Key Worker – Locality

General Information

• Organisation: Leicestershire County Council (Targeted Family Help)

• Role: Family Key Worker

• Location: Hinckley Children and Family Centre, Hinckley (LE10 0PP)

• Worker Category: Field Based Worker (Significant time spent visiting families in their homes)

• Salary: £35,451 – £39,165 per annum

• Closing Date: 22nd February 2026

Financials & Hours

• Working Hours: 37 hours per week (Full-time)

• Contract Type: Permanent

• Flexible Working: Open to requests for compressed hours, term-time working, or flexible start/finish times.

Key Responsibilities

• Direct Home Support: Providing intensive, hands-on support to children and families with complex needs (mental health, substance misuse, domestic abuse, poverty).

• Evidence-Based Interventions: Identifying and delivering specific programmes such as Solution Focused Brief Therapy, the Freedom Programme, or CBT-based approaches.

• Risk Management: Balancing a compassionate approach with the absolute priority of child protection; recognising “cumulative harm” and risk indicators of neglect or abuse.

• Conflict Resolution: Managing high-tension situations, including conflict and confrontation, and using de-escalation techniques to maintain safety.

• Engagement: Persuasively working with “hard to reach” families who may be resistant or unwilling to engage with local services.

Candidate Requirements

Qualifications

• Level 3 Qualification in Social Care, Health, or Childcare OR substantial demonstrable experience.

• Ideally: Level 4 Award in Working with Parents (Intensive Support) or a degree-level professional qualification (Social Work/Youth Work).

Experience & Skills

• Complex Needs: Proven track record of working with issues like domestic violence, offending, and social deprivation.

• Communication: Ability to speak fluent English (Immigration Act 2016 requirement) and the skill to capture the “child’s voice” during assessments.

• Resilience: Ability to remain professional and persistent when faced with barriers or resistance to change.

Local Context & Demographics

Working for Leicestershire County Council involves serving a diverse population. Understanding the socio-economic landscape is key to the “Targeted Family Help” mission:

• Deprivation: While Leicestershire is generally affluent, specific pockets in Hinckley and Bosworth rank within the 20-30% most deprived areas in England regarding income and education.

• Diversity: In the 2021 Census, approximately 10.2% of the Leicestershire County population identified as being from an ethnic minority group (excluding White minorities), a figure that is steadily increasing.

• Child Welfare: Local authorities focus heavily on “Neglect,” which remains the most common reason for a child to be the subject of a child protection plan in the UK (approx. 45-48% of cases).

How to Apply

1. Supporting Statement: This is the most critical part of your application. You must explain how you meet the specific criteria in the “About You” section.

2. DBS: An Enhanced DBS check is mandatory for this role.

3. Interview Scheme: If you have a disability and meet the minimum criteria, you are guaranteed an interview under the Disability Confident Employer Scheme.

Quick Tip: The “child’s voice” is a major theme in this job description. In your supporting statement, give a specific example of a time you ensured a child’s perspective was heard and influenced the care plan, especially in a household where the adults were dominant or difficult.