Families First - Family Help Lead Practitioner

We’re looking for experienced Family Help Lead Practitioners to join our Family First for Children teams across Cheshire West and Chester.

If you enjoy working directly with families, like being part of a close, supportive team, and want the chance to make a real difference early on, this could be the role for you.

Cheshire West and Chester Council is a place where everyone can Thrive – through our core values of Teamwork, Honesty, Respect, Innovation, Value for Money and Empowerment.

Family Help Lead Practitioner

(Non‑Social Work Qualified)
Cheshire West and Chester | Families First for Children

Work alongside families. Be part of a supportive team. Make change happen.

About the Role

As a Family Help Lead Practitioner, you’ll work hands‑on with children, young people and their families who need extra support to improve their lives.

You’ll:

• Build strong, trusting relationships with families
• Complete trauma informed, person centred assessments
• Lead and coordinate whole‑family plans, ensuring the right help is in place at the right time
• Work alongside schools, health visitors, midwives, early years, voluntary groups and Police
• Help families identify their strengths and set goals that make sense to them
• Support colleagues, through shared working, discussion and day‑to‑day problem‑solving

This is a front‑line role — you’ll be out meeting families, listening, and working with them to make positive changes.

Our teams are a mix of social work qualified team members and family help lead practitioners. You don’t need to be social‑work qualified. We’re keen to hear from people with backgrounds in family support, youth work, early years, education, health or similar who have solid experience of working with families.

What We’re Looking For

You’ll be someone who:

• Has experience working directly with children, young people and families
• Is confident having honest, respectful conversations
• Can manage a complex varied caseload and work with different services
• Understands how early help and whole‑family working makes a difference

• Is practical, reflective and team‑focused

Above all, we’re looking for people who are approachable, committed and genuinely care about children and their families.

Why Work With Us?

• We want to do our best every time, for every child and with every family. 
• Bright, modern, recently refurbished office environments
• Free parking at all office locations
• Competitive salary and working rewards
• Up to 16 days’ flexi leave per year, in addition to annual leave

• Regular supervision and chances to reflect on practice
• We are proud to have a strong learning culture
• A supportive team culture where staff look out for each other
• Training and development to help you grow in your role
• Local government benefits, including pension and generous annual leave

We know this work isn’t easy — so we focus on supporting our workforce as well as our families.

Where You’ll Be Based

Roles are available across different localities in Cheshire West and Chester. We’ll talk with you during the process about preferences and what works best for you and the service.

Interested?

If you’re passionate about family support and want to work somewhere that values relationships, teamwork and doing the right thing, we’d love to hear from you.

Apply now and join a service that puts families — and workers — first.

Grade 8- SCP 23- 28, £34,434 - £39,152 

For an informal conversation regarding these opportunities contact Family Help, Head of Service, Viki Mannion on View phone number on jobs.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk or View email address on jobs.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk

Please note that this job is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

To find out more information about what it is like to work for Cheshire West and Chester Council including our rewards and benefits please see 

No candidate will meet every single requirement - if your experience looks a little different from what we've identified and you think you can bring value to the role, we'd love to learn more about you!

Cheshire West and Chester Council are committed to equality and diversity in employment.  Please see the  Equality Policy for more information.

Cheshire West and Chester Council have adopted a Local Living Wage for our employees which means that all employees will receive a minimum of £12.60 per hour for all contracted hours.

For any technical enquiries please email  View email address on jobs.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk and quote job reference number in all correspondence.

The contractual work location for this role is listed above however you may be required to work from a range of work locations or sites within the Borough and may also be required to work from home, depending on the needs of the service.

For any technical enquiries please email  View email address on jobs.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk Please quote job reference number in all correspondence.