All LocationsAll Locations:
Various
Advertising SalarySalary Details:
£28,598 to £32,597 (FTE)
What is the vacancy type for this advertVacancy Type:
Permanent
Function:
Health and Social Care - Children's
EmployerEmployer:
Dorset Council
Job Working PatternJob Working Pattern:
Variable
Closing time of advertClosing time of advert
23:59

About the role

We are seeking Grade 8 / Level 1 Family Workers in the East and Purbeck Locality teams, based in Ferndown and Wareham. We are open to full and part time applications.
 
Please make clear in your application if you are seeking full or part time hours and whether you have a geographical preference or are happy to be considered for either locality.
 
We offer support to local children and families and need enthusiastic family workers to join us. We support children with a range of needs from Early Help through to Child Protection, you could be supporting at any stage of their journey either as lead practitioner or supporting the work of Social Workers at Child Protection. This will involve direct working with children and families; creating, supporting and contributing to multi agency plans and interventions to improve outcomes and life chances for children and young people in Dorset.
 
Key skills for the role are experience working with children (and preferably families), resilience, passion to make a difference and strong ICT and record keeping skills.
 
 This role will be responsible for the delivery of support to children, young people and families in localities, taking a whole family approach. At Grade 8 the post holder will:
  • undertake 1:1, group, and outreach work
  • deliver direct work with children, young people, parents and families in the family home and other community locations
  • convene and attend team around the family meetings and reviews
  • use relevant case management systems, databases and business intelligence tools as directed by the Team Manager
  • provide information, advice and guidance to children, young people and families
  • co-work cases with other professionals including social workers
  • assess parenting skills and help people to build physical and emotional caring abilities through a range of practical activities
  • deliver parenting and behaviour management support to children and families
  • support families during statutory child protection processes
  • keep up to date with knowledge of local service provision
  • coach, mentor and motivate families to make and sustain changes

Further Information

This post involves working with children and/or vulnerable adults and/or having access to significant information about them. It will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check. See our policy on the employment of ex-offenders.

This post requires significant travel. You must have a vehicle (or transport we deem suitable) available for use as needed.  

For queries about the role please contact [email protected]

About Us

At Dorset Council, it's not just about the work we do, it's about how we do it. Hear directly from our employees about what makes Dorset Council special in this short video:

Unable to show this video due to your cookie preferences
 

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 300,000 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
  • receive training and development opportunities to help your career progress

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.

Other jobs like this

Similar

Family Worker - Family Help

Posted on 17 February 2026
All Locations
Various
Advertising Salary
£28,598 to £32,597 (FTE)
What is the vacancy type for this advert
Permanent
Health and Social Care - Children's
Employer
Dorset Council
Job Working Pattern
Variable
Closing time of advert
23:59
Similar

Lead Child Protection Practitioner

Posted on 06 February 2026
All Locations
Various
Advertising Salary
£49,282 to £55,460
What is the vacancy type for this advert
Fixed Term
Health and Social Care - Children's
Employer
Dorset Council
Job Working Pattern
Full time
Latest

Executive Support Team - Apprentice

Posted on 17 February 2026
All Locations
Dorchester
Advertising Salary
£25,583 - £27,254
What is the vacancy type for this advert
Fixed Term
Business, Policy & Administration
Employer
Dorset Council
Job Working Pattern
Full time
Closing time of advert
23:59