Housing Support Practitioner

Action for Children; Glasgow; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid leave

Cycle to work

Training opportunities

Family leave options

Employer pension match

Blue Light Card

Wellbeing day

Job summary

Action for Children is seeking a Housing Support Practitioner to empower young people toward independent living. The role is fast-paced and hands-on, focusing on building trusting relationships, delivering assessments, and coordinating tailored support across Glasgow.

You will lead on engagement, planning, and record-keeping, ensuring quality safeguarding and inclusive practices across the service.

Qualifications

• SVQ Level 3 in Social Care (or equivalent) relevant to housing support, or willingness to work towards gaining the qualification.
• Registration with the SSSC (or equivalent), or readiness to work towards registration.
• Experience in a social care setting, with a strong understanding of the challenges faced by young adults who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
• Knowledge and experience of safeguarding, including contributing to and following risk management plans.
• Awareness of mental health issues commonly experienced by young people, and the ability to respond supportively.
• Strong engagement skills, with the ability to build positive, trusting relationships with young people.
• Experience of multi‑agency working, and confidence collaborating with partners to deliver coordinated support.

Responsibilities

• Champion Action for Children’s core commitment to ‘keeping the child at the centre’, embedding our Participation Standards throughout your practice.
• Build strong, positive professional relationships with the young people you support, creating a foundation of trust and meaningful engagement.
• Complete assessments and develop action plans collaboratively, ensuring young people are fully involved in shaping their own support.
• Maintain the highest standards of safeguarding, whether through direct support or by recognising and reporting concerns about any child or young person.
• Promote equality, diversity and inclusion locally, linking with community frameworks to share best practice and contribute to relevant action plans.

Skills

Engagement skills

Relationship building

Safeguarding knowledge

Multi-agency working

Mental health awareness

Risk management

Communication

Education

SVQ Level 3 in Social Care

SSSC registration

Job description

Housing Support Practitioner

Salary: £26,200 per annum

Location: City of Glasgow

Contract/Hours: Fixed Term contract until 31 March 2027 / Full Time – 37 hours per week

Closing date for applications is midnight of 15th October and interviews are provisionally scheduled for 19th October

Benefits:

• Over 7 weeks inclusive paid leave and the option to buy or sell leave
• Cycle to work scheme
• Excellent training and the opportunity to undertake professional training for some roles
• Flexible maternity, paternity and adoption packages
• Up to 7% employer contribution and life assurance cover
• Blue Light Card eligibility with discounts at 15,000 national retailers
• As part of our commitment to staff wellbeing, you’ll receive a paid annual Wellbeing Day to use however you choose, supporting a healthy balance between work and life.

At Action for Children, we offer more than just a job. Join us and you’ll be part of a team dedicated to giving children safe and happy childhoods. See how your skills can make a real difference, helping solve the problems children and young people face every day.

A bit about the role

As a Housing Support Practitioner, you’ll be right at the heart of empowering young people to take the next big step toward independent living. This is a fast‑paced, hands‑on role where no two days look the same. You’ll build strong, trusting relationships with young people, supporting them to overcome challenges, celebrate progress, and develop the skills they need to thrive in their own tenancy.

You’ll lead on key working duties — from meaningful engagement and creative support planning to completing assessments and keeping clear, accurate records that show the impact of your work. You’ll bring energy, empathy and initiative as you coordinate support that genuinely makes a difference.

Based at our office in G34 9HJ, you’ll work across Glasgow, meeting young people where they are and adapting your approach to what they need. While the role is mainly Monday to Friday within office hours, you’ll bring a flexible mindset to support young people at times that work for them, including the occasional evening or weekend. You’ll also take part in on‑call duties as part of our wider team commitment.

About the Service

Glasgow GENR8 Housing Service is an outreach Housing Support provision based in Easterhouse, supporting young people aged 16–26 who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, or experiencing a housing transition. The service helps young people build the skills and confidence needed to manage a tenancy independently and responsibly.

Support includes practical skills such as budgeting, good door keeping, and key life skills. Alongside this, staff build nurturing, trusting relationships that promote emotional wellbeing, confidence, and independence. We work with young people across the whole of Glasgow, offering flexible support tailored to their needs.

What you do could make a difference

• Champion Action for Children’s core commitment to ‘keeping the child at the centre’, embedding our Participation Standards throughout your practice.
• Build strong, positive professional relationships with the young people you support, creating a foundation of trust and meaningful engagement.
• Complete assessments and develop action plans collaboratively, ensuring young people are fully involved in shaping their own support.
• Maintain the highest standards of safeguarding, whether through direct support or by recognising and reporting concerns about any child or young person.
• Promote equality, diversity and inclusion locally, linking with community frameworks to share best practice and contribute to relevant action plans.

Let’s talk about you

• SVQ Level 3 in Social Care (or equivalent) relevant to housing support, or a willingness to work towards gaining the qualification.
• Registration with the SSSC (or equivalent), or readiness to work towards registration.
• Experience in a social care setting, with a strong understanding of the challenges faced by young adults who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
• Knowledge and experience of safeguarding, including contributing to and following risk management plans.
• Awareness of mental health issues commonly experienced by young people, and the ability to respond supportively.
• Strong engagement skills, with the ability to build positive, trusting relationships with young people.
• Experience of multi‑agency working, and confidence collaborating with partners to deliver coordinated support.

Why Action for Children?

Every child should have a loving home, food, warmth, the chance to grow and learn - the support to cope with life’s challenges. But too many children don’t. By bringing your passion and unique skills and experience, you’ll help us change that where it really matters.

We've been driven by love to take action for children for over 150 years, giving them the protection and practical help they need. A lot’s changed since 1869. But what children really need, hasn’t. So as long as children need us, we’ll be here.

Will you join us?

Our Commitment to Equity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism

At Action for Children, we are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels respected, valued, and able to thrive. We know that racism and discrimination create barriers, and we are taking active steps to challenge these inequalities in our organisation and in the communities we serve.

We strongly welcome applications from people who are Black, Asian, or from other racialised and ethnically marginalised communities, as well as disabled people, who are currently under‑represented in our workforce. We are committed to removing barriers in our recruitment processes and ensuring fair access to opportunities.

We also encourage applications from men, who are under‑represented in our Children’s Services roles. We recognise that people hold multiple identities, and we value the richness this brings to our team.