Family Worker

You’ll be making a genuine difference to the lives of children and young people with disabilities and their families. Based in Dorchester and working closely with a specialist school in Bridport, you’ll enjoy a varied role that blends time in school, home visits, office days and flexible working from home.

You’ll join a supportive, experienced team that values collaboration and learning, with regular training and development to help you grow your career. You’ll also benefit from flexible working arrangements that support a healthy work-life balance, all while working in one of the most scenic parts of Dorset.

What you’ll be doing
You’ll assess and review short break support for children and young people with disabilities, working closely with families, schools and professionals to understand needs and coordinate the right support. A big part of your role will be as the link worker for a specialist school in Bridport, attending regularly to build strong relationships and take part in annual reviews.

You’ll also help cover the team’s duty rota and join meetings in Dorchester and Wareham. It’s a role where no two days are the same and where your work will have real impact.

About you

• empathetic and person-centred, with a strong commitment to understanding and supporting children with disabilities
• organised and detail-oriented, able to handle assessments, reviews and record-keeping with care
• collaborative, working well with schools, families, professionals and your team
• flexible and comfortable working across different settings and adjusting to changing needs
• proactive and solution-focused, always looking for ways to help families get the support they need

You’ll need experience working with children and young people with disabilities and their families, along with strong assessment and communication skills. You should be familiar with the Local Offer and support available for children with disabilities, and be willing to travel within the Bridport and Dorchester areas. An understanding of child protection guidance is essential. It would also be helpful if you have experience in a similar role within children’s services or education, or knowledge of the statutory framework for short breaks and carer assessments.

If you’d like to make a positive difference and develop your career in children’s services, we’d love to hear from you.

At Dorset Council, we are working together to create a fairer, more prosperous, and more sustainable Dorset for everyone, now and in the future.

We: 

• provide essential services that support over 380,000 residents 
• work in partnership to make a real difference 
• value every role and the impact it has on our communities 
• support our employees to grow, develop, and thrive 

You will: 

• be part of a team that works together for a better Dorset 
• have access to a range of benefits and support 
• have access to range of training opportunities which will help with your personal development and career progression 

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation where different skills, perspectives, and backgrounds strengthen both our council and the communities we serve. 

We welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. If you declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role, we will offer you an interview. We also want our recruitment process to be accessible. If you need any reasonable adjustments, just let us know on your application. 

This role is UK-based, and we will need to confirm your Right to Work as part of the appointment process. We use generic job descriptions and person specifications, so the job title in any attachments may differ from the advert. If needed, we will provide additional details in a context statement. 

If you’re passionate about making a difference, we’d love you to join us. 

Find out more about how to apply.