Job Description

About Us


West Sussex County Council is a diverse organisation that provides services to more than 850,000 residents' every day. Through our Early Help Service, we will work with children, families, and young people to help ensure that every person is supported to achieve his or her potential. The foundations for mental health, emotional control, doing well in education and parenting ability are all set in place in the early years; the home surroundings, family life and parenting are all important factors in determining positive outcomes for children as they grow and develop.



For more information about Children's Services, please visit our Education, Children and Families page and our WSCC Health and Social Care section of our website.



For more information about working for West Sussex County Council (WSCC), please visit our WSCC About Us page on our West Sussex County Council website.


The Opportunity

Salary:

26,403 - 26,824 per annum

Working Pattern:

37 hours per week

Contract:

Permanent

Location:

Horsham area

Interviews arranged for 9th February 2026

As a Family Support Assistant, you will be committed to enabling families to manage their problems and access support and advice quickly, equipping parents to be the best they can be for their child, by increasing knowledge, confidence, and resilience. You will undertake direct work with parents or young people to find out what they are worried about and what goals they want to work towards using a whole family approach. You may facilitate some direct group work with families, covering a range of subjects and based on identification of need within a locality hub area.



You may be the co-ordinator of Early Help Plans to assess each member of the family and agree outcomes that the family and professionals around them will work towards. You will use a strengths-based approach to support and sustain positive change that improves outcomes for children and young people.



You will help to provide a safe and welcoming space for young people through the Find It Out (FIO) offer. You'll be able to speak confidently with young people, understand their needs and be able to help them access appropriate support at a time that suits them, including after school hours.



You will be a team player with a passion for engaging with parents, providing direct support and encouraging families to access to our services. You will use your initiative to organise your workload and respond to unanticipated problems for families.



You must have experience of working with families along with a good understanding of the importance of parenting skills and community development, as well as the challenges of family life.



We are looking for someone who is NVQ level 3 qualified in Childcare, Play Work, Family Support, or equivalent related area.


Experience and Skills

Key Skills:

Good communication and interpersonal skills across a range of audiences, with an ability to present information verbally and in writing which is clear, concise and accurate. Able to provide specialist advice and guidance whilst maintaining trust with families who may otherwise not want to engage with services they may distrust. Strong customer focus with the ability to work as a key contact and provide a professional service to meet customer's needs, both individually and in groups. Ability to respond sensitively and flexibly to diverse groups of providers and families whilst maintaining confidentiality. Ability to organise/prioritise work, co-ordinate a variety of tasks in a clear and logical way and meet agreed deadlines. Ability to work within recognised procedures, able to effectively organise own workload. Can use initiative to respond to unanticipated problems.

Qualifications and/or experience:

NVQ level 3 in childcare, play work, family support or related area and/or relevant experience working with parents, carers and children. Good knowledge of child development. Good understanding of the importance of parenting skills and community development with an understanding of the challenges of family life. Knowledge of safeguarding procedures. Experience of working with families in a community setting. Experience of working within the early years, family support, family centre or child health sector

Rewards and Benefits


As an employer we recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive and dynamic working environment where employees can achieve their full potential, achieve a healthy work-life balance and are rewarded for the work they do.



In addition to working within a great team and a brilliant opportunity you will receive:



For a full list of the benefits offered to you as a West Sussex County Council employee you can find them on our Rewards and Benefits page.


Further Information


The reference number for this role is CAFHE06110.



For an informal conversation or for further information regarding the role, please contact Michaela Homewood at michaela.homewood@westsusex.gov.uk, for issues or queries regarding your application please contact hrrecruitment@westsussex.gov.uk.



To apply, please follow the links below to upload your CV and cover letter. In your cover letter outline your motivations for applying and explain how you meet the key skills listed in full and the experience you can bring to the role (please refer to the key skills) ensuring that any gaps in employment are covered in your CV. Please ensure you have saved the job description attached to the main advert on our website as, once the job has closed, you may not have the opportunity to download again.



We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check, 5 years referencing and a health check.



Equity, inclusion and accessibility is very important to West Sussex County Council. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, as this helps us build a diverse and talented workforce, that reflects the communities we serve. We ensure our approach to recruitment is flexible and supportive to enable all applicants to be at their best and to ensure they have the best possible chance of success.



We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that have a disability, are a veteran or are a care leaver. More information can be found on our application help page.



LOCATION

Horsham area

CONTRACT TYPE

Permanent

JOB TYPE

Children's Services

CLOSING DATE

25 January 2026