Job Description

Family Practitioner | 11363 | Secondment Opportunity / Temporary Fixed Term Contract until December 2027 (Maternity Cover) | 37 hours per week | £35,570 to £37,563 per annum | Grade H | Norwich & South Norfolk

Join an Outstanding Children's Service

Following our Ofsted inspection in May 2026, Norfolk Children's Services was proudly judged Outstanding, recognising the exceptional quality of our practice, leadership and outcomes for children, young people and families. This achievement reflects our commitment to a relationship-based approach, high-quality support and delivering meaningful change for the communities we serve.

We are seeking passionate, skilled and resilient Family Help Practitioners to join our Family Help Service and be part of a team making a real difference to the lives of vulnerable children, young people and families across Norfolk.

About the Role

As a Family Help Practitioner, you will manage a complex caseload of children, young people and families requiring targeted support to prevent problems escalating into statutory intervention.

Working within Norfolk's established Signs of Safety, Signs of Wellbeing and Signs of Success framework, you will undertake whole-family assessments, coordinate multi-agency plans and deliver evidence-based interventions that improve outcomes and build long-term resilience.

You will act as a Lead Practitioner, working directly with families experiencing a range of challenges including:

• Poor school attendance
• Neglect
• Domestic abuse
• Mental health concerns
• Substance misuse
• Family conflict
• Youth offending
• Poverty and financial hardship
• Housing difficulties and homelessness risk
• SEND-related challenges
• Vulnerable pregnancies and young parenthood

You will also undertake statutory Young Carers Assessments, Disabled Parents Protocol Assessments and Return Home Interviews for children who go missing.

What You'll Be Doing

• Managing a complex caseload of children, young people and families.
• Completing high-quality assessments of need and risk.
• Developing and coordinating outcome-focused family plans.
• Delivering targeted, evidence-based interventions and support.
• Building trusted relationships that empower families to make sustainable changes.
• Leading and chairing multi-agency meetings.
• Working collaboratively with schools, health professionals, social care, police and voluntary sector partners.
• Maintaining accurate, analytical case recordings and reports.
• Promoting safeguarding and ensuring children remain safe and well.

About You

We are looking for practitioners who are passionate about improving outcomes for children and families and who can confidently engage with families facing complex and often challenging circumstances.

Essential Requirements

• Degree-level qualification or NVQ Level 4 equivalent.
• Minimum two years' relevant experience working directly with children, young people and families.
• Significant experience supporting families with complex needs.
• Sound knowledge of safeguarding legislation, policy and practice.
• Experience delivering interventions that achieve positive behavioural change.
• Strong assessment, analytical and risk-management skills.
• Excellent communication and report-writing abilities.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within multi-agency environments.
• Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.

Desirable

• Experience managing a caseload of complex family support work.
• Experience chairing multi-agency meetings.
• Experience delivering evidence-based programmes such as Solihull, Triple P or Strengthening Families.
• Knowledge of Section 17 thresholds, Young Carers Assessments and Return Home Interviews.
• Training in Signs of Safety, Restorative Practice or Solihull (or willingness to undertake training).

Why Join Us?

• Be part of an Ofsted Outstanding Children's Service (May 2026).
• Work within a highly respected Family Help service that puts relationships and strengths at the heart of practice.
• Access high-quality training and continuous professional development.
• Benefit from supportive supervision and reflective practice.
• Work alongside experienced practitioners and multi-agency partners.
• Make a lasting difference to the lives of children, young people and families across Norfolk.

Our Approach

Our practice is guided by Norfolk Children's Services' Vital Signs Principles:

• Whole System – working in partnership across organisations.
• Whole Family – seeing the wider family picture.
• Outcome Focused – achieving positive change.
• Strengths Orientated – building on what families do well.
• Relationship Based – creating trusted and effective partnerships.

Safeguarding

Norfolk County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults. All appointments are subject to an Enhanced DBS check and satisfactory pre-employment screening.

If you are a compassionate, skilled practitioner who wants to work in an Outstanding service and help families achieve lasting change, we would love to hear from you.

Before you apply, we recommend reading the full Job Description and Person Specification to help you demonstrate you meet the criteria.

These are some benefits you can enjoy by working for Norfolk County Council:

• Competitive salary
• Generous holiday entitlement
• Health and Wellbeing services including fast-track physiotherapy and a free counselling service
• Flexible working opportunities including flexi-time, part time, remote and hybrid working – dependant on your job role and business need.
• Financial benefits such as:
• ‘Norfolk Rewards’ our employee discounts programme which helps you save money on almost anything, from everyday groceries and clothes, to holidays, new technology, gym membership, trips to the cinema and days out.
• A Blue Light card for Fire Service and Social Care Workers
• Relocation expenses (where applicable)
• An advance of your expenses if you travel for work
• Local Government Pension Scheme with generous employer contribution, life assurance, death in service payments and dependants’ pensions.
• Tax efficient ways of getting extra pension and new bikes
• Access to our tax efficient car lease scheme for greener travel enabling you to lease a brand new, ultra-low emission vehicle (subject to eligibility)
• A payment if you refer someone you know to a hard to fill job

You can also find information on our Terms and Conditions here.

Already a Norfolk County Council employee? See and apply for internal and external vacancies in myOracle using your @norfolk.gov.uk or @nccal.ac.uk email.

We would like to make you aware that priority consideration for this post may be given to current employees who are at risk due to restructure within the organisation or are in a redeployment position.

Redeployment closing date: 8 October 2026 at 23:55

All other applicants closing date: 18 October 2026 at 23:55