Job Description

Are you passionate about supporting families and making a lasting impact in your community? The Family Linx Service is looking for a dedicated and enthusiastic Family Support Practitioner (Project Worker 2) to join our team at Priory Family Centre in Barnsley.


Funded by The National Lottery Community Fund, the Family Linx Service has been co-produced with parents, carers, and autistic children and young people. Now in its seventh year, the service provides vital support to families with autistic children aged up to 12--both before and after diagnosis.


At Priory Family Centre, we work in partnership with families to build on their strengths, helping them achieve their goals through whole-family support, confidence-building, and developing coping strategies and resilience. Join us and make a real difference in the lives of families with autistic children.


Role Details


Hours: 22.2 hours per week over 3 days (days negotiable)
Location: Priory Family Centre, Barnsley


This is an exciting opportunity to:


Work collaboratively with families and professionals
Contribute to the ongoing development of a well-established service
Deliver both group and one-to-one support tailored to family needs
Recruit, support and develop a network of lived experience Peer
Supporters and Volunteers, including supporting the delivery of a Peer
Support Group.
Deliver training to organisations and communities to support the
aims of the service


We're seeking someone who is:


Committed, enthusiastic, and motivated
Creative, adaptable, and empathetic in their approach
Experienced in group facilitation and one-to-one family support
Knowledgeable about autism and experienced in working with autistic children and their families
Experienced and knowledgeable in safeguarding and applying safeguarding and child protection policies and procedures.
Experienced in supervising others (this can include volunteers)


Please note: A full driving licence, access to a vehicle, and business insurance are essential for this role.


Cygnet Programme and Teen Life trained facilitators are desirable but not essential, as training will be provided.


Interested? For an informal chat about the role, please contact: Vicki Sexton, Children's Services Manager - vicki.sexton@barnardos.org.uk - 01226 770619 / 07523 943710


Although this contract has a permanent status, please be aware that this post is subject to funding currently to 31 January 2027 and therefore should this funding not be extended further, you may be subject to a redundancy consultation or a TUPE arrangement. This contract is due to expire on 31 January 2027.


When applying, please refer to the Person Specification, , and any Additional Information provided. Tailor your application to demonstrate how your skills and experience align with the role and the service's aims.


Please note due to the high volume of applications for some posts, this advert might close before the displayed closing date. We recommend that you apply for this role as soon as possible.


Pay & Reward Framework


We know that our colleagues go above and beyond in delivering our vital work, driven by their passion and commitment to Barnardo's values. We also know that we can only realise our ambitions and achieve better outcomes for more children, thanks to the talent, hard work and creativity of our people.


For all these reasons, we are committed to a new approach to pay and reward, to ensure it is fair, attractive and progressive, which was rolled out in April 2023. This is a positive change for the charity, and a part of our People & Culture Strategy. It will assist us in supporting colleagues to belong, thrive and grow in their colleague journey at Barnardo's and in time will offer clear routes of progression for colleagues in both their career and their pay.


Whilst the full pay band and salary range is advertised, our approach to starting salaries is to appoint between the minimum to mid-point of the pay band - this ensures that pay steps are available to reward our colleagues annually based on their contribution to excellence and alignment to our values and behaviours. More details on Barnardo's pay framework can be found upon application.


Benefits


Workplace Offer: What it means for you


Our hybrid working initiative is based on trust, flexibility and empowerment. We understand our workplace offer means different things to different people, and we encourage those conversations. This may mean working at one of our stores, services, working at home, in the community, at one of our Collaboration Hubs or depending on the role any combination of these. Please read through the advert carefully to understand the remits of hybrid working that will be specific to the role.


Barnardo's believe in creating equality of opportunity in the workplace and supporting people to manage their work-life balance; we are therefore open to offering flexible working arrangements.
Annual Leave entitlement for full-time colleagues is 26 days per annum, increasing to 27 days per annum, after 3 years Barnardo's service, 29 days per annum, after 5 years Barnardo's service and 30 days per annum, after 7 years Barnardo's service. Those working less than full time are entitled to the same level of holiday pro rata
The ability to buy up to another 5 days annual leave via our HolidayPlus scheme
A host of family friendly leave options including company Maternity Paternity and Adoption pay; together with all family additional leave options
Service related sick pay from day 1
Access to a Group Personal Pension with a matched 4% or 6% contribution from Barnardo's. Ability to pay via salary sacrifice to garner both tax and NI savings on your own contribution
Death in service cover of 4x annual earnings for all staff contributing to our Group Personal Pension
Cycle2work scheme
Interest free season ticket loans
Discounts and cashback from at high street shops including major supermarkets, cinemas, gyms, leisure/theme parks, holidays and much more via our Benefit Portal
20% discount at Barnardo's stores
Opportunity to purchase a health cash plan to claim towards dental, glasses, therapy etc
Free access to round the clock employee assistance program for advice and support
Access to Barnardo's Learning and Development offer


*T&C's apply based on contract


About Barnardo's


We are committed to being an inclusive employer and cultivating a culture where everyone can belong and thrive through inclusion and connectivity. We want our workforce to be reflective of the communities we work with, and for equality, diversity and inclusion to be embedded in everything we do. We are a Disability Confident Leader, are progressing our ambition to be an anti-racist organisation with Anti-Racism Commitments and actions in place and have networks for colleagues who are disabled, LGBT+, Black and Minoritised Ethnic and Women. We particularly encourage applications from Black and Minoritised Ethnic and/or disabled candidates who are currently underrepresented in our workforce. For disabled applicants, we offer reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.


Our basis and values


Reference number:
22020
Job Title:
Family Support Practitioner
Location:
Priory Family Centre
Contract type:
Permanent (Fixed term funded post)
End date:
31/01/2027
Hours:
22.2
Salary:
28,124 - 37,117 FTE (16,874 - 22,270 pro rata)
Closing Date:
30 November 2025
Interview Date:
TBC
Enlarge Map
Benefits
Discounts at 100's of retailers
Employee suggestion scheme
Company pension
Employee Assistance Programme


Work Location: In person