Neurodiversity Family Support Worker

Portsmouth City Council; Portsmouth; Hybrid; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

Portsmouth City Council is seeking a qualified individual for a new role focused on improving support for neurodiverse children and their families. This position involves delivering practical advice, facilitating training, and collaborating with professionals to enhance service delivery. Candidates should possess an NVQ level 4 qualification, have relevant experience working with vulnerable groups, and a strong understanding of neurodiversity. The ideal applicant will have excellent communication skills and be committed to making a meaningful impact within the community.

Qualifications

• Experience delivering advice and guidance for families.
• Understanding of safeguarding practices.
• Access to transport for mobility across Portsmouth.

Responsibilities

• Deliver information and guidance for children and families.
• Support practitioners in meeting children's needs.
• Work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.

Skills

Experience working with young people

Knowledge of neurodiversity

Ability to deliver training

Education

NVQ level 4 or equivalent

Job description

The Service

In Portsmouth we are proud to be at the forefront of integrated multi-agency work with neurodiverse children and their families. As a national trailblazer, we have launched our new ND pathway and Multidisciplinary 0-19yr Neurodiversity Service. This brings together experts from a range of fields to provide universal and targeted information, advice and guidance.

The Role

This exciting new role will give you the opportunity to work alongside a range of ND expertise in the city.

Working closely with colleagues, children and their families you will help us to better understand the challenges they face when children have additional needs and help shape our work to meet these needs.

You will deliver a range of information, advice and guidance for children, families and practitioners, and you will be central to improving the way in which we as a city support children, families and practitioners to navigate the many challenges and successes of being neurodiverse. You will ensure that practitioners across the workforce are able to map a child's individual profile and plan to meet their needs. You will ensure information, advice and guidance is provided to children, families and practitioners in the most effective way to ensure that improved outcomes are achieved, including reducing demand on high-cost specialist services.

There will be occasional evening and out of hours working.

The ideal candidate

You will need to have/be

• A nationally recognised qualification such NVQ level 4 or other higher-level qualification orequivalent experience. An up to date working knowledge of safeguarding children and young adults
• Experience of working with young people and their families and have a positive attitude to helping young adults and delivering a safe and effective offer.
• Experience of delivering training for parents and professionals would be an advantage.
• You need to have an up-to-date working knowledge of neurodiversity and, the impact it can have on children and families.
• A car driver with access to transport or able to easily access public transport to move across Portsmouth City.

Please see the Job profile for the full details of this role

The successful candidate will be expected to work from the office base at the civic offices twice a week in line with the council's hybrid working policy.

Contact Details for an Informal Discussion:

Claire Mason, Neurodiversity Service Lead, [e-mail] or call 023 92 841273

Interview date:7th August 2025

Application process

We anonymise applications during application & shortlisting to ensure only relevant information is considered.

As part of your application, we ask that you complete apersonal statement, this statement is crucial and is where you must demonstrate how you meet the requirements of the job against each of the points described in the 'Who is the Person'points on the Job Profile using examples from your experience or transferable skills.This might be through qualifications or descriptive examples from your work / personal experience.

We are a disability confident employer and Armed Forces Covenant gold standard. More information can be found at Equality, diversity and inclusion - Careers portal

We are committed to offering an interview to all those candidates that qualify under our corporate commitments and meet the minimum criteria, however, for roles that receive a large number of applications, we will select the candidates that best meet the minimum criteria.

You will need to demonstrate that you have the Right to Work in the UK. No post will be offered without it.

About Portsmouth City Council

What we can offer you:

Portsmouth City Council is a unique organisation, committed to making a difference, and is guided by core values that set who we are as people, what we stand for, and how we act.

Read more about working at Portsmouth City Council and our benefits on our careers portal homepage: Careers Portal - Find jobs with Portsmouth City Council

Portsmouth City Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and young people, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

DBS Disclosure at Enhanced level will be required prior to any offer of employment and this post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

Every post is subject to PCC and Portsmouth Safeguarding Children Partnership safer recruitment procedures.

Should you require any support in completing the application form please contact [e-mail] . or call the recruitment team on 023 92 616800