Family Support • Cornwall
Community Family Practitioner
Provide practical, relational and safeguarding support to children and families across Devon as part of a social-work-led organisation.
Job summary
Nurtura Connect is a social-work-led organisation with experience across statutory children's services, family support, safeguarding, assessment, supervision and community-based intervention.
Our work is trauma-informed and grounded in respect, dignity, professional curiosity and safe outcomes for children.
We are building a trusted bank of practitioners who can offer responsive and flexible support to children and families during periods of pressure, vulnerability, crisis or change.
This opportunity may also be relevant to experienced family support workers, family support practitioners, children's support workers and child and family support practitioners whose experience and qualifications match the role requirements.
Contract & availability
Flexible contract, with potential for regular hours.
This position is offered on a zero-hours contract. We are particularly interested in applicants looking for regular, full-time-equivalent hours who can offer a high level of availability.
Hours cannot be guaranteed, but we anticipate being able to offer regular work to practitioners whose availability matches the requirements of our assignments.
- ✓Seeking regular and substantial working hours.
- ✓Broad availability across the week.
- ✓Willingness to work flexibly across different shift patterns.
- ✓Ability to respond reliably to available assignments.
- ✓Availability for some weekdays, evenings, weekends, waking nights and bank holidays.
- ✓Willingness to consider short-notice and occasional out-of-county assignments.
About the role
Community Family Practitioners provide practical, relational and safeguarding support to children and families who may be experiencing poverty, trauma, domestic abuse, exploitation, poor mental health, neurodiversity, housing instability, isolation or difficulty sustaining safe and stable family life.
You will work directly with parents, carers, children and wider family networks using a whole-family approach. The focus is on helping families understand concerns, build strengths, reduce risks, improve routines and access the right support at the right time.
What you'll be doing
- ✓Provide direct work with children, parents, carers and wider family networks.
- ✓Support families with routines, boundaries, parenting confidence, home conditions, budgeting, access to services and community inclusion.
- ✓Contribute to assessments of need by observing family strengths, risks, routines, home conditions, support networks and barriers to change.
- ✓Undertake life story work with children who have experienced trauma, instability and uncertainty.
- ✓Provide care and support to children in the community, including at short notice where required.
- ✓Deliver structured, time-limited support with clear goals, review points and evidence of impact.
- ✓Provide Family Time support, practical supervision, emergency community support or short-notice family support where appropriate.
- ✓Record visits, direct work, engagement, progress, concerns and next steps clearly and promptly.
- ✓Escalate safeguarding concerns or emerging risk without delay.
- ✓Work safely in the community, following lone-working, confidentiality, information-sharing and risk-assessment arrangements.
What we're looking for
- ✓Level 3 or above qualification in childcare, health and social care, youth work, family support, education, domestic abuse, housing support or a related field.
- ✓Experience of direct work with children, parents, carers or vulnerable families.
- ✓Experience of trauma-informed, restorative, motivational, strengths-based or solution-focused approaches.
- ✓A good understanding of safeguarding, professional boundaries, confidentiality and child-centred practice.
- ✓Ability to engage families who may be anxious, distressed, overwhelmed or reluctant to accept support.
- ✓Strong observation, communication, recording, de-escalation and problem-solving skills.
- ✓Ability to travel to family homes and community settings and work flexibly where agreed.
- ✓A warm, respectful and non-judgmental approach.
Driving
A full UK driving licence is desirable. Applicants must be able to travel to family homes and community settings as required.
What we offer
Work with support behind you.
- ✓£15–£23 per hour depending on experience and the service request.
- ✓Flexible bank and sessional opportunities, subject to service needs and suitability.
- ✓Social-work-led management support and reflective oversight.
- ✓Clear assignment information before work begins, including scope, hours, reporting arrangements and known risks.
- ✓Values-led work where children and families are treated with dignity and respect.
- ✓Opportunities to contribute to meaningful, time-limited support that helps families stabilise, rebuild and sustain change.
About Nurtura Connect
Nurtura Connect is a social-work-led organisation supporting children's services across the South West. We combine professional standards, safeguarding awareness and relationship-based practice with a practical, people-first approach.
Apply
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