Family Support Worker and DSL
| Posting date: | 08 September 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £26,000.00 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 26 September 2025 |
| Location: | Papworth Everard |
| Remote working: | On-site only |
| Company: | Acorn Care and Education |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 288859FAJ |
Summary
How would you like to get paid for five days, but only work four?
At Outcomes First Group, we believe in better work/life balance — and we’re putting wellbeing first.
That’s why we’re proud to be part of a 4-Day Working Week (4DWW) trial, where you can work one day less each week (or equivalent hours), while still receiving your full-time pay.
Many of our schools have already introduced the 4DWW — and others are preparing to roll it out as soon as they reach full staffing. So whether it’s already in place or just around the corner, now’s the perfect time to join #teamOFG.
Job Title: Family Support Worker and DSL
Location: Papworth Hall School, Papworth Everard CB23 3RD
Salary: £26,000.00 per annum
Hours: 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday
Contract: Permanent, Term Time Only
UK applicants only. This role does not offer sponsorship.
As part of our continued growth, we now have a fantastic opportunity for a Family Support Worker and DSL to join our close-knit team at Papworth Hall School, part of Options Autism.
About the Role
The Family Support Worker and DSL will assist in delivering an effective support service for families and pupils and support the school in providing a high-quality service for pupils with social, emotional and mental health difficulties (SEMH). They will also take lead responsibility for safeguarding and child protection across the school, including taking part in strategy discussions and inter-agency meetings and contribute to the assessment of children.
Key Responsibilities
To understand the school’s safeguarding policy and support staff to understand their statutory responsibilities
Contribute to raising achievement by improving school attendance
Using the school’s data management system to run reports and to record and analyse pupil data
To establish the reason for non-attendance, make assessments and agree a plan for facilitating a return to school using appropriate strategies within specified timescales
To establish positive working relationships with pupils in school to identify barriers to learning and attendance
Managing referrals
Refer cases of suspected abuse to the local authority children’s social care.
Support staff who make referrals to local authority children’s social care.
Refer cases to the Channel programme where there is a radicalization concern.
Support staff who make referrals to the Channel programme.
Working with staff and other agencies
Ensure staff can access and understand the school’s child protection and safeguarding policy and procedures (especially new and part time staff).
Inform the Head of School and Executive Headteacher of safeguarding issues, especially ongoing enquiries into whether a child is at risk of harm, and police investigations.
About Us
Papworth Hall School is in the picturesque village in Cambridgeshire. It is within close proximity to Huntingdon and Cambridge. Our new specialist school caters for young people with complex communication needs, autism and associated learning and emotional needs and has the capacity for 30 students.
For over 16 years Options Autism have provided care and education to pupils and adults with autism, complex needs and learning difficulties. As part of Outcomes First Group, we are leading our sector in setting and delivering new approaches that provide measurable outcomes for those in our care.
We are really proud to say that in 2024, Outcomes First Group were officially certified as a ‘Great Place to Work’ for the fifth year running.
Why join Options Autism?
We place the outcomes of the pupils and vulnerable young adults in our services at the heart of everything we do, so you’ll wake every day in the knowledge that your role will have a significant positive impact on the lives of others.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of pupils and young people. All applicants will be subject to social media checks and successful applicants to a fully enhanced DBS.
Benefits
Your health and wellbeing are important to us, so you’ll get an exceptional reward package including:
Life Assurance
Pension scheme with options to increase your contributions
“Your Wellbeing Matters” – access to a wide range of first-class mental health support services and physical health checks
And a market-leading benefit offering through our Flexible Benefits Platform, Vista, enables you to choose the package that’s right for you, including:
A wide range of health, wellbeing, and insurance benefits
100’s of discount options valid in the UK and abroad
Cycle to Work Schemes
Electric Car Purchase Scheme
Critical illness cover
Family Growth Support - inclusive benefits package covering enhanced maternity and paternity leave, along with paid fertility treatment support.
We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.
*You’ll work 80% of your contractual hours for 100% of your pay, giving you more time to do the things that make you happy. 4DWW is subject to successful completion of probation and is not a contractual benefit
Outcomes First Group is committed to carrying out a fair, thorough and efficient recruitment process in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education. Whilst we aim to keep applicants informed throughout, Outcomes First Group does not accept liability for any loss of earnings or other associated costs incurred by applicants as a result of delays or changes in the compliance process. All stages of the compliance process are subject to necessary safeguarding checks and compliance with statutory requirements, which may affect timescales.
