Young Carers Practitioner
Southampton Children’s Services were inspected by Ofsted in June 2023 and found all services to be Good with Outstanding Leadership and Management; an outcome we are extremely proud of! Never has there been a better time to join an organization that is good across all areas and remains committed to continuing on its journey of improvement. Ofsted said that ‘impressive strategic and operational leadership, aligned with corporate and political commitment, has provided a clear vision, ambition and energy which has garnered the confidence and commitment of key partners. There is a collective momentum to continue to improve services and outcomes for children across the city’. (Ofsted June 2023).
Be part of something that makes a real difference — every single day.
Are you passionate about improving outcomes for young carers? Do you want a role where you can work directly alongside children and families, while helping professionals recognise and respond to young carers more effectively?
We are looking for a Young Carers Practitioner to join our Family Help service — a unique and rewarding role at the heart of supporting children and young people in our city.
This is more than a specialist role. It is an opportunity to make a tangible difference to young people’s lives, while supporting good joined-up practice across services that work with young carers.
Why this role matters
Young carers often take on significant responsibilities at a young age. Too often, their needs go unrecognised or unsupported.
In this role, you will:
- Help ensure young carers are identified early
- Support them to receive timely, effective, and meaningful help
- Reduce the impact of inappropriate or overwhelming caring responsibilities
- Champion environments where children can thrive safely within their families
What makes this role special
This role offers a rare opportunity to combine:
- Direct, relationship-based work with children, young people and families
- Working with a range of professionals across education, health, early help, and the voluntary sector
You won’t be removed from practice — you will stay closely connected to the lived experiences of young people, helping to ensure that their voices inform day-to-day work with families and professionals.
What you will be doing
As our Young Carers Practitioner, you will:
- Work directly alongside young carers and their families, building trusting and supportive relationships
- Provide advice, guidance and support to professionals working with young carers
- Advocate for young carers so their experiences are heard and reflected in the support they receive
- Support colleagues to identify and respond to young carers confidently and effectively
- Contribute to early intervention and prevention, helping to reduce escalation of need
Who we’re looking for
We’re looking for someone who:
- Is passionate about working with children and young people and improving their outcomes
- Values relationship-based practice and understands the importance of trust and connection
- Is confident working both directly with families and alongside other professionals
- Can support and influence professionals in a constructive and practical way
- Is committed to ensuring that the voices of children and young people are heard, respected and acted on
What you’ll gain
- A role with real purpose, where you can see the difference you make every day
- Opportunities to contribute to strong partnership working for young carers across the city
- The chance to develop your specialist expertise and confidence in practice
- A supportive team environment that values reflection, learning and wellbeing
If you’re motivated by making a meaningful impact, and want to be part of a service that truly values children’s experiences and voices — we’d love to hear from you.
Being part of the Southampton City Council team requires people who are willing to take personal responsibility for delivering excellence, to work with others to achieve the best possible outcomes, to embrace change and new opportunities, to make the most of the resources available to us and to think and act in the best interests of our children, young people and their families.
What we can offer you:
Salary: The salary band for this role is £32,061 - £36,362 per annum. The starting salary is £32,061 with annual progression through the salary bands.
Here at SCC we have a range of different benefits, a few examples can be found below.
- Excellent local government pension with 15.2% employer contribution
- Death in service benefit of x3 salary, and optional salary sacrifice shared cost AVC (additional voluntary contribution)
- Generous holiday 25–31 days, based on role and service
- Flexible working options (role-dependent)
- Family-friendly policies - Maternity, Paternity, Adoption, Shared/Unpaid Parental Leave, Time off for Dependents
- Training and development, including coaching and mentoring
- Health and wellbeing support - Employee Assistance Programme, Menopause Pledge, Mental Health First Aiders and access to a variety of staff networks
- Veteran-friendly employer with the Armed Forces Covenant
- Retail discounts and savings through the Southampton City Council benefits platform
- Discounted memberships at local sports and fitness centres
- Sustainable travel benefits - low emission car scheme, cycle to work, season ticket loans
- Employee volunteering scheme with 2 paid days leave to volunteer
For further information on our benefits package please visit: Employee benefits (southampton.gov.uk)
We are the difference. Are you?
If you feel you have the necessary background, experience and skills to undertake this role we would like to hear from you.
Our Locations:
You will be based within the Central Family Hub in Southampton’s three designated locality teams. You will however be working across all localities and children’s service areas.
Contact details for informal discussion:
For more information or an informal discussion about the role please contact [email protected]
Recruitment contact details:
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 023 8083 4033
For more information about SCC please visit Southampton City Council
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