Family Support Worker in Bournemouth

£26,318-£29,850 BCP Salary Band 7 (SCP 19-25), actual salary £26,318 - appointments will be made at the starting point of the salary range. The salary shown is pro-rated based on a 35-hour working week, 39 weeks per year from the full-time equivalent. The position is for 35 hours per week to be worked between the hours of 8.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. Monday to Friday, term time plus INSET days.

It is an offence to apply for this role if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children. Linwood School is an Ofsted graded Outstanding SEND school operating from a number of locations within Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. We are an outward facing centre of excellence in the area. Our values speak of respect, support, inclusivity, positivity, harmony, excellence and responsibility, all underpinned by our actions and personal accountability.

We are seeking to appoint a Family Support Worker to play a significant pastoral role in our highly successful school. The role will involve working with parents/carers, pupils and other agencies to develop partnerships between the school and families to ensure the best possible outcomes for the children and their families. Mainly based at Linwood Campus in Winton, the Family Support Worker role can involve working flexibly across multiple school and outreach sites to support students and parents. The successful candidate will also be required to undertake planned visits to students’ homes to support engagement and individual learning programmes, in line with safeguarding and lone‑working policies. There is a genuine occupational requirement for the postholder to have access to a vehicle for work purposes due to the multi-campus working environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Assess families’ needs and identify concerns to inform effective support planning.
• Develop and deliver tailored family support plans using accredited programmes.
• Build positive, person‑centred relationships that empower families to make change.
• Deliver evidence‑based parenting programmes in group and one-to‑one settings.
• Work collaboratively with partner agencies to coordinate holistic support.
• Maintain accurate records, complete reports, and identify and escalate safeguarding concerns.

Requirements

• NVQ Level 3 in a relevant discipline relating to children and families, or equivalent.
• Some knowledge of statutory framework and legislation relevant to family support, including assessment frameworks.
• Knowledge of policies, processes and procedures relating to family support, and understanding of best practice.
• Understanding of issues and factors that contribute to poor outcomes for families and children.
• Some knowledge of child development, family dynamics and childcare practice, as well as methods for managing challenging behaviour.
• Experience of working with children, young people and families.
• Some experience of undertaking assessments and delivering support interventions.
• Ability to prioritise own work and manage own time effectively.
• Ability to establish effective relationships with families.
• Ability to communicate clearly, using empathy and understanding.

For any enquiries regarding the Family Support Worker role please contact Tina McGovern on tinamcgovern@linwood.bournemouth.sch.uk. Only fully completed application forms will be accepted. We are committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and strive for our staff to be from diverse backgrounds. We positively encourage applications from individuals within under‑represented groups and welcome applications from individuals regardless of their protected characteristics.

Our school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and the successful applicant will be required to have an enhanced DBS check as well as an overseas criminal records check, if worked or lived outside the UK within the past 10 years. Offers of employment are also subject to satisfactory references, health, and right to work checks. All Linwood School staff are expected to adhere to our policies and procedures in respect of safeguarding and child protection, including Keeping Children Safe in Education and Guidance for adults working with children and young people in an education setting.

This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020. If the role is exempt, certain spent convictions and cautions are ‘protected’, so they do not need to be disclosed, and if they are disclosed, we cannot take them into account.