Early Help Worker – Reunification Team

Job Introduction

About the Role:

We are looking for experienced Early Help Workers, who have a passion for reunifying children to their families.

We are recruiting for the development of the Reunification Team within the Children in Care Team. The aim of the team is to support children in care to safely return to their families, ensuring stability and reducing the likelihood of re-entry into care. This new team is currently for a fixed term of 2 years, but this will be kept under review with the possibility of extension if successful.

The team will be led by the Children in Care Team Manager and Practice Supervisor (already in post), and we are looking to recruit to the following posts:

• Two experienced Social Workers – to conduct assessments, develop reunification plans, and provide ongoing support to families. 
• Four experienced Early Help Workers who will offer practical and emotional support to families, assist with parenting skills, and help address any barriers to reunification. 
• A Family Group Conference worker who will support with identifying the network of support and formulating safety plans and reviewing them.
• A Children in Care Link worker offering advice, support and guidance relating to promoting emotional wellbeing and healthy relationships.

This is a unique opportunity to lead within a targeted, intensive reunification programme. As an Early Help Worker, you will play a pivotal role in supporting children to safely return home, working closely with families, professionals, and the wider network to ensure long-term stability.

• You will be responsible for contributing to and working with parents where we are undertaking a reunification assessment or considering undertaking a reunification assessment. This will involve direct parenting work and assessment. This post will also include direct work with children, including wishes and feelings work and life story work.
• This role will require you to have conversations about parenting capacity, safety, their child’s needs and to discuss factors such as drug and alcohol use, experiences of domestic abuse and many other sensitive issues. The post holder will be required to present with compassion, empathy and understanding.
• You will be responsible for promoting family reunification. This will include facilitating the safe return of children to their families.
• You will be responsible for enhancing support systems for families and providing comprehensive support to families and children during and after their return home.
• You will be responsible for contributing to the reduction of children in care and children coming back into care post their return home.
• You will monitor and review arrangements to identify any safeguarding concerns or changes in circumstances, working closely with Social Workers and other professionals to support families effectively.
• You will attend Family Time sessions as appropriate to support the positive development of relationships, and role model play and attuned parenting to ensure that this is a positive experience for all in attendance.

About the Team:

This role will be based within Lincolnshire’s Children in Care North Team who are based in North Hykeham, Lincoln, offering a County-wide service to Children in Care who have a plan of permanency across Lincolnshire and those who may be placed further away from home.

When you join us you will see that we are a busy but highly rewarding  and motivating team to work in, it is our passion to capture the voice of young people in all that we do and ensure that they are central to all care and pathway planning decisions relating to   children and their futures.

We offer a service to Children in Care of all ages (up to 18yrs) who have a plan of permanence in various settings including foster care, residential provision, supported accommodation, supported lodgings and those placed with connected family members.

We also work very closely with families, and as children get older and family circumstances change, we support children and young people to return home to their families where safe to do so. Lincolnshire are committed to achieve reunification wherever possible and as a result are developing the Reunification Team. The team will adopt a "high support, high challenge" model which emphasises intensive support and clear expectations for families. 

Key Requirements:

This role is County-wide so there will be some travelling within Lincolnshire and beyond Lincolnshire to children and young people and their families, placed out of county.

This role will be primarily undertaken within office hours however agile working will be required, with some evening and weekend work depending on the needs of families.

Assessment and Planning: You will conduct thorough assessments to determine the suitability of reunification, and then if appropriate you will develop individualised reunification plans in collaboration with families. The Social Worker will complete the assessment.

Family Network Meetings: You will be involved in Family Network Meetings to engage extended family and support networks in the reunification process.

Lifelong Links: You will implement the Lifelong Links approach to ensure children have enduring relationships with supportive adults.

Ongoing Support: You will provide continuous support to family's post- reunification to address any emerging issues and prevent re-entry into care.

About You

The post holder will be required to have a driving licence with access to a car and be able to travel and work in a timely and flexible manner to undertake the duties of the role.  

Post holders require an NVQ Level 3 or equivalent in a relevant field. There is evening and weekend work as required to meet the needs of children young people and families. For further information please see the Job Description and Person Specifications below.

Location Countywide – office base Richmond House, North Hykeham, Lincoln.

Pay Grade 7; £31,586- £34,314, along with a competitive salary: 

• A Contributory pension.
• Comprehensive benefits package including excellent discount schemes and cycle to work.
• Flexible working policies.
• A generous annual leave entitlement plus the option to buy more

Further details can be found in our  rewards and benefits area of the website.

What Next

If you are looking for a new role and embrace a challenge and have experience of and a passion for working with children and young people and reunifying families back to together, we look forward to hearing from you.

If you would like an open and informal discussion regards this role then please contact; Michelle Hakes via email michelle.hakes@lincolnshire. Applications close on 25th August 2025. Interviews will take place on 4th September 2025

Please be advised that this position may be subject to a criminal record check.

All candidates are advised to read the attached job information pack prior to making an application.

On occasion we receive significantly more applications than expected for some vacancies and under such circumstances we reserve the right to bring forward the closing date of the advertisement. We therefore strongly advise you to apply for the role promptly to avoid disappointment should the closing date be brought forward. 

We operate a talent pool scheme whereby candidates who are not successful on this occasion may be considered for a period of up to 3 months for equal positions.

Lincolnshire County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

A Smarter Working Employer

We have embraced new ways of working and hybrid working will be a feature of this role. You will be given a nominated contractual work base and you will be required to commute to this work base when necessary.  Working arrangements regarding hybrid working will be discussed as part of the appointment process.

Our technology platform and equipment is very good enabling you to connect and collaborate remotely. We require that you have in place good connectivity, and we will discuss during the recruitment process if support with this is needed.

Fluency Duty 

In accordance with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 (Fluency Duty), the ability to converse at ease with customers and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.