#1
At Outcomes First Group, we believe in better work/life balance — and we’re putting wellbeing first.
That’s why we’re proud to be part of a 4-Day Working Week (4DWW) trial, where you can work one day less each week (or equivalent hours), while still receiving your full-time pay.
Many of our schools have already introduced the 4DWW — and others are preparing to roll it out as soon as they reach full staffing. So whether it’s already in place or just around the corner, now’s the perfect time to join #teamOFG.
Job Title: Family Support Worker and DSL
Location: Papworth Hall School, Papworth Everard CB23 3RD
Salary: £26,000.00 per annum
Hours: 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday
Contract: Permanent, Term Time Only
UK applicants only. This role does not offer sponsorship.
As part of our continued growth, we now have a fantastic opportunity for a Family Support Worker and DSL to join our close-knit team at Papworth Hall School, part of Options Autism.
About the Role
The Family Support Worker and DSL will assist in delivering an effective support service for families and pupils and support the school in providing a high-quality service for pupils with social, emotional and mental health difficulties (SEMH). They will also take lead responsibility for safeguarding and child protection across the school, including taking part in strategy discussions and inter-agency meetings and contribute to the assessment of children.
Key Responsibilities
To understand the school’s safeguarding policy and support staff to understand their statutory responsibilities
Contribute to raising achievement by improving school attendance
Using the school’s data management system to run reports and to record and analyse pupil data
To establish the reason for non-attendance, make assessments and agree a plan for facilitating a return to school using appropriate strategies within specified timescales
To establish positive working relationships with pupils in school to identify barriers to learning and attendance
Managing referrals
Refer cases of suspected abuse to the local authority children’s social care.
Support staff who make referrals to local authority children’s social care.
Refer cases to the Channel programme where there is a radicalization concern.
Support staff who make referrals to the Channel programme.
Working with staff and other agencies
Ensure staff can access and understand the school’s child protection and safeguarding policy and procedures (especially new and part time staff).
Inform the Head of School and Executive Headteacher of safeguarding issues, especially ongoing enquiries into whether a child is at risk of harm, and police investigations.
About Us
Papworth Hall School is in the picturesque village in Cambridgeshire. It is within close proximity to Huntingdon and Cambridge. Our new specialist school caters for young people with complex communication needs, autism and associated learning and emotional needs and has the capacity for 30 students.
For over 16 years Options Autism have provided care and education to pupils and adults with autism, complex needs and learning difficulties. As part of Outcomes First Group, we are leading our sector in setting and delivering new approaches that provide measurable outcomes for those in our care.
We are really proud to say that in 2024, Outcomes First Group were officially certified as a ‘Great Place to Work’ for the fifth year running.
Why join Options Autism?
We place the outcomes of the pupils and vulnerable young adults in our services at the heart of everything we do, so you’ll wake every day in the knowledge that your role will have a significant positive impact on the lives of others.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of pupils and young people. All applicants will be subject to social media checks and successful applicants to a fully enhanced DBS.
Benefits
Your health and wellbeing are important to us, so you’ll get an exceptional reward package including:
Life Assurance
Pension scheme with options to increase your contributions
“Your Wellbeing Matters” – access to a wide range of first-class mental health support services and physical health checks
And a market-leading benefit offering through our Flexible Benefits Platform, Vista, enables you to choose the package that’s right for you, including:
A wide range of health, wellbeing, and insurance benefits
100’s of discount options valid in the UK and abroad
Cycle to Work Schemes
Electric Car Purchase Scheme
Critical illness cover
Family Growth Support - inclusive benefits package covering enhanced maternity and paternity leave, along with paid fertility treatment support.
We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.
*You’ll work 80% of your contractual hours for 100% of your pay, giving you more time to do the things that make you happy. 4DWW is subject to successful completion of probation and is not a contractual benefit
Outcomes First Group is committed to carrying out a fair, thorough and efficient recruitment process in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education. Whilst we aim to keep applicants informed throughout, Outcomes First Group does not accept liability for any loss of earnings or other associated costs incurred by applicants as a result of delays or changes in the compliance process. All stages of the compliance process are subject to necessary safeguarding checks and compliance with statutory requirements, which may affect timescales.
#1