At a Glance
- Tasks: Support vulnerable children and families by responding to urgent enquiries and providing high-quality advice.
- Company: Join Leicestershire County Council, dedicated to safeguarding and supporting families.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working options, and a supportive team environment.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for professional growth and collaboration.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in the lives of children and families while developing your skills.
- Qualifications: NVQ level 3 in Childcare or equivalent, with teamwork and communication skills.
The predicted salary is between 28605 - 31029 £ per year.
Organisation: Leicestershire County Council
Work Location: County Hall Glenfield LE3 8RA
Salary: £28,605 - £31,029 per annum (pro rata for part time) (Pay award pending)
Working Hours: 22.2 hours per week (3 days Mon/Tues/Wed)
Contract Type: Permanent
Closing Date: 2nd August 2026
Interview Date(s): 11th August 2026
About the Role
Are you passionate about protecting children and supporting families? We are looking for committed, collaborative people to join our team as Support Workers for the Children and Families Service. You will be at the forefront of safeguarding, handling initial reports of abuse or neglect, assessing risk, and passing vital information to social workers and other professionals. Your contribution will be essential in helping vulnerable children and families receive the support they need, when they need it.
Our team works in a fast-paced, modern environment, dedicated to making a real difference. You’ll work alongside children’s social care, targeted family help, health professionals, police, and partner agencies. In this role, you will be supervised monthly by qualified social work staff, and benefit from reflective social work POD meetings that encourage development and collaboration.
We value adaptability and teamwork; you must be able to manage pressure, work to tight timescales, and communicate effectively with both professionals and the public. The role involves responding quickly to enquiries and referrals about Children’s Social Care, including urgent cases that may require escalation to the police, and offering high-quality advice to families in accordance with established thresholds.
It requires collaborative teamwork with both internal colleagues and external partner agencies to secure the best outcomes for children and families, ensuring communication is clear and support pathways are effective. The position requires individual accountability for managing casework, meeting deadlines, and ensuring electronic records are accurate and up to date.
Support workers are expected to provide guidance to families, direct them to appropriate resources and services, and escalate concerns when necessary, adhering to departmental protocols. Additionally, the role includes supporting other professionals by explaining service thresholds, referral processes, and offering basic behaviour management advice.
An enhanced with barred list DBS check is required for this post.
About You
To apply for this post, you must:
- NVQ level 3 in Childcare Qualification (NNEB/NVQ3) or Equivalent
- Be able to demonstrate your ability to promptly respond to enquiries and concerns relating to children and families and to provide high-quality advice to families in line with established thresholds.
- Have proven experience of working collaboratively within a team and with external partner agencies to achieve positive outcomes for children and families.
- Be able to evidence accountability for casework, ensuring all tasks are completed accurately and within deadlines, and that electronic records are kept up-to-date according to departmental standards.
- Demonstrate the ability to deliver guidance and advice to families, effectively signposting to self-help resources and services, and know when to escalate cases for additional support as appropriate, following departmental scripts and protocols.
- Have experience in supporting professionals by explaining service thresholds and referral processes, providing information about available services, and offering guidance on basic behaviour management strategies.
- Have excellent communication skills, adaptability, professionalism, and proficiency in ICT and have experience in working with members of the public, Children’s Services or Customer Services and a commitment to upholding safeguarding, confidentiality.
In addition, we also expect you to share our commitment to our values and to delivering accessible and inclusive services which meet the needs of all of our residents. You will be asked to demonstrate your understanding of these commitments as part of the selection process. Reasonable adjustments will be considered for applicants with a disability. We are a Disability Confident Employer.
Interested in Flexible Working? We are open to discussions about flexible working, which may include part time working, job sharing, term-time working, flexible start and finish times, and hybrid working, depending on the requirements of the role and the service. If you would like to discuss the possible flexible working options that might be applicable to this role, please contact the person named below.
For more information or an informal discussion, please contact: Helen Rhind - Assistant Service Manager First Response Telephone: 01163053891 Email: Helen.Rhind@leics.gov.uk
How to Apply
At Leicestershire County Council we’re looking for top talent from all walks of life. Whoever you are, wherever you’re from, and whatever your background - we care about what you bring to our organisation, not just what’s on your CV. That’s why we’ve designed a recruitment process that’s fair, accessible, and focused on potential. And with benefits that support people at every age and stage of life, we make sure you can thrive - both personally and professionally.
If you share our passion to make a difference for the people of Leicestershire, we’d love to hear from you. Click the apply button to submit your application, ensuring that you upload a supporting statement that explains how you meet the criteria listed in the ‘About You’ section above. Without this information, we won’t be able to assess your suitability for the role, and your application will be rejected.
For tips on how to write your statement, see the How to Apply section on our career site. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
If you have any technical issues when trying to apply for this post or you want to request an application pack in an alternative format, please contact our Employee Service Centre by telephoning 0300 3030222 (select option 2) or raising a ticket via our online portal: https://emss.org.uk/support.
By applying for this post, you agree to our Terms and Conditions.
Support Worker - First Response employer: Nottingham City Council, Leicestershire County Council, East Midlands Group
Leicestershire County Council is an excellent employer, offering a dynamic work environment where Occupational Therapists can make a real difference in the lives of adults and children. With a strong emphasis on collaboration across health, housing, and social care teams, employees benefit from flexible working arrangements and opportunities for professional growth, making it a rewarding place to advance your career while positively impacting the community.
Contact Details:
Nottingham City Council, Leicestershire County Council, East Midlands Group Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Support Worker - First Response
✨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 Nottingham City Council, Leicestershire County Council, East Midlands Group.
✨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 Nottingham City Council, Leicestershire County Council, East Midlands Group!
✨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 Nottingham City Council, Leicestershire County Council, East Midlands Group, 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 Nottingham City Council, Leicestershire County Council, East Midlands Group 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 Support Worker - First Response
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 Nottingham City Council, Leicestershire County Council, East Midlands Group:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Nottingham City Council, Leicestershire County Council, East Midlands Group! 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 Nottingham City Council, Leicestershire County Council, East Midlands Group
✨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.
