellbeing for all. People really are at the heart of everything we do and that starts with our incredible workforce. We promote a culture of high performance where people can aspire, thrive and flourish, where we strive to deliver best value in everything we do.

For us, success isn’t just about what we achieve, but how we achieve it together. We promote curiosity, excellence, innovation and continuous improvement.

We are values led and committed to wellbeing and inclusion for all, where our employees co-created our values of drive, integrity, respect and collaboration which inform all that we do.

We are proud to work for Cheshire East Council and believe you would be too!

Join us on a meaningful journey in Children’s Social Care at Cheshire East Council

We’re on a meaningful journey in Children’s Social Care and we’d love for you to be part of it. Joining us means becoming part of a supportive, forward-thinking team that’s passionate about making a real difference in the lives of children and young people. Everything we do is about putting them first, helping them grow, thrive and reach their full potential so they can build brighter futures.

If this sounds like the kind of impact you want to make, we’d be delighted to hear from you. Come and join us in shaping positive change for our young people.

About the role:

As a Functional Family Therapy Practitioner, you will work closely with children and their families to help create safer, stronger and more stable home environments. Through a structured, evidence-based programme, you will support families to overcome challenges, build positive relationships and achieve lasting change.

Key responsibilities:

• Deliver intensive, home-based FFT-CW interventions to children and families.
• Support parents and carers to strengthen family relationships and manage children's behaviour effectively.
• Help families develop resilience, improve communication and create positive, lasting outcomes.
• Work collaboratively with partner agencies to provide coordinated support for children and families.
• Maintain high-quality case records and ensure practice complies with safeguarding and statutory requirements.
• Participate in specialist training and ongoing clinical supervision to maintain fidelity to the FFT-CW model.
• Work flexibly, including occasional evenings, to maximise family engagement and support positive outcomes.

This is just a snapshot of some of the exciting things you’ll be doing in the role, to find out more about the other key responsibilities of the role please view the attached job description.

About you:

We're looking for a skilled and compassionate practitioner who is passionate about helping children and families achieve positive change. You will be confident building relationships, working collaboratively with others, and supporting families through complex challenges.

You will:

• Hold a relevant degree and have experience working with children, young people and families.
• Understand child development, trauma and safeguarding, and can apply this knowledge in practice.
• Have strong communication skills and the ability to engage and motivate families.
• Be organised, adaptable and able to manage a varied caseload.
• Work effectively both independently and as part of a multi-agency team.
• Be committed to continuous learning and delivering high-quality, evidence-based support.
• Have a flexible approach and be willing to travel across the borough.

To find out more about the essential and desirable criteria for the role please view the attached job description specification document.

What we offer in return:

• A competitive salary- Between £41,771 per annum - £48,072 per annum (CEC NJC – Grade10) with guaranteed yearly pay increases!
• Enhanced annual leave- Start with an impressive 34 days of annual leave (including bank holidays) from day one, and watch it grow to 39 days after just five years of service
• Purchase of annual leave- Want more time off? You can purchase up to 10 extra days of annual leave each year, giving you the flexibility to balance work and life just the way you want (Pro-rata for part-time staff)
• Flexible working pattern- Enjoy a 37-hour standard full-time work week with the added perks of flexitime and hybrid/remote working arrangements where possible. Your work-life balance just got a whole lot better!
• Salary sacrifice green car scheme- Drive green and save green! Lease a brand-new electric or hybrid car through our salary sacrifice scheme. There’re no credit checks, no deposits, just significant savings and exclusive offers on a three-year lease
• White goods salary sacrifice scheme- Upgrade your home with ease. Purchase home and electronic items through our salary sacrifice scheme, spreading the cost of big-ticket purchases like appliances, computers, and tech gadgets directly from your salary
• Enhanced public pension- Secure your future with our career average pension, where contributions are built at a rate of 1/49th of your yearly pensionable pay
• Cycle to work scheme- Save up to 25-39% on the retail price of bikes and safety equipment through Income Tax and National Insurance savings. Get fit and save money!
• Employee assistance programme- Access a completely free and confidential assistance service to help manage, reduce, and overcome life’s challenges, both at work and in your personal life
• Discounted gym membership- Stay active and healthy with corporate membership prices for Everybody Leisure, including:
  • Gym, Swim and Group Fitness at all 16 facilities
  • Off-Peak Racket Sports
  • Athletics Tracks
  • Sauna/Steam/Spa