Job Title: Family Network Meeting Facilitator
Salary: £39,027 – £44,463 per annum (pro rata if part-time)
Grade: E
Contract Type: Fixed Term – 18 months
Working Hours: 37 Hours per week.
Family Network Meeting Facilitator – Families First Partnership Programme
Thurrock is undergoing an exciting transformation with a Families First Partnership Programme (FFPP) designed to rebalance the system toward earlier intervention, stronger relational practice, and integrated whole family support. There is a focus on building strong connections with kinship networks from the very start to support families and safeguard children and young people. As part of this evolving landscape, we are seeking an enthusiastic and skilled Family Network Meeting Facilitator to help embed our vision and strengthen early engagement with families.
About the Families First Partnership Programme
The FFPP is part of Thurrocks commitment to delivering the right help at the right time, bringing together early help, child in need, and multi‑agency child protection into a seamless system of support.
Key features of the programme include:
- Earlier engagement with children and families, identifying needs and strengths proactively
- Stronger relational and restorative practice, rooted in trust and sustained partnership working
- Reduced points of transition, with consistent practitioners supporting families throughout their journey
- Holistic, community-based‑based support, preventing escalation and strengthening natural networks
- Integrated multi‑agency working, with shared planning and improved information flow
- A strong learning culture that values reflection, feedback, and continuous improvement
Thurrock is building on its strong early help and safeguarding practice to create Family Help Teams and enhance Family Network Meeting capacity across the system.
About the Role
As a Family Network Meeting Facilitator, you will play a pivotal role in enabling families, children and young people, and their wider support networks to shape decisions about children’s safety and wellbeing. This role is central to achieving our ambition of engaging families earlier, reducing escalation, and empowering them to develop sustainable plans.
Key Responsibilities
- Convene and facilitate Family Network Meetings requiring independent facilitation
- Prepare family members sensitively for meetings, ensuring children’s wishes and feelings are central
- Empower and support practitioners within children services to identify, map, and engage connected family networks as early as possible in the intervention
- Work relationally with families, partners, and internal teams to support integrated partnership practice and collaboration
- Contribute to training and workforce development around Family Network Meetings, and family-led planning
Who We’re Looking For
We welcome applicants who are:
- Passionate about early intervention and preventative family support
- Demonstrate the skills and experience in facilitating family meetings
- Skilled at working with complex family relationships and diverse multi‑agency partners
- Organised, flexible, and confident in managing meetings involving multiple stakeholders
- Committed to relational, strengths-based, and trauma-informed practice
What You Can Expect
You will join a warm, stable, and motivated team at an exciting point in Thurrock’s transformation journey. This role offers:
- Opportunities to help shape the emerging FFPP model
- A strong culture of learning and reflective practice
- Supportive supervision and a team ethos grounded in compassion, collaboration, and ambition for children
- Comprehensive training aligned with the roles key responsibilities
Interested?
For further information or an informal discussion, please contact:
Mark Jackson – Team Manager, Think Family Service
Alison Ryan – Senior Practitioner, Think Family Service
Tel: 01375 652700 / 652013
DBS Check: A Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) Check at Enhanced Level with Children’s Barred List is required for this post.
Benefits of Working with Us
At Thurrock Council, we value our employees and offer a comprehensive benefits package, including:
- Generous annual leave entitlement
- Local Government Pension Scheme
- Flexible and hybrid working opportunities (where applicable)
- Ongoing training and professional development
- Employee assistance programme and wellbeing support
- Staff discounts and local offers
- A supportive and inclusive working environment
Important Dates
Closing Date (Redeployment Only): 29th January 2026
Closing Date (Internal & External): 22nd February 2026
Interview Date: To Be Confirmed
Additional Information
To view the Job Profile and Person Specification, please follow the link below:
Download Job Profile (PDF Document)
Application Requirements
As part of the Safer Recruitment process, Gap Management is required for all Safeguarding roles. Please complete the Gaps in Employment grid provided (refer to the example document for guidance) and upload it under Miscellaneous Documents as part of your application.
If the Job Profile and Person Specification list any qualifications as essential, please also upload copies of those relevant qualifications.
n
Why Thurrock?
Working at Thurrock Council gives you the opportunity to join an organisation that is changing at pace, one where you can make a real difference to the lives of the people we serve.
Thurrock Council is moving towards a new community leadership approach which involves linking with local partners and communities as we shape our improvement for the years ahead.
This is an exciting time to join us, to shape the future success of our changing organisation and to have a positive influence on our borough.
Our location
Thurrock is located on the north bank of the river Thames. Our urban centres are a vibrant mix of established towns and new young communities, with a diverse and growing population of around 160,000 residents.
We are an emerging cultural and arts centre, home to the production centre for the Royal Opera House and the National Skills Academy for Creative and Cultural Skills. We have excellent retail and leisure opportunities, including Lakeside Shopping Centre, country parks, forests, and marshes.
Thurrock is just half an hour journey away from the centre of London by train and well connected by road.
Staff benefits
We offer lots of staff benefits, including a generous annual leave entitlement and hybrid working. We champion flexible working and job share applications are welcome.
Further information can be found here Employment benefits | Working for the council | Thurrock Council
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
Thurrock Council is committed to equal opportunities. As a Disability Confident Employer, disabled people will be offered an interview where they meet all essential criteria on the person specification.
We serve a diverse community where people are different yet equal. Diversity underpins everything we do.
For further information about Thurrock Council please visit our website: Thurrock Council
n
