Dorset Council
Family Worker - Family Help
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Maternity Cover - Family Worker
We are looking for a part-time Maternity Cover for 18.5 hours a week in our Dorchester Family Help Team. This post is for a fixed-term period of 1 year. This is a great opportunity to join our Family Help team in Dorchester as a Grade 8 Family Worker. You will be working in the Dorchester area, supporting children, young people, and their families. This is a case-holding role offering a varied job role in a friendly and supportive team where you will be able to make a real difference to children and their families.
About the Role
You will be working with a supportive team who have a wealth of knowledge and will encourage your journey in Family Help. You will be given opportunities to extend your knowledge through training and mentoring within the team.
At Grade 8, the post holder will:
- Deliver direct work with children, young people, parents, and families in the family home and other community locations
- Provide information, advice, and guidance to children, young people, and families
- Assess parenting skills and help build physical and emotional caring abilities through a range of practical activities
- Complete whole family assessments to ascertain the needs of the family and write a family plan based on these needs
- Chair and manage meetings to support outcomes for families
- Use relevant case management systems, databases, and business intelligence tools as directed by the team manager
- Co-work cases with other professionals including social workers
- Keep up to date with knowledge of local service provision
- Support families during crisis situations
- Support schools in the local area by being their link worker
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About You
You will need to have experience of working with children and/or families and a genuine commitment to supporting their needs. You will need good communication skills and strong IT skills. We are looking for a member of staff who is organised, empathetic, and enjoys working well in a team but can also work independently. You will be self-motivated, enthusiastic, and used to working in a fast-paced environment.
Further Information
If you think this role is for you and you would like more information, please contact Nicola Shoemark for more information on 01305 225704 or [email protected].
Interviews are planned for 7th September 2026.
This post requires significant travel. You must have a vehicle (or transport we deem suitable) available for use as needed.
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.
See our policy on safeguarding children and young people.
See our adult safeguarding policy.
About Us
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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 organization 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.
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