At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead Family Hubs to support families with children aged 0-5 and improve community services.
- Company: South Gloucestershire Council, dedicated to giving every child the best start in life.
- Benefits: Generous annual leave, employee wellbeing support, and staff discounts on various services.
- Other info: Flexible working arrangements available; small team ethos ensures manageable caseloads.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in children's lives and shape supportive community services.
- Qualifications: Relevant professional qualification and significant experience in children's services required.
The predicted salary is between 37800 - 46200 £ per year.
How you'll make a difference
South Gloucestershire is committed to giving every child the best start in life.
As Best Start in Life Family Hub Practice Manager, you will provide operational leadership for services delivered through Family Hubs, Children’s Centres and outreach, helping families access welcoming, practical and coordinated support across their local community.
Working with the Early Help Strategic Lead, your team and local partners, you will strengthen early intervention and ensure families receive the right help at the right time.
The role combines supportive leadership, partnership working and performance oversight with a clear focus on family wellbeing, safeguarding, home learning and reducing barriers to support.
What you will be doing
This role provides day-to-day leadership for the local Best Start in Life Family Hub offer.
You will manage services for families with children aged 0–5 while contributing to the wider Family Hub offer for children and families aged 0–19, or up to 25 for young people with SEND.
A strong focus on quality, staff development and family voice runs throughout the post.
Through reflective supervision, effective use of data and close partnership working, you will help the team deliver evidence‑based programmes, confident signposting and coordinated Early Help, while supporting parents and carers to shape local services.
- You will lead, supervise and develop Family Hub and administrative staff, supporting confident decision‑making, strong practice, wellbeing and performance.
- You will manage hub‑based, outreach, group and one‑to‑one activity, ensuring evidence‑based programmes, information and practical family support are delivered consistently.
- You will strengthen partnership delivery, referral pathways and signposting across health, education, welfare, housing, youth, community and voluntary services.
- You will oversee safeguarding, quality, health and safety, performance data, team resources and continuous improvement across the local Family Hub offer.
- You will develop Parent and Carer Panels and other opportunities for families to influence accessible, welcoming and responsive local services.
- What we need from you
- We require you to hold a recognised and relevant professional qualification, such as youth, early years, teaching, social care or a Level 5 management qualification appropriate to the role.
- You will have significant post‑qualification experience in children’s services, including staff supervision and delivery of support for vulnerable or disadvantaged children and families.
- You will bring strong knowledge of Early Help, safeguarding, Best Start in Life guidance, national issues affecting children and families, and effective approaches to improving outcomes.
- You will be a confident leader and communicator, able to manage performance, team budgets and sensitive issues while building effective relationships with families, staff and partners.
- You will have good IT skills and the ability to use data, reports and specialist systems to support oversight, accountability and service improvement.
- What you need to know
- This is a limited term position, lasting 1 year from your start date.
- Although this post is advertised as full time, we welcome applications from experienced managers seeking part‑time, job‑share or flexible working arrangements.
- An enhanced DBS check is required, and you will need to travel throughout the authority and surrounding area, with occasional work outside normal office hours.
Interviews are expected to be held on Tuesday 1st September 2026.
- How a career at South Gloucestershire Council is different
- As part of our benefits package, you will receive generous annual leave (pro rata), employee wellbeing support and you will have access to a range of staff discounts, including eye tests, travel, shopping and leisure activities.
- We recognise that our diverse team of skilled and dedicated people make us a great place to work.
We welcome applications from everyone and ensure that individuals are selected, promoted and developed on the basis of their merits and abilities.
- What’s special here is the strength of the team ethos.
We are a relatively small local authority, so managers know staff well.
They can plan their services to ensure teams have manageable caseloads and have effective supervision so feel supported to make decisions which are right for the children and young people they work with.
Our teams at South Gloucestershire Council are making a real difference to the lives of people who live, work and learn here.
- We're building and shaping communities which people are proud of.
- We’re providing essential services across our communities to ensure they are safe and well maintained.
We've achieved a great deal, but we need talented and dedicated people to ensure we continue to make a difference.
We’re making a difference, be part of it!
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Best Start in Life Family Hub Practice Manager in Yate employer: South Gloucestershire Council
South Gloucestershire Council is an excellent employer for those passionate about making a difference in the lives of children and families. With a strong commitment to employee development, you will benefit from flexible working opportunities, generous annual leave, and a supportive work culture that values collaboration and positive change. Join us in a role where your contributions directly impact the community and foster meaningful growth.
Contact Details:
South Gloucestershire Council Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Best Start in Life Family Hub Practice Manager in Yate
✨Dive into Local Community Groups
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We think you need these skills to ace Best Start in Life Family Hub Practice Manager in Yate
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 South Gloucestershire Council:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to South Gloucestershire Council! 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 South Gloucestershire Council
✨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.
