Early Help Worker

An exciting opportunity is now available within Wokingham Borough Council's Integrated Early Help Service as we look to recruit an Early Help Worker to work within our busy team on a full-time basis.

As an Early Help Worker, you will be responsible for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children aged 0 to 18 years. You will manage a defined caseload and work with children, young people and their families to reduce risks associated with poor outcomes for children.  As a lead professional you will complete 'whole family' Early Help Assessments to gain an understanding of the children and family’s needs and develop a time-limited action plan to help the family achieve identified outcomes. This includes ensuring that the voices of children and young people are heard and modelling positive parenting and co-parenting.

You will work closely with other support services including Children's Social Care, Schools, Early Years, Health and Domestic Abuse services to coordinate wrap around, strength-based support for families. You will take a lead professional role in organising and chairing 'Team Around the Family' meetings to ensure that plans are effective and families are making progress with healthy change and increased resilience.

You will have a good understanding of risk factors associated with poor outcomes for children and young people. You will be able to demonstrate an inclusive, systemic approach to your work to ensure that the service you deliver is welcoming, professional and accessible, including ethnic minority groups, fathers and male carers, families with complex needs, children and young people who may be experiencing harm outside of the family home or network and families with physical and mental health issues.  

You will support children and families through group work, when needed, and work closely with your team to maintain operational services, including health & safety policies and procedures. 

Hybrid Working - This is a hybrid position working from our offices as well as attending meetings/visiting families as and when required, which includes working outside of normal office hours to meet the needs of families.

Candidate Requirements:

Minimum of 2 years’ experience of working with children (0 to 18 years) and families.

Experience of managing a caseload of families with complex needs.

Excellent communication skills, verbal and written, be creative, resilient and adaptable to change.

Essential to the work is a personal robustness to be able to cope with the demands of the role and an ethos of partnership and collaboration.

Daily use of a car and full driving licence is also essential for this post.

For an informal conversation about the role, please contact Heidi Stevenson Heidi.stevenson@wokingham.gov.uk or Beccy Franklin at Beccy.franklin@wokingham.gov.uk

Please be aware that we will be reviewing the applications we receive on a daily basis, and we reserve the right to close the advert early if suitable candidates are identified. Previous applicants need not apply.

Wokingham Borough Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff, other workers and volunteers to share this commitment. All successful candidates for this role will be subject to Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks along with other relevant employment checks.

Wokingham is an equal opportunities employer.

Closing Date:  11.00pm 02/02/2025