Dorset Council
FSAAL Family Worker
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Join Our Family Support and Advice Line Team
Are you an experienced practitioner with a passion for improving outcomes for children and families? Do you have the confidence and expertise to assess information, make informed decisions, and help families access the right support at the right time?
We are looking for a skilled and knowledgeable Family Worker (Grade 10) to join Dorset Children's Services' Family Support and Advice Line (FSAAL), the Front Door to Children's Services. This is an exciting opportunity to be at the heart of how we respond to the needs of children, young people and families, ensuring that concerns are assessed effectively and that the most appropriate support is identified at the earliest opportunity.
What's in it for you?
The Family Support and Advice Line is the first point of contact for children, families and practitioners seeking support. As part of our experienced and supportive team, you will play a vital role in helping families access the right service, at the right time, preventing needs from escalating and ensuring children remain safe and supported.
In This Role You Will
- Be part of Dorset's Front Door service, making a real difference to the lives of children and families every day.
- Work within a highly skilled multi-agency environment alongside social workers, family workers and safeguarding professionals.
- Develop and apply your knowledge in safeguarding, early help and decision making.
- Receive regular supervision, support and opportunities for continuing professional development.
- Contribute to Dorset's commitment to providing timely, effective and proportionate responses to children and families.
What you can expect to be doing
As a Grade 10 Family Worker within FSAAL, you will gather, analyse and assess information received from families, practitioners and partner agencies to determine the most appropriate response for children and young people.
Key Responsibilities Include
- Responding to contacts and referrals received via telephone and other communication channels.
- Using professional judgement and the Dorset Continuum of Need to make informed decisions regarding support, intervention or safeguarding responses.
- Identifying levels of risk, need and vulnerability and responding to safeguarding concerns appropriately.
- Providing advice, guidance and signposting to families and practitioners regarding local services and support available across Dorset.
- Working collaboratively with partners including education, health, police, early help and social care services.
- Recording information accurately and maintaining high quality case recording.
- Supporting the delivery of early help and prevention by ensuring families can access the right support as early as possible.
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About you
We are looking for someone who brings significant experience of working directly with children, young people and families and who understands the importance of effective decision making at the Front Door of Children's Services.
You Will Have
- Substantial experience working with children, young people and families within children's services, early help, family support or a related setting.
- A strong understanding of safeguarding, child protection and decision-making.
- Knowledge of the Continuum of Need and the ability to assess information and identify appropriate responses.
- Experience of working with practitioners and partner agencies to achieve better outcomes for children and families.
- Excellent communication skills, including the ability to build rapport and gather relevant information over the telephone.
- Strong analytical skills and the confidence to make well reasoned decisions based on available information.
- Experience of maintaining accurate records and using case management systems.
- A commitment to delivering a high-quality service focused on children, families and positive outcomes.
If you are an experienced practitioner who thrives on professional challenge, values partnership working, and wants to make a difference from the very first contact families have with Children's Services, we would love to hear from you.
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Further Information
Family Workers work a 4 day week of 9 hours, 15 minutes a day between the hours of 8am and 7pm. With a rolling rest day over a 10 week rota. You are required to work one weekend in that 10 week period. For an informal discussion about this role please contact Mandy Woodham on 01305 224067
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:
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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 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.
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