Family Development Worker

About the role

Do you want to make a difference in the lives of families with young children? Then this role could be for you.

There is a strong and growing international consensus that the first 1,001 days – from pregnancy to age two – are a critical period that shapes a child’s future learning, health and development. Within Hillingdon’s Best Start Family Hubs and Children’s Centres, our vision is to empower families to give their children the best start in life. We are committed to reducing inequalities by focusing support on families who need it most, strengthening early relationships and ensuring children are ready to learn and thrive.

Aligned with the Best Start Family Hubs & Children’s Centres approach, our priorities include strengthening multi‑agency support, promoting early intervention and ensuring families receive the right help at the right time. Through this joined‑up way of working, we aim to create positive, lasting outcomes for young children and their families across Hillingdon.

You will play a key role in supporting families with young children, helping them access appropriate services, build resilience, and improve outcomes for their children. You will provide group and one‑to‑one family support services, including outreach to local groups.

You will have:

• A recognised qualification at NVQ Level 2 or above in a related profession (e.g. social work, education, youth work, child and family development).
• A minimum of three years’ experience working directly with families and children.
• A strong understanding of safeguarding and protecting families.
• Knowledge of the educational, developmental and health needs of children under five.
• The ability to assess and make appropriate recommendations about children and families through casework.

You will also bring:

• Good written and IT skills to ensure accurate record keeping for family case files.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to build rapport quickly with families.
• A non‑judgemental, supportive approach.
• Experience of multi‑agency working with partners from health, education, social care and the voluntary sector.
• The ability to form and maintain professional relationships and boundaries to ensure effective engagement in services.

We value our employees and are committed to ensuring that they enjoy a fulfilling and rewarding career with us. That is why we offer a wide range of employee benefits to enhance your work‑life balance, financial wellbeing, health and professional development.

• Flexible Working Hours – we recognise the importance of flexibility in managing your work and personal life.
• 36‑hour week – standard 36‑hour workweek for all full‑time staff.
• Generous holiday entitlement – increasing with length of service (for non‑casual roles).
• Hillingdon Sports & Leisure – discounts at council‑owned leisure centres and swimming pools across the borough.
• Salary Sacrifice Schemes – option to join schemes for cycle purchase, electric vehicle leasing and additional voluntary pension contributions (subject to scheme rules).
• Cycle to Work – eco‑friendly commuting with our cycle purchase scheme; we also provide bicycle parking, lockers and showers at the Civic Centre.
• Local Government Pension Scheme – access to the Local Government Pension Scheme and membership to the Credit Union.
• Vivup Benefits – access a variety of offers and discounts through our Vivup Benefits.
• Mental health support and counselling services – our mental health first‑aiders are trained to identify, understand and help employees experiencing mental health issues. Access free 24‑hour confidential advice and counselling as well as a legal advice service for you and your immediate family.
• Travel support – make your daily commute easier with our season ticket loans and free car parking.

At the London Borough of Hillingdon, we are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace. This commitment means that all employees, job applicants and others who work for us will be treated fairly. We welcome applicants from a wide variety of backgrounds and strive to ensure that our recruitment…