Relief Family Time Worker

We have an exciting vacancy in the Supervised Contact Service for a relief Family Time Worker.

Job responsibilities

The service sits within Children's Social Care and plays a vital role in enabling children who cannot currently live with their parents due to safeguarding concerns to spend safe, meaningful time with their families during court proceedings.

Family Time is often a deeply emotional and complex experience, particularly for children who have experienced trauma. Our role is to support children to maintain safe connections with their birth families, helping them preserve a sense of identity, history and belonging, and to create positive memories whether or not they eventually return home.

Sessions take place primarily within our dedicated Family Time venues located near children's foster placements. When risk reduces and progress allows, some sessions may move into the community.

Because many sessions run into the late afternoon, Family Time Workers must be able to work flexibly, with the ability to support sessions that may finish around 6 pm as part of their normal working pattern. As this is a relief role hours will vary but we anticipate there will be a minimum of around 35 hours a month.

As the role involves travelling between different Family Time locations, a full driving licence and access to a vehicle are essential.

For more information or to chat about this opportunity please contact Danni Impey, Assistant Service Manager, or or Ana Caldararu, Service Manager, or .

What will you be doing?

• Facilitate and supervise regular Family Time sessions between children and their parents or wider family members.
• Support children emotionally throughout each session and help them manage transitions between carers and family.
• Observe and record interactions, using the Department of Health's Parenting Capacity Framework, ensuring high quality, factual case notes that contribute to ongoing social work assessments.
• Role model positive parenting and intervene when necessary to ensure safety.
• Prepare rooms, resources and plans to create a warm, welcoming and child centred session environment.
• Contribute to children's life story work, helping capture positive memories and experiences.
• Liaise with social workers, foster carers and other professionals to share information and support robust safeguarding practices.
• Report to a Family Time Team Manager, attending supervision and team meetings as part of the wider service.

About you

We are looking for a compassionate, resilient and self motivated individual who has experience working with children and families, particularly those experiencing distress or emotional difficulty. Confidence to engage with parents in challenging situations while maintaining clear professional boundaries is essential to the role.

You will have excellent observational, written and verbal communication skills and be able to manage your own workload, plan sessions and work independently across different locations.

As a reliable, organised individual you will be committed to safeguarding and child centred practice and be comfortable using basic IT systems for recordkeeping.

You must hold a full driving licence and have access to a vehicle; travel across Cambridgeshire is required.

We welcome applicants who have transferable skills from roles in education, early years, health, youth work, residential settings or any family support environment.

Benefits

• A comprehensive wellbeing package covering all aspects of wellbeing, both in and out of work, which can also be accessed by your family.
• Buy up to 4 weeks additional annual leave (pro rata) through our salary sacrifice scheme.
• Take your bank holidays flexibly to better suit your personal circumstances.
• Make additional voluntary contributions (shared AVCs) to your pension with tax and National Insurance savings.
• Access to development opportunities, apprenticeships and qualified coaches to support your personal and professional growth.
• Paid volunteering hours each year so you can make a positive impact on our community during your normal working day.
• Access to peer support groups through our IDEAL staff equality, diversity and inclusion network.
• Opportunities to nominate and receive employee recognition awards.
• An Our Cambs Rewards account, giving you access to in store and online discounts as well as our car lease and cycle to work schemes.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and will be subject to an Enhanced Disclosure test with the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Equal Opportunities

Cambridgeshire County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We are a Disability Confident Leader and will provide reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.