Job Title: Project Worker (North Ayrshire)
Reference: CF26-65
Division: Children and Family Services
Location: Irvine based covering North Ayrshire including Islands
Salary: C-11 £30,602 - £35,778 (Full Time)
Post Type: Full time (35 Hours) or x2 Part Time (17.5 Hours) / Fixed Term from 01 Jan 2027 to 31 Aug 2027
Closing Date: 11 November 2026
Interview Date: Week Commencing 25 November 2026
 
A fantastic opportunity to come and join the Children First team in North Ayrshire 

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of our Family Wellbeing Service in North Ayrshire and an innovative partnership between Children First and The Alcohol and Drug Partnership (ADP), working alongside families, building strong relationships, taking an approach that is restorative, relational and trauma responsive striving to achieving positive outcomes for families. This post is funded by the ADP and will contribute to the delivery period 1^st September 26- 31^st August 27 (this post being from 1^st Jan 27 – 31^st Aug 27 fixed term).
We are also determined that the full incorporation of the UNCRC means that children will have their rights respected in all areas of their lives and will have a real say in the way they are supported. If you share this determination, we would love to hear from you.
Our project builds on the voices of the recovery community and our extensive experience in supporting children and families impacted by substance use. We will do this through early help providing community-based whole family support that can be accessed easily in a non-stigmatising way and prevention and education work within local primary schools and alongside other specialist addiction services within all our North Ayrshire Secondary schools.  

Our project seeks to:

• Ensure children, families and communities affected by substance use in North Ayrshire access early help to prevent crisis and to support the whole family to recover from the impact of substance use.    
• Reduce the number of people who develop problem drug use.
• Promote a whole system’s approach personalised to the specific needs of families impacted by substance use, ensuring that individual’s most at risk, have access to specialist support that aids their recovery.

What kind of people are we looking for?

• have experience of keeping children safe in their own families
• are fiercely passionate about children’s rights
• thinks it’s a privilege to work with and on behalf of children and families and,
• are kind and will bring their whole selves to the job: heart and mind

What kind of Family Wellbeing team member will you be?
Knowing our ambition for children, you will be someone who is:

• resilient, skilled and knowledgeable who wants to transform children’s lives
• determined to support children to stay safely with their own family
• big hearted and courageous
• able to build strong relationships and to manage the tricky conversations
• is compassionate and understanding of trauma
• a cool head and clear minded at times of pressure
• inspiring colleagues and teams to be even better
• an amazing ambassador for children and Children First

Above all else, the most important thing to us is that you are someone who will do the right thing for children and their families at every turn.

Base
You will be based in Irvine, Bourtreehill within our Children First North Ayrshire space and will travel to connect with other parts of the organisation and North Ayrshire HSCP.  You will work on an outreach basis to connect with children and families in communities across North Ayrshire.

What we offer:

• A workplace with values of with love, with purpose and with strength. 
• 40 days annual leave, inclusive of bank holidays. 
• Pension scheme and wellbeing support. 
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements. 
• Access to Westfield Health, giving colleagues and their families confidential counselling support, wellbeing resources, and access to health and lifestyle benefits to support physical and mental wellbeing. 
• Blue Light Card discount. 
• A Fair Work accredited workplace

Corporate Responsibility

• Be committed and adhere to Children First’s vision, mission and values.
• Comply with Children First safeguarding policies and procedures.
• Comply with Children First code of conduct and any relevant professional standards relating to the role. 
• Actively consider the involvement of children, young people and families with whom we work, in all areas of practice and to implement the Children First participation standards.
• Actively consider the involvement of volunteers in all areas of our work and to implement the Children First volunteer development policy.
• Observe all health and safety requirements.
• Work within and promote policies in relation to diversity equity and inclusion and anti-discriminatory practices.
• Undertake any other reasonably required duties as instructed by line manager or someone acting on their behalf, in addition to the role specific responsibilities detailed below.

Further Information
Closing date: 11^th November 26 at 12 noon. It is anticipated that interviews will be held face to face week commencing 25^th November 26.

Job Description

Role Summary

 

• To lead the provision of professional and high-quality direct support services to children, young people, and/or their families, and achieve desired outcomes from working with Children First.   
• To promote the values and principles of Children First in providing support to children, young people, and their families, promoting their participation in the services they receive. 
• To support the Service Manager/Assistant Director to deliver the service in line with organisational strategy.

  
Key Results
 
Relationships with Children, Young People and Families
 

• To ensure quality and timely assessments of the risks and needs of children, young people and families are carried out, taking a strengths-based approach, involving the child and family, and all relevant stakeholders in this process. (Common Core ref: A3)
• To work alongside children, young people and families to develop, agree, and monitor support plans to achieve their identified outcomes and to work with other agencies to ensure that the child benefits from a team approach.  
• To provide direct support and/or therapeutic work with children, young people and families, which may include, group work, family work, and individual work. 
• To provide advice, support, advocacy and guidance to children and young people in order to assist them in expressing their views and upholding their rights.  
• To carry out regular reviews with children, young people and families, involving them and all relevant stakeholders in this process.
• To develop effective working relationships across Children First including staff from other Children and Family services, Public Policy, Fundraising, Finance and Administration and volunteer supporters. 

Operational Requirements

 

• To manage referrals in consultation with the Service Manager/Team Leader, receiving and responding to contacts and referrals from referring agencies.  
• To record, maintain and review information, gained through the process of assessment, monitoring and review, within the Children First recording system (Dynamics).  
• To maintain awareness of research and policy development through personal reading and study, taking responsibility for own professional development and understanding.
• To contribute to Children First’s ability to work within and develop national policy ambitions e.g., Changing Lives, Getting it Right For Every Child.  
• To develop and maintain consistent and meaningful internal communications practices. 
• To make constructive use of internal support and supervision processes, and take responsibility for continuous professional development, undertaking mandatory and relevant internal courses as required and, where appropriate and where budget allows, undertaking post qualifying training in child protection, practice teaching or other relevant courses.  
• To support activity which contributes to the sustainability of the service.
• To support the wider organisational activity and strategy of Children First.
• To support activity which develops and strengthens the Children First brand and public profile.

Additional Responsibilities

 

• To evaluate information gained through the process of assessment, monitoring and review, and share this with children and families and others appropriately and sensitively and in accordance with legislation and policies on confidentiality and safer care. (Common Core ref: A4)
• To contribute to Children First working groups, sharing and developing practice across the areas of work, and to work within and help develop best practice standards. 
• To represent Children First at external events and activities particularly with local social work, education, health or third sector agencies, but sometimes at national events. To work constructively with a range of external agencies to promote a multi-disciplinary ‘team around the child’ approach. 
• To provide advice, guidance, training and consultation services to colleagues across the charity, and to staff working within partner agencies.  
• To contribute to the development of best practice and the success and development of the service by actively participating in team meetings, by developing excellent working relationships with other team members, and by contributing to the knowledge and sharing of best practice with colleagues across the charity. 
• To support and supervise volunteers, students, and where appropriate, sessional staff, mentoring, coaching and leading practice, and taking an active role in their recruitment and development.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Need to Have (Qualifications and Experience)	Need to Show (Skills)	Need to Know	Need to Be
Diploma in Social Work or other relevant professional qualification (e.g. in Health, Education, Community Education), at SCQF level 9 Experience of direct work with children and young people in a variety of settings and of supporting children, young people and families in partnership with them, their networks, and other workers (Common Core ref: A3, B9) Experience of conducting group and/or family work with children, young people and families in adversity or distress Experience of supporting children and young people to share their views and contribute to decisions which affect them (Common Core ref: A4, A8) Experienced in the identification and management of risk (Common Core ref: B8)	Creativity and imagination in designing methods of engagement with children and young people. Ability to work in a solution focused way that empowers service users (Common Core ref: A8) Ability to adapt and respond to a variety of situations and people in order to meet changing priorities and different ways of working. Excellent observational and analytical skills Ability to maintain and produce accurate and timely records and reports. Competent in the use of MS Office	Knowledge and understanding of how children and young people develop, their needs and associated risk factors, and understanding vulnerability and promoting resilience (Common Core ref: A5, A7) Child protection and care planning processes, systems and agencies (Common Core ref: A6, B1, B2, B3, B4, B6, B7, B10) Relevant childcare legislation and guidance relating to children’s rights (Common Core ref: B6,B7) Knowledge of theoretical framework for working therapeutically with children, young people and their families Knowledge of services and issues relevant to the needs of children and young people (Common Core ref: B1,B2, B6) Knowledge of Statutory social work role and function	Flexible in approach to work Committed to and understand the principles of working with volunteers. Able and willing to travel as required to services and offices across the region. Committed to Children First approach and the relational nature of our work.  Confident and able to form effective and credible relationships with all levels of staff Aware of personal responsibility in relation to health and safety.