Job Description

Role: Family Support Practitioner – Best Start Inclusion

Salary: £26,800 per annum

Location: Plymouth

Contract/Hours: Fixed Term until 31 March 2028, Full Time – 37 hours per week (including evenings up to 8pm and weekends as and when required)

Benefits:

• Over 7 weeks inclusive paid leave and the option to buy or sell leave
• As part of our commitment to staff wellbeing, you’ll receive a paid annual Wellbeing Day to use however you choose, supporting a healthy balance between work and life.
• Excellent training and the opportunity to undertake professional training for some roles
• Flexible maternity, paternity and adoption packages
• Up to 5% employer contribution and life assurance cover
• Blue Light Card eligibility with discounts at 15,000 national retailers

Interviews to be held week commencing 28th September 2026.

At Action for Children, we offer more than just a job. Join us and you’ll be part of a team dedicated to giving children safe and happy childhoods. See how your skills can make a real difference, helping solve the problems children and young people face every day.

A bit about the role

As a Family Support Practitioner for our Best Start Inclusion (SEND) team, you’ll be working across Green Arke and Manor Street Children's Centre Family Hubs and the wider Plymouth area as required. You'll provide specialist SEND advice, guidance and support to children, families and partner services, delivering parenting programmes, SEND drop-ins, group sessions and community-based activities.

Alongside group delivery, you'll also provide tailored one-to-one support for families requiring more intensive intervention, helping them navigate services and meet the individual needs of their children. Using your SEND knowledge and best practice, you'll play a key role in promoting inclusion, empowering families and improving outcomes for children. Some planned evening and weekend working will be required.

How you'll help to create brighter futures

• Act as the lead SEND contact, providing specialist advice, guidance and tailored support to children, families and partner services.
• Deliver a range of SEND-focused interventions, including drop-in sessions, parenting support, group programmes and targeted outreach activities.
• Work closely with parents, carers, early years settings, schools and community partners to support children's development and promote inclusive practice.
• Assess needs, plan and deliver bespoke support strategies and resources that help children with SEND achieve positive outcomes.
• Build strong multi-agency relationships, making appropriate referrals, coordinating support and maintaining high-quality records and reports.

Let's talk about you.

Our job description for the Family Support Practitioner outlines the requirements of the role but the ‘must-haves' are:

• Level 3 or above qualification in social care, health, education, or early years.
• Experience of supporting SEND children and their families.
• Experience of working within a multi-agency social care, early years or health environment and applying safeguarding procedures.
• Good IT skills with experience of managing cases, maintaining accurate and concise records, and completing assessments, plans and reviews to achieve positive outcomes.
• Ability to undertake home /site visits, ensuring compliance with lone working policies and procedures.
• Ability to communicate effectively and engagingly and to maintain independent professional relationships, boundaries.

Why Action for Children?

Every child should have a loving home, food, warmth, the chance to grow and learn - the support to cope with life’s challenges. But too many children don’t. By bringing your passion and unique skills and experience, you’ll help us change that where it really matters.

We've been driven by love to take action for children for over 150 years, giving them the protection and practical help they need. A lot’s changed since 1869. But what children really need, hasn’t. So as long as children need us, we’ll be here.

Will you join us?

About the Service

Action for Children Family Hubs, commissioned by Plymouth City Council, support children and families to access the right help at the right time. Through the Best Start Inclusion (SEND) programme, we provide targeted support for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) from birth to school entry, working closely with partner agencies including health visitors, midwives, nurseries and schools to improve outcomes and promote positive early development.

Help with your application

If you require any support with the application process, please contact Scott Jones at recruitmentservice@actionforchildren.org.uk quoting reference 13595.

Diversity, equality and inclusion

At Action for Children, we’re committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels respected, valued, and able to thrive. We know that racism and discrimination create barriers, and we’re taking active steps to challenge these inequalities in our organisation and in the communities we serve.

We strongly welcome applications from people who are Black, Asian, or from other racialised and ethnically marginalised communities, as well as disabled people, who are currently under‑represented in our workforce. We are committed to removing barriers in our recruitment processes and ensuring fair access to opportunities.

We also encourage applications from men, who are under‑represented in our Children’s Services roles. We recognise that people hold multiple identities, and we value the richness this brings to our team.