Job Title: Life Coaches
Starting Salary: £34,434 progressing to £37,280 per annum per annum (pro rata for part time)
Hours: 37.0
Location: Countywide
Contract Type: Permanent
Directorate: Childrens Services
If you are passionate about working with children, young people and their families, working as a team to make a real difference, we would love to hear from you!
Family is at the heart of our work in Hertfordshire. Our goal is to support children and young people in care to reunite with their families where it’s safe and in their best interests.
The Family Safeguarding Children in Care (FSCIC) Phase 2 Team, part of the Family Safeguarding Service, was launched in 2022 to extend our successful Family Safeguarding model into the Children Looked After Service. Following its success, it is now a core part of our work.
Our multi-disciplinary team uses Motivational Interviewing to help parents make positive changes. We bring together specialists in mental health, substance misuse, domestic abuse, neurodiversity, and trauma, alongside social workers, adolescent practitioners, and life coaches.
We provide intensive, trauma-informed support for young people aged 10–18 who are at risk of entering care, returning home after family breakdown, or facing exploitation and complex mental health challenges.
Learn more about Hertfordshire’s Family Safeguarding model: www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/familysafeguarding
We have several exciting opportunities to join our newly formed hub, bringing together the Reunification Team and Edge of Care Team.
In this role, you’ll work directly with parents of children in care or at risk of entering care, helping them achieve positive change through coaching, parenting interventions, and relationship-based practice. You’ll receive specialist training in Non-Violent Resistance and be part of a service that values professional growth and development.
Key Responsibilities:
- Work directly with children and young people (10+) and their families to achieve agreed goals through coaching, parenting interventions, and relationship-based practice.
- Conduct weekly home visits to support progress and improve outcomes.
- Develop expertise in non-violent resistance to address challenging behaviours linked to trauma, such as aggression, self-harm, and substance misuse.
- Deliver interventions through individual and group sessions, promoting positive relationships and de-escalation strategies.
- Provide practical support, including housing applications, benefit claims, and establishing routines.
- Facilitate sessions that strengthen parent-child connections and offer constructive feedback.
- Make referrals to specialist colleagues and partner agencies as needed.
- Maintain accurate case records and attend relevant meetings.
- Build strong professional relationships to ensure timely, effective support for families.
- Work flexibly, including evenings and weekends, to meet the needs of children and families.
We offer flexibility to ensure families get the support they need. This role includes some evening and weekend work within extended service hours (weekdays 9am–10pm, weekends 2pm–10pm), which will involve working approximately 1 evening a week and 1 weekend day a month.
There are no formal qualifications are required for the role, and you will receive Motivational Interviewing training, NVR training and ARC training.
Essential:
- Experience and understanding of case management including assessment, action planning and reviews.
- Experience of planning, delivering and evaluating support activities for and with young people and their carers.
- Knowledge of the issues affecting young people at risk of Child Exploitation
- Knowledge and understanding of Equality and Diversity Issues.
- Knowledge of child development and adolescents, social, emotional and mental health needs.
- Ability to engage effectively with vulnerable and challenging young people in a variety of settings and to achieve positive outcomes with them.
- Diving License and access to a vehicle.
Desirable:
- Knowledge of relevant legislation and policies relating to this service user group.
- Relevant professional qualification in Youth/Community work, Social Care, Health or Education.
- Previous experience of working with children and families.
We have several exciting opportunities available for passionate professionals who want to make a real difference for children, young people, and families. As part of our innovative, multi-disciplinary service, you’ll help shape brighter futures and deliver life-changing support. If you’re ready to take on a rewarding role where every day counts, apply today and be part of something that truly matters.
We welcome applications from candidates who currently reside in the UK with established proof of right to work documentation. We are not able to offer sponsorship at this time for this role.
This job role is within the Health and Social Care Services, level HSC9 job profile. Please locate this via:
Job profiles – Health and social care
To hear more about this opportunity please contact Jenna.Keen@hertfordshire.gov.uk for an informal discussion about the role.
Interview Date: 13th and 14th January
As part of your application, please upload your most recent CV. Ensure your CV is up to date with your employment history (including any employment gaps), and including any training/qualifications. We encourage you to include examples of where you have demonstrated the requirements/criteria in the advert / job profile to allow the panel to fully recognise your skills and abilities. You will have the opportunity to include a short covering paragraph within your application to give us a little more information about your skills, knowledge, and experiences.
Disability Confident
We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and guarantee an interview to anyone disclosing a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.
Safeguarding
This role has been identified as requiring a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check.
Driving required
You’ll need to have the ability to drive and/or travel around Hertfordshire, either using your own mode of transport or a company car to travel to other locations.
English Fluency
The ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post (for those whose language is a signed language the provision of a sign language interpreter who speaks English to the necessary standard of fluency will be required). Further information about the legal requirement can be found here.
