City of York Council are excited to invite you to apply for the role of Family Help Lead Practitioner (Social Worker) to join our Family Help service. This is an opportunity for you to be part of a service that values high-quality relationships, reflective supervision and systemic practice, ensuring children and families receive the right support at the right time.

We are proud to be rated Outstanding by Ofsted, reflecting our strong leadership and commitment to children and families. As we continue to develop in line with the Families First reforms, we are investing in our workforce and creating opportunities for you to shape and influence practice.

As a Family Help Lead Practitioner, you will take a lead role in supporting children and families with complex needs, helping them and their networks build strength and safety so children can remain at home wherever possible. You will work alongside multi-agency partners to deliver effective, evidence-informed interventions while modelling high-quality practice.

This role is for qualified social workers and will include holding cases across public and private proceedings, as well as contributing to permanence planning that promotes a child’s identity, stability and sense of belonging.

You will work directly with children and families, undertaking Family Help Assessments, delivering intervention and co-producing plans alongside families, their networks and professionals. You will build strong relationships and deliver meaningful direct work that promotes sustainable change.

You will also work closely with the Multi-Agency Child Protection Team and partners across education, health and the voluntary sector, ensuring a joined-up, whole-family approach in line with the Families First reforms.

At City of York, we are committed to your development and progression. You will benefit from clear career pathways, a strong learning and development offer, and high-quality reflective supervision. We will support you to grow your skills, take on leadership opportunities and progress your career as part of an ambitious, forward-thinking service.

At the heart of our work is our Building Brighter Futures practice model, promoting a relational, strengths-based, systemic and restorative approach. This includes Signs of Safety, family group decision-making, and our Safe and Together approach to domestic abuse.

We are looking for you as an experienced and motivated social worker who is passionate about working with children and families and committed to strengths-based and relational practice. You will need experience working with children and families, including safeguarding, strong skills in risk assessment, child development and multi-agency working and the ability to lead practice, support colleagues and promote high standards.

This role forms part of the implementation of the Families First reforms, which will come into effect on 1 October 2026. Should you be successful in securing an offer of employment, your start date will be on or after this date, subject to the completion of all required pre‑employment checks, including DBS clearance.

This post is suitable as a job share opportunity.

As this role is public facing, applicants will need to demonstrate, at interview, their competency to converse and provide advice and guidance to members of the public, in spoken English to CEFR level C1: Can express themselves fluently and spontaneously, almost effortlessly. Only a conceptually difficult subject can hinder a natural, smooth flow of language.

Hybrid working arrangements are available for this role. Each role at CYC is different and your working arrangements will be determined based on the requirements of the role and in collaboration with you and your needs as part of the recruitment process. Your contractual location will be the designated council office for your team.

City of York Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment. We require the successful candidate to undertake an enhanced Criminal Record check via the Disclosure and Barring Service.

City of York Council is committed to investing in the talent and wellbeing of our staff and can offer a generous annual leave allowance, access to the Local Government Pension Scheme, comprehensive Health & Wellbeing initiatives and a reward package which recognises your contribution.

We can offer flexible working practices, community engagement and volunteer activities and, as part of our commitment to you, promote continuous Learning & Development. In addition we also offer a growing range of discounts, rewards and savings.

For further information or an informal discussion please contact Cat Middleton at:

cat.middleton@york.gov.uk or on 01904551456

Closing date: Sunday 19 July 2026 at 12 midnight

Interview date: w/c 3 August 2026 (TBC)