Job Description

Are you a compassionate and proactive individual with a proven ability to support families facing challenges? Do you have a passion for empowering young people and their families to thrive within a secondary school setting in Blackpool?

This secondary school is dedicated to providing an outstanding education and comprehensive pastoral care for all our students in Blackpool. We believe that strong family partnerships are vital to student success, and we are now seeking an exceptional Family Support Worker to join our dedicated team.

About the Role:

As our Family Support Worker, you will play a crucial role in bridging the gap between home and school, providing practical and emotional support to students and their families within the Blackpool community. This is a highly rewarding position where you will directly impact positive outcomes for our young people. Your key responsibilities will include:

  • Building trusting relationships with students, parents, and carers to identify needs and offer appropriate support.
  • Providing practical advice and guidance to families on issues such as attendance, behaviour, financial difficulties, housing, and access to local services in Blackpool.
  • Acting as a key point of contact for families, signposting them to relevant external agencies and support networks (e.g., local charities, social services, mental health support, food banks in Blackpool).
  • Facilitating and leading workshops, coffee mornings, and parenting programmes to foster stronger family engagement and improve outcomes.
  • Working collaboratively with the school's pastoral team, safeguarding leads, SENCO, and teachers to develop and implement individual support plans for vulnerable students and families.
  • Conducting home visits where necessary to offer support and build rapport.
  • Maintaining accurate and confidential records of interventions and communications.
  • Advocating for families needs within the school and with external partners.
  • Contributing to the school's overall strategy for student well-being and parental engagement.

The Ideal Candidate Will Have:

  • Proven experience in a family support, outreach, youth work, or similar role, ideally within an educational setting or working with adolescents.
  • A relevant qualification in social care, youth work, education, counselling, or a related field (e.g., NVQ Level 3/4, Diploma, Degree).
  • Excellent understanding of the challenges faced by families and young people, particularly within a Blackpool context.
  • Strong communication, empathy, and active listening skills, with the ability to build rapport with diverse individuals and families.
  • Knowledge of safeguarding and child protection procedures and a commitment to promoting the welfare of children.
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team, managing a varied caseload effectively.
  • A proactive, resilient, and non-judgmental approach.
  • Familiarity with local Blackpool services and referral pathways is highly desirable.
  • Strong organisational and administrative skills.

Why Join [Your School Name] in Blackpool?

  • The chance to be part of a school at the heart of the Blackpool community, truly impacting lives.
  • A commitment to staff well-being and a respectful working environment.

Application Process:

Completed application forms should be returned to rachael.boaler@twrecruitment.com ASAP (the role is open-ended).

This school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and satisfactory references.