The Intensive Family Support team offer support to families where children are on the edge of care as a result of neglect and safeguarding concerns, where there are behavioural issues, and/or concern about parenting capacity. Often families find it easier to relate to the non- statutory workers and will buy into the programme of support on offer. Referrals can be from children and young people aged 0 to 17 years.

The team offer support to children and families who are at risk of family breakdown.

This team works alongside Fieldwork social work teams and the Risk outside the home team. The workers aim to provide intensive support at times of crisis providing a service that empowers the child and family, builds on their sense of self-worth and gives practical and emotional support. The team build effective relationships, resulting in the ability for the worker to motivate and influence parental behaviours using structured, evidence-based interventions that enable families to develop problem solving skills, build resilience and achieve positive, sustainable behaviour change.

We understand that only a small number of parents wilfully neglect their children and that often parents find themselves in unenviable situations where they feel overwhelmed and helpless. Following referral to the team we make an appraisal of the situation, is the child physically safe, nurtured and happy?

What do we need to do to support the family in making positive change? What strengths do we need to reinforce and build on?

The role will include:

Supervision of the Early Help Practice Leads
Case supervisions
Joint supervision
Work through the referral allocations list from Area and ROTH teams (Risk outside the home).
Agree with the Intensive family support early help practice leads, what targets need to be met for each family.
Develop strong links with fieldwork teams, the Risk outside the home service, Health and Education.
Working within the Neglect Strategy and developing plans for families.
Apply working models, for example signs of safety, to the work undertaken.
Provide cover for the other Team Manager in the Intensive Family support service as necessary
Improving outcomes for children and families
Attending relevant meetings
Arrange team meetings
Attend fortnightly compliance meetings with the team
Attend worksite events
Development of service

We work with a range of partner agencies in the statutory, voluntary and private sector to provide services to meet the needs of our children and young people. This includes looking at Health, Education, Training, employment and placement needs.

For Further information please contact: Teresa.Wheeler@sheffield.gov.uk

We are investing in our workforce and are promoting opportunities to our under-represented groups. We value equality, diversity and inclusion and are focused on increasing the diversity of our workforce, particularly the number of Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic, Disabled and LGBTQ+ people, so that our teams reflect the communities in the city we serve. We are also supporting staff with unpaid caring responsibilities to work flexibly.

It is a great time to join us and we welcome your application.

Under the Guaranteed Interview scheme, applicants who are disabled, care leavers, or armed forces veterans will be guaranteed an interview if they meet the essential criteria and indicate their eligibility on the application form. Sometimes, if lots of people apply, we might not be able to interview everyone who qualifies for the Guarantee. In these cases, we’ll interview the candidates who best meet the essential criteria for the job.

Full-time employees work 37 hours for 52 weeks of the year and we offer a generous holiday entitlement. We are open to discussions about a wide range of flexible working opportunities which benefit you and the Council, including reduced hour contracts, working part time or as a job share.

If you are appointed to this role, your starting salary will be at the bottom of the grade. If you provide payslip evidence that your basic pay is greater than the bottom of the grade, we will consider starting you at the point of minimum advantage within the grade.

Equality of pay is extremely important to us. All roles at Sheffield City Council are going through an evaluation process which may result in changes to some pay arrangements from 2026. Find out more on our Sheff news page.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all individuals, ensuring a safe and supportive environment for everyone and where appropriate to the role the successful applicant will be required to undertake relevant safeguarding checks.