At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a compassionate team supporting families and children in a hospital setting.
- Company: Join a charity dedicated to helping families during tough times.
- Benefits: Make a real difference while working with passionate colleagues.
- Other info: Opportunity to shape a growing service and enhance your career.
- Why this job: Be a vital part of a supportive service that transforms lives.
- Qualifications: Experience with children and families, plus leadership skills required.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 40000 £ per year.
Want to lead a brilliant team making sure no child or family faces a hospital alone? We’re looking for a compassionate, confident and values‑led Family Support Team Lead to join our Children’s Wellbeing Service at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People. This is a unique role that combines day‑to‑day team leadership, family support practice and youth work delivery.
You’ll support and coordinate a team of Family Support Officers and Youth Workers, while staying closely connected to frontline work with children, young people and families across the hospital. You’ll help make sure families receive high‑quality, trauma‑informed support when they need it most, whether that’s emotional support on the wards, practical help during a difficult hospital journey, or creating calm, welcoming spaces where children, young people and families feel seen, heard and supported.
You will need strong experience supporting children, young people and families, alongside the confidence to guide a team in a busy, emotionally complex environment. You’ll be someone who can stay calm under pressure, build trusted relationships, make thoughtful decisions and bring people with you.
Responsibilities- Providing day‑to‑day guidance, support and supervision to Family Support Officers and Youth Workers
- Coordinating staff deployment across wards, the Hub and family spaces
- Delivering direct support to children, young people and families through 1:1 family support, youth work and wellbeing‑based approaches
- Supporting families with the emotional, practical and mental health challenges that can come with hospital experiences
- Modelling trauma‑informed, child‑first practice and maintaining clear professional boundaries
- Building strong relationships with hospital staff, external agencies and community partners
- Supporting peer support, youth voice and family participation across the service
- Helping ensure safe, welcoming and well‑resourced spaces for families, including The Family Room and The Hub
- Supporting safeguarding, risk assessment, escalation and good decision‑making across the team
- Recording activity, outcomes and impact so we can keep learning, improving and showing the difference we make
- Experience working directly with children, young people and families in a youth work, support, wellbeing, social care or similar setting
- Experience supervising, supporting or leading others
- Strong understanding of trauma‑informed, child‑centred and family‑focused practice
- Confidence working in emotionally complex environments, where needs can change quickly
- Excellent communication, listening and relationship‑building skills
- Ability to manage competing priorities and support others to stay focused and grounded
- Practical understanding of safeguarding, professional boundaries and when to escalate concerns
- Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues, hospital staff and external partners
- Values‑led, reflective and committed to inclusion, dignity and respect
- A qualification in youth work, community development, social care, health, education or a related field or equivalent experience
- Experience working in a hospital, healthcare or multidisciplinary setting
- Experience designing or delivering wellbeing, family support or youth work programmes
- Experience gathering feedback, recording outcomes or evaluating impact
- Understanding of children’s rights, child and adolescent development, and family support systems
- Experience supporting volunteers, sessional workers or small project teams
- Knowledge of local support services and referral pathways
Why ECHC? Working at ECHC isn’t your average family support role. You’ll be part of a charity that stands beside children, young people and families through some of the toughest times in their lives. Our Children’s Wellbeing Service offers non‑clinical, relationship‑based support across the hospital, helping families feel informed, included and more in control during their hospital journey. This role will strengthen that support by providing consistent day‑to‑day leadership and care for the team delivering it. You’ll join passionate, supportive colleagues who care deeply about making a difference. We’ll trust you to lead with warmth, judgement and courage, while giving you space to help shape a growing service that really matters.
Family Support Team Lead employer: Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity
At the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh, we pride ourselves on fostering a supportive and inclusive work environment where creativity thrives. As a Digital Marketing Intern, you'll gain invaluable hands-on experience while contributing to meaningful projects that make a real difference in the lives of families. With comprehensive training and opportunities for personal growth, this role is perfect for those eager to learn and make an impact in the community.
Contact Details:
Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Family Support Team Lead
✨Dive into Local Community Groups
Social work thrives on community connections, so get involved in local groups or forums specific to your interests. Whether it’s volunteering at local shelters or joining community action boards, these are great ways to boost your visibility and make direct contacts that could lead to opportunities like the one at Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity.
✨Attend Social Work Events and Workshops
Keep an eye out for workshops, seminars, or conferences in social work. These events are fantastic for meeting professionals in the field, learning about emerging trends, and spotting job openings. Plus, you might just bump into someone from Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity!
✨Showcase Your Passion and Expertise
Use platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn to share your journey and insights into the social work sector. Whether it’s writing about your experiences or sharing relevant articles, this helps to establish you as an engaged professional. Potential employers, like Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity, will notice your enthusiasm!
✨Leverage Your Network
Don’t hesitate to reach out to professors, mentors, or even past colleagues who are in social work. They might have inside knowledge about openings at Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity or be able to connect you with someone who’s hiring. Networking is key, especially in a full-time role where relationships matter.
We think you need these skills to ace Family Support Team Lead
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Social Work:In your cover letter, let us see your passion for social work shine through! Talk about the experiences that made you want to pursue this career—whether it’s volunteering, personal experiences, or academic projects. We want to know why this field matters to you.
Emphasise Relevant Qualifications:Make sure your CV highlights any relevant qualifications, like degrees in social work or certifications like a DBS check. If you've done any workshops or training, don’t forget to include those as well. We're keen to see your commitment to your professional development!
Detail Your Experience with Clients:Since this is a hands-on field, detailing any direct experience you have with clients is crucial. Whether it's internships, volunteer roles, or previous jobs, highlight those experiences in your CV to show us you've got the practical skills necessary for the job!
Tailor Your Application to Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity! Research our mission and values, and refer to them in your cover letter. This shows us that you understand our work and are genuinely interested in being a part of our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity
✨Understanding the Role of Empathy
In social work, understanding and demonstrating empathy is key. Be prepared to share personal experiences or scenarios where you effectively showed compassion and support. This helps show that you genuinely care about the well-being of others, which is crucial in social work.
✨Demonstrating Knowledge of Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with the frameworks and models used in social work, such as the Strengths-Based Approach or the Ecological Perspective. Be ready to discuss how these frameworks apply to your work, especially if you can tie them into real-world examples or case studies you've encountered.
✨Showcasing Your Multi-Disciplinary Skills
In a full-time social work role, you'll often collaborate with healthcare professionals, educators, and law enforcement. Be prepared to describe your teamwork experiences and how you've effectively communicated with other disciplines to achieve the best outcomes for clients.
✨Preparing for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical social work situations, such as dealing with a crisis or managing a complex case. Think through your thought process for these scenarios beforehand, considering how you'd assess the situation and what steps you'd take, as this demonstrates your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
