Job Introduction
Portsmouth City Council is looking for a dedicated and skilled Family Help Lead Practitioner to join our Children with Disabilities Team.
About Family Help
Family Help replaces the traditional divide between early help and statutory services, ensuring families receive coordinated support at the right time.
Our approach includes:
- A whole-family focus that addresses the needs of everyone in the household.
- A single assessment and plan to reduce duplication and improve outcomes.
- Family Help Lead Practitioners who act as the main point of contact for families.
- Evidence-based interventions that build resilience and promote independence.
- Family-led planning that places families at the centre of decision-making.
The Role
As a Family Help Lead Practitioner, you will work directly with children, young people, and families to assess needs, identify strengths, and develop plans that support positive change. You will build trusted relationships with families and coordinate support from a range of professionals to ensure the whole family's needs are met.
You will complete Early Help Assessments, develop outcome-focused plans, and provide direct interventions on issues including emotional wellbeing, family relationships, healthy lifestyles, challenging behaviour, housing, income, and substance misuse. You will support families who have children with disabilities or additional needs, helping them access the support available within their home and community.
Acting as the Lead Professional, you will coordinate Team Around the Family meetings, work closely with schools, colleges, health services, and other partners, and ensure families receive the right support at the right time. You will also provide information, advice, and guidance to children and young people in a range of settings, contributing to the planning, delivery, and evaluation of services.
The ideal candidate
You will hold a nationally recognised qualification at NVQ Level 4 or above, or possess equivalent professional experience in family support or early help services.
You will have experience working with children, young people, and families, including those with disabilities and additional needs, and be confident in completing high-quality assessments and support plans.
We're looking for someone who can demonstrate:
- A strong understanding of safeguarding, risk assessment, and child development.
- Experience of delivering effective family support interventions that improve outcomes.
- Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
- A commitment to restorative and strengths-based practice.
- The ability to work effectively with a range of partner agencies.
- Strong assessment, recording, and information governance skills.
- Confidence in planning and facilitating group activities.
- Good IT skills and experience using a range of software applications.
- The ability to work flexibly, manage competing priorities, and meet deadlines.
A driving licence and access to a vehicle, or the ability to travel easily across Portsmouth using public transport, is essential.
Please ensure that you download & read the full job profile attached for the details and expectations of this role, paying particular attention the section 'Who is the person' as you will need to refer to this when completing your Personal statement.
Additional information:
If you have any questions, or would like an informal discussion about the role, please email Dannii Dean on Dannii.Dean@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
Hybrid working arrangements: you will be required to work in the office/hub 4 days per week, pro rate for part time working.
About Portsmouth City Council
Portsmouth City Council is a unique organisation, committed to making a difference, and is guided by core values that set who we are as people, what we stand for, and how we act.
We are committed to our values of respect, integrity, collaboration, inclusivity and being people-focussed. These values set out how we can contribute to the success of the council and our own success as individuals. Learn more about our values and behaviours.
Application process
We anonymise applications during application & shortlisting to ensure only relevant information is considered.
We strongly encourage candidates to add all Career and Education History to their application, as CVs are not reviewed as part of the shortlisting process.
As part of your application, we ask that you complete a personal statement, this statement is crucial and is where you must demonstrate how you meet the requirements of the job against each of the points described in the 'Who is the Person' points on the Job Profile using examples from your experience or transferable skills. This might be through qualifications or descriptive examples from your work / personal experience.
We are a disability confident employer and Armed Forces Covenant gold standard. More information can be found at Equality, diversity and inclusion - Careers portal
We are committed to offering an interview to all those candidates that qualify under our corporate commitments and meet the minimum criteria, however, for roles that receive a large number of applications, we will select the candidates that best meet the minimum criteria.
You will need to demonstrate that you have the Right to Work in the UK. No post will be offered without it.
Safeguarding
Portsmouth City Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and young people, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Every post is subject to PCC and Portsmouth Safeguarding Children Partnership safer recruitment procedures.
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) at Standard/Enhanced level will be required prior to any offer of employment and this post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Please read the relevant DBS privacy notice before submitting any information.
Should you require any support in completing the application form please contact recruit@portsmouthcc.gov.uk or call the recruitment team on 023 92 616 800.
