Early Help Practitioner

Working arrangements: 2 days in the office per week. Extra may be required and expected when needed. We work with children, young people and families across Reading to deliver children’s social care, early help and prevention, education services (including SEND), fostering and adoption, the Youth Offending Service and traded services with schools.

About the role

As an Early Help Practitioner, you will undertake front‑door screening and early help decision‑making within a fast‑paced safeguarding environment. The role involves applying threshold decisions within tight timescales, reviewing referrals and historical involvement, completing chronologies, and liaising directly with families and professionals to determine appropriate support pathways. You will work closely with internal and external partners across agencies, contribute to 24‑hour decision‑making, maintain high‑quality recording, and ensure families are clearly informed and signposted to services. The post holder will provide consultation and advice to practitioners, escalate safeguarding concerns when necessary, attend meetings and reflective practice sessions, and support continuous service improvement. A strong commitment to inclusive, anti‑discriminatory practice, high professional standards, safeguarding legislation, and ongoing professional development is essential.

Responsibilities

• Apply threshold decisions and review referrals and historical involvement on a front‑door screening basis.
• Complete chronologies and maintain high‑quality recordings.
• Provide direct liaison with families and professionals to determine appropriate support pathways.
• Collaborate with internal and external partners across agencies, including education, health, voluntary sector, police and other agencies.
• Contribute to 24‑hour decision‑making and attend meetings and reflective practice sessions.
• Escalate safeguarding concerns, support continuous service improvement and ensure families are informed and signposted to services.
• Give consultation and advice to practitioners and act as a role model for continuous improvement.
• Lead a motivated team, drive performance, and contribute to operational delivery and continuous improvement of the service.

About you / Qualifications

• Experienced Early Help Worker or worker in a similar field.
• Substantial experience in children’s services including early help, education, and youth work.
• Strong understanding of front‑door interventions and screenings.
• Strong skills in risk assessment, case management and quality assurance.
• Confidence working with data to drive performance and improvement.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills.
• Proactive, resilient approach and the ability to manage pressure effectively.
• Strong organisational skills and ability to manage competing priorities.
• Leadership qualities that empower others, promote equality and inclusion, and ensure high‑quality service delivery.

Benefits

• Competitive salary.
• Generous holiday entitlement – 25 days holiday each year plus bank holidays, rising to 30 days after 5 years’ service and 33 days after 10 years' service, with the option to buy additional leave.
• Wide range of flexible working opportunities.
• Modern working environment at the Civic Offices in the heart of Reading.
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).
• Life Assurance – three times your annual salary for members of the LGPS.
• On‑site day nursery (Kennet Day nursery) rated outstanding by Ofsted.
• Season Ticket Loan – a loan to help with the cost of your rail or bus journey, to and from work.
• Lease car salary sacrifice scheme – allowing you to lease a brand new, greener car for three years, inclusive of insurance, servicing and road tax.

Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities.

Closing Date: Sunday 24th May 2026