Parenting Worker

Lancashire County Council; Lancashire; On-site; GBP 29,000 - 33,000; Full time

Job summary

Lancashire County Council is seeking a Child and Family Practitioner to work with children, young people and families across Lancashire. You will work alongside Social Workers to provide practical support and contribute to planning and reviews, with supervision and ongoing professional development.

The role involves direct work with families, maintaining case records and participating in meetings. Evening or weekend work may occasionally be required to meet needs.

Qualifications

• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to work with families facing complex challenges.
• Commitment to anti-discriminatory practice and child-centred approaches.

Responsibilities

• Build positive relationships with children, young people, parents and carers.
• Undertake direct work with families to support positive change and improve outcomes.
• Work with children subject to Child in Need/Child Protection plans and looked after children.
• Support families to develop strengths, resilience and independence.
• Plan and facilitate group sessions for parents and carers.
• Assist with assessments, risk assessments and safety planning.
• Attend meetings and contribute to SMART plans and reviews.
• Maintain accurate electronic records and contribute to meetings.

Job description

| Salary £29,071-£33,119, Per annum | Permanent, Full Time, 37 hours per week |

Child and Family Practitioner

Parenting Support Worker - North covering Lancaster, Morecambe, Fylde and Wyre

Join Us in Making a Difference

Are you passionate about helping children, young people and families thrive? Do you enjoy building positive relationships, supporting change, and working as part of a dedicated team? If so, we'd love to hear from you.

As a Child and Family Practitioner, you'll play a vital role in supporting children, young people and their families across Lancashire. Working alongside Social Workers, Senior Social Workers and other professionals, you'll provide practical and direct support that helps families overcome challenges and achieve positive, lasting outcomes.

This is a rewarding opportunity to be part of a supportive team that is committed to safeguarding children, promoting resilience and helping families reach their full potential.

About The Role

You’ll work directly with children, young people, parents and carers, supporting identified pieces of work and delivering interventions that bring about meaningful change. You'll have the opportunity to make a real difference through relationship-based practice, while being supported through regular supervision, team discussions and ongoing professional development.

As part of the role, you'll maintain accurate case records, contribute to planning and reviews, and work collaboratively with partner agencies to ensure children and families receive the right support at the right time.

The role may occasionally require evening, weekend or public holiday working to meet the needs of the families we support.

Our Vision

We want all children, young people and their families to be:

• Safe and protected from harm
• Healthy and resilient
• Heard and involved in decisions affecting them
• Supported to achieve their full potential
• Able to enjoy a happy and fulfilling life in Lancashire

What You'll Be Doing

Working Directly with Children and Families

• Build positive relationships with children, young people, parents and carers.
• Undertake direct work with families to support positive change and improve outcomes.
• Work with children who are subject to Child in Need plans, Child Protection plans and those who are looked after.
• Support families to develop strengths, resilience and independence.
• Plan and facilitate group sessions for parents and carers.

Supporting Social Work Practice

• Work alongside Social Workers on assessments and interventions.
• Assist with Child and Family Assessments, exploitation assessments, risk assessments and safety planning.
• Attend meetings and contribute to developing SMART plans that focus on achieving positive outcomes.
• Participate in the team's duty rota and support service delivery as required.

Recording and Reporting

• Maintain accurate, high-quality electronic records on LCS.
• Produce reports and contribute information for meetings and reviews.
• Ensure all work is recorded in an analytical and child-focused way.

Partnership Working

• Develop strong working relationships with colleagues, partner agencies and community organisations.
• Work collaboratively to ensure families receive coordinated and effective support.
• Promote the voices of children, young people and families in decision-making.

Advocacy and Participation

• Help children, young people and families understand their rights and access appropriate services.
• Support individuals to express their views and wishes in meetings and reviews.
• Challenge inequality, discrimination and barriers to accessing support.
• Promote inclusive practice and celebrate diversity in everything you do.

What We're Looking For

We're looking for someone who:

• Is passionate about improving outcomes for children and families.
• Has excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• Can work confidently with families facing complex challenges.
• Values partnership working and collaborative practice.
• Is organised, motivated and able to maintain high-quality records.
• Is committed to anti-discriminatory practice and child-centred approaches.
• Can work flexibly to meet the needs of the service.

Why Join Us?

Working with us means joining a team that genuinely cares about the children, families and communities we serve. You'll benefit from:

• A supportive and experienced team environment.
• Regular supervision and professional guidance.
• Opportunities for learning and development.
• The chance to make a meaningful difference every day.
• A role where your skills, ideas and commitment are valued.

If you're passionate about helping children and families create brighter futures, we'd love to welcome you to our team.

The post you are applying for is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013). If successful you will be required to apply to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) for a 'disclosure'. Further information can be found on the 'Our Recruitment Process' tab.

You will be required to provide a car for use in connection with the duties of this post and must be insured for business use. However, we may consider you if you cannot drive because of a disability.

In return Lancashire County Council offers a range of benefits, which can be found on LCC Vacancies website. We reserve the right to close down a vacancy early, before the closing date, if we receive sufficient applications.

Local Government Reorganisation The Government has confirmed that local government across Lancashire will be reorganised, with the current 15 councils being replaced by four new unitary councils covering North, South, East and West Lancashire from April 2028. If you are successful in your application, you will initially join Lancashire County Council. However, as part of the planned transition, your employment will transfer to one of the new unitary councils from April 2028, subject to the implementation of the reorganisation and relevant employment legislation. Throughout this period, our focus remains on delivering excellent services to our communities. By joining us now, you'll play an important role in shaping the future of local government and helping to build a strong new organisation that will serve residents for years to come.