Young persons practitioner

Young Person’s Practitioner

Salary: circa £28,000 per annum + £1,175 outer London weighting allowance

Location: Enfield and Haringey, North London

Contract/Hours: Permanent / Full Time – 37 hours per week

Closing date for applications: 12:00 noon on Friday 26th June

Benefits

• Over 7 weeks inclusive paid leave and the option to buy or sell leave
• Excellent training and the opportunity to undertake professional training for some roles
• Flexible maternity, paternity and adoption packages
• Up to 5% employer contribution and life assurance cover
• Blue Light Card eligibility with discounts at 15,000 national retailers

At Action for Children, we offer more than just a job. Join us and you’ll be part of a team dedicated to giving children safe and happy childhoods. See how your skills can make a real difference, helping solve the problems children and young people face every day.

A bit about the role

We’re recruiting multiple Young Person’s Practitioners to support young people aged 11–18 who may be vulnerable to criminal exploitation. The role centres on providing intensive one‑to‑one support that helps young people move towards positive pathways such as education, training, and employment. This is delivered through multi‑agency partnership work, group sessions, and individual interventions, contributing to a growing evidence base on what works to divert young people away from crime.

You’ll be working with some of the most at‑risk young people in their communities, so confidence in risk assessments and contextual safeguarding will be valuable. Strong engagement and communication skills are essential, as you’ll also support families and help maintain a welcoming environment where young people feel comfortable to ‘drop in’ and connect with caseworkers.

Our service has a strong track record of building trusting relationships with young people and families. When engagement takes time, we work closely with parents, carers, and siblings to build trust within the family, which often leads to meaningful engagement from the young person.

About the Service

Action for Children has recently been awarded funding from The National Lottery Community Fund to deliver our Criminally Exploited Children Support Service across Scotland, England and Wales. The service offers targeted support to 11‑18‑year‑olds who may be at risk of or coerced into involvement with serious offending and criminal activity.

We work closely with Local Authorities, Police, and Education partners to intervene early and reduce the risk and impact of criminal exploitation. As part of a multi‑agency strategy with the City Council, our service provides intensive one‑to‑one support, group work, and engaging diversionary activities that help young people build confidence, develop new skills, and reconnect with education, training, or employment.

At the heart of our approach is a belief in every young person’s potential and a commitment to helping them feel safe, valued, and empowered to make positive choices.

What you do could make a difference

• Working in partnership with the local authority, youth justice services and Police
• Providing one‑to‑one support for young people involved in or at risk of offending
• Supporting young people with issues around relationships, emotional wellbeing, peer pressure, exploitation, substance misuse and other relevant issues
• Providing coping mechanisms and support in their often chaotic and challenging lives
• Offering practical support and mentoring around basic life skills, employability and building resilience
• Building trust, rapport and being a constant in the lives of the young person, providing them with the skills and abilities to make effective decisions in life
• Providing group activities and outdoor programmes to assist young people

Let’s talk about you

• Experience working within a multi‑agency environment such as social care, early years, or health services, with a strong understanding of safeguarding practices
• Background in supporting individuals who have offended or are at risk of offending
• Knowledge of the criminal justice system
• Experience managing cases in line with agreed procedures, including completing assessments, planning, and reviews to support positive outcomes
• Strong communication skills, especially in engaging with young people and actively listening to their voices
• A full driving licence and access to a vehicle
• Relevant