- Suffolk County Council
- Location: Endeavour House, Ipswich, IP1 2BX – Hybrid
- Salary: £28,598 per annum (pro rata)
- Hours: 18.5 hours per week – Flexible working options available
- Contract: Fixed Term/Secondment for 12 months
We’re passionate about improving the future for our customers, our communities and the environment. If you are too, join us as a Family Support Practitioner in the Adoption and Fostering – Post Adoption and Special Guardianship Order (SGO) Support Team and make a huge and meaningful impact. Your innovation and drive will help us to continue improving and evolving. Our opportunities and support will enable you to make a difference and leave a positive, lasting legacy.
Reimagine the possibilities.
Your role and responsibilities
You will:
- Contribute to the Adoption Support and SGO Newsletter and organise local meetings, support groups, events and parties.
- Provide mediation between birth family and SGO’s around contact.
- Undertake Life story work.
- Provide emotional support to highly complex individuals (child or parent).
- Monitor and review commissioned therapeutic services.
- Manage requests for activities to provide respite for families
You will need
A relevant level 3 practitioner qualification or equivalent experience in a relevant area of work.
You can view a full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile (JPP) (word). If you believe you can succeed in this role, apply. Even if you don’t meet all requirements, still apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.
The team
The team provides a county-wide service dedicated to meeting the needs of children. It works directly with children who have been adopted or are under a special guardianship order and collaborates closely with the Stage 2 adoption assessment team to link and match children for adoption. This is a busy, friendly, and highly supportive team, known for its creativity and passion in delivering work that supports children and families.
Empowering Everyone
We’re big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We’re always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report.
For more information
Please contact Sarah-Louise Rice or Zonika Marais, she/her for a casual conversation. You can reach them by calling 01473 264764 or emailing sarah-louise.rice@suffolk.gov.uk or Zonika.marais@suffolk.gov.uk
If you want to apply for a secondment, read the secondment policy first. Make sure you get permission from your current manager before submitting your application.
How to apply
Step 1 – Read the Job and Person Profile (JPP) (word).
Step 2 – Click ‘Apply Now’ to start your online application.
Step 3 – Upload a supporting statement indicating how you meet each of the criteria in the ‘Person Profile’ section of the JPP.
- You should use the Supporting Statement template.
- Please use Arial font size 11 and keep your statement to a maximum of two sides of A4.
We value authentic applications that showcase your genuine skills and experiences. Applications suspected of being generated by AI may be rejected. We ask you to present your own work and ideas throughout the application process.
Please note: Without a supporting statement, your interest will not be progressed. If you require any reasonable adjustments to the application process before the next selection stage, please contact our Recruitment Team by emailing recruitment@suffolk.gov.uk or calling 03456 014412. If you are invited to the next stage of selection, you will have another opportunity to request adjustments for the next stages of the process.
Closing date: 11.30pm, 18 December 2025
This authority 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. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts. #LI-Hybrid
As a modern and effective council, we offer a wide variety of careers to suit people with a range of skills, abilities and ambitions. We offer working options that flex to reflect the way people work today and take the time to understand and support your individual needs. We’re driven to make a positive difference to the world around us and encourage everyone with drive and focus to join us and build an influential and impactful career. Reimagine the possibilities.
In return, you’ll enjoy:
- up to 29 days annual leave entitlement (pro rata), plus UK bank holidays and two paid volunteering days
- membership of a competitive Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
- travel, lifestyle, health and wellbeing benefits
- performance-related annual pay progression, in addition to an annual cost-of-living pay increase
- training and encouragement to expand your knowledge
- a variety of career development opportunities across our organisation
- diverse and active staff networks
- flexible working options, with the right to request flexible working from your first day
Plus lots more!
If you want to know more about our benefits, values and equality commitments please visit our Suffolk County Council careers website (careers.Suffolk.gov.uk).
