Early Help Family Support Practitioner

Family Support Practitioner - Fixed Term Contract (FTC) x 3

 A number of exciting opportunities have arisen in the Early Help and Children and Family service for 3 Family Support Practitioners. The Early Help Service in Tower Hamlets is continuing its journey to deliver excellence through a service model based on the Family Hubs Approach. You will hold a professional qualification in a child/youth or family related discipline e.g. early years, health, education, social work, youth work, probation or youth justice; to a minimum of level four and /or a relevant degree.

Early Help means taking action to support children and their families early in the life of a challenge they may face and intervening at the earliest opportunity. Early Help and Early Intervention has the potential to transform the lives of children, young people and their families, especially those who are disadvantaged from an early age.

When delivered successfully, Early Help reduces stress on families and communities and ensures that families receive the Right Help at the Right Time.

The post holders will be based in the Children and Family Centres and work across the local authority. The post holder will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team to deliver family-led interventions to families needing Early Help Support.

 Primarily the role will involve:

• Identification and assessment of the needs of families alongside sustained engagement to safeguard the welfare of and improve outcomes for children, young people and parents.
• The development of targeted, level 2, Early Help intervention plans, of up to 6 months duration, using the Early Help Assessments with families where there are children or young people aged from birth to 19 (up to age 25 if they have SEND) in order to improve their social, emotional, health and educational outcomes and to ensure a multi-agency/disciplinary response to the assessed needs.
• Building effective and creative relationships with key partners in the private sector; internal and external agencies including both statutory and voluntary early year providers, schools and parents in order to ensure that children, young people and their families are identified for appropriate level 2 support at the earliest possible stage.
• Managing a mixed caseload of children and young people from birth to 19 (up to age 25 if they have SEND) incorporating whole family work and Restorative Practice as key approaches to engaging in positive learning activities and empowering children, young people and their families; working systemically to provide a mixture of short-life individual and group interventions.
• Where appropriate taking on the Lead Professional role by ensuring that cases are coordinated for the child, young person, and their family and to act as the single point of contact for the range of different professionals involved.

 About you:

• You should hold a minimum of a level 4 professional qualification or degree in a child/youth or a family related discipline e.g. early years, health, education, social work, youth work, probation or youth justice and / or a relevant degree.
• An Enhanced DBS check is also essential.
• You must have experience in delivering a range of interventions with Early Help Families.
• You will ensure effective intervention as well as engage in preventative work.
• You must be willing and able to undertake home visits and provide direct work with families from a range of settings across the borough.
• You will have experience in assessing the needs of families through a range of assessment tools including the Early Help Assessment or Equivalent Early Help Framework.
• You will work in accordance with national and local policies and procedures, and use the law, regulatory and statutory guidance to inform practice decisions.
• You will complete accurate, factual and timely case recording using a case-management system; providing a range of reports as required.
• You will work with schools, health, and partner agencies and represent the Council at a range of meetings. You will ensure effective intervention as well as engage in preventative work.
• You will be self-motivated, energetic, willing to learn, a keen team player and have a passion for Early Intervention and Early Help.

Working Patterns:  We are looking for the following:

•  Full Time - 35 hours x 1 (maternity cover)
• Part Time - 28 hour post x 1 (maternity cover)
• Part Time - 20 hour post. x 1

Working hours are between the hours of 7am-7pm including weekend work as required

Location – Varied. These are face to face roles which require daily attendance at a locality location or central base. 

Additional Details

Tower Hamlets vision for our borough is that: people are aspirational, independent and have equal access to opportunities; we are a borough that our residents are proud of and love to live in; and we are a dynamic, outcomes-based council using digital innovation and partnership working to respond to the changing needs of our borough. We want people who aspire to our TOWER values: Together; Open; Willing; Excellent; Respect. 

Tower Hamlets has a zero-tolerance approach to, and works to eradicate, all forms of discrimination on the basis of race, sex, disability, age, religion or belief, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital status, status as a civil partner, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy and maternity and looks to employ a diverse workforce representative of those groups. We recognise that people can also be disadvantaged by their social and economic circumstances, so we will work to eliminate discrimination and disadvantage caused by social class.

We are a Disability Confident Employer, which means applicants who declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the post are guaranteed an interview. Care experience has also been adopted by the Council as an additional protected characteristic.

We welcome applicants interested in flexible working arrangements and also applicants who live in the borough. We offer a:

• Competitive salary

• Local Government Pension Scheme membership.

• Generous annual leave: 29 days, rising to 33 with 5+ years’ service, plus bank holidays and 3 additional days at Christmas.

• Flexible and agile working to support work–life balance.

• Staff money-saving schemes (e.g., rent deposit loans, season ticket loans).

• Learning and development opportunities through our Learning Academy, with clear career development and leadership pathways.

Tower Hamlets is a truly unique borough at the heart of London – a place where history and innovation sit side by side. From the docks and markets that shaped the East End to the global business hub of Canary Wharf, we are proud to be one of the most dynamic, diverse, and ambitious communities in the UK. We are also one of the fastest growing and youngest boroughs in the country, offering unrivalled opportunities to make a real difference to people’s lives. Our residents are energetic, creative, and resilient, and our council is committed to delivering the best possible services and opportunities for them.

Our award-winning new Town Hall in Whitechapel provides a modern, flexible workplace for our staff, right at the heart of the borough and directly opposite Whitechapel Tube and Elizabeth line station. It is more than just a workplace – it’s a hub for collaboration, innovation and community, designed to bring out the best in our people.

As an employer, we put equality, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of everything we do. Our active Employee Network Groups celebrate and champion our workforce, helping to ensure that everyone feels a sense of belonging. Guided by our TOWER values – Together, Open, Willing, Excellent and Respect – we are building a positive, inclusive culture where colleagues can thrive.

At Tower Hamlets Council, you’ll find exciting challenges, supportive colleagues, and the chance to shape one of London’s most important and vibrant places. If you’re looking for a role where you can see the impact of your work every day, then Tower Hamlets is the place for you.