Neurodiversity Family Support Worker

Portsmouth City Council; Portsmouth; Hybrid; GBP 26,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

Portsmouth City Council is seeking a dedicated Family Support Worker to join our Education team in Portsmouth. You will work with neurodiversity professionals, children, families and practitioners to understand needs and develop supportive plans.

Reporting to the Service Lead, you will provide high-quality information, advice and guidance, map a child’s profile, and collaborate to deliver earlier, more effective intervention.

Qualifications

• Nationally recognised qualification such as NVQ Level 4, or higher-level qualification, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Up-to-date knowledge of neurodiversity and impact of neurodevelopmental differences on children and families.
• Experience working directly with children, young people and families.
• Experience delivering training to parents or professionals is an advantage.
• Must be a car driver with access to transport or able to travel around the city.

Responsibilities

• Work alongside neurodiversity professionals, children, families and practitioners to understand neurodevelopmental differences and identify needed support.
• Map a child’s individual profile, understand their needs and develop appropriate plans.
• Provide high-quality information, advice and guidance to children, families and professionals.
• Build positive relationships with families and professionals to help navigate challenges and celebrate progress.
• Contribute to improving outcomes for children and young people through earlier and more effective intervention.
• Occasional evening and out-of-hours work may be required.

Skills

Experience with neurodiversity

Driver's license

Education

NVQ Level 4 or equivalent

Job description

Working Hours

37

Location

Civic Offices, Portsmouth

Closing Date

29/11/2026

Job Category

Education

Region / Division

UK Region

Directorate

Job Introduction

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.

Your new Role

As a Family Support Worker, you will work alongside a range of neurodiversity professionals, as well as children, families and practitioners, helping them to better understand neurodevelopmental differences and identify the support that can make a positive difference.

Reporting to the Service Lead, you will provide high-quality information, advice and guidance to children, families and professionals. You will help practitioners across the workforce to map a child's individual profile, understand their needs and develop appropriate plans to support them.

You will have the opportunity to build positive relationships with families and professionals, helping them navigate the challenges and celebrate the successes of neurodiversity. Your work will contribute to improving outcomes for children and young people while supporting earlier and more effective intervention.

This is a varied role, and occasional evening and out-of-hours working will be required.

The Ideal Candidate

We are looking for someone who is passionate about improving outcomes for neurodiverse children and young people and who understands the difference that timely, practical support can make to families.

You will have a nationally recognised qualification such as NVQ Level 4, another higher-level qualification, or equivalent relevant experience. You will have up-to-date knowledge of neurodiversity and a good understanding of the impact neurodevelopmental differences can have on children and their families.

You will have experience of working directly with children, young people and families and be confident working collaboratively with a range of professionals. Experience of delivering training to parents or professionals would be an advantage.

You will also need to be a car driver with access to transport, or otherwise be able to travel effectively around the city to meet the requirements of the role.

Working Arrangements: You 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.

Interview date: Monday 15th December 2026

Application process

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

We strongly encourage candidates to add all Career and Education History to their application, as CVs are not reviewed as part of the shortlisting process.

We are a disability confident employer and have an Armed Forces Covenant. We are committed to offering an interview to all those candidates that qualify under one of our commitments and meet the minimum criteria, however, for roles that receive a large number of applications, this is not always possible, and we will select the candidates that best meet the minimum criteria.

Internal only Employees

If applying as a secondment you will need permission from your current line manager releasing you for this secondment. Please state you have this on your Personal statement

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

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

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) at Standard/Enhanced level will be required prior to any offer of employment and this post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Please read the relevant DBS privacy notice before submitting any information.

You will need to explain any gaps in your career history within the last 5 years - this is essential for all safeguarding roles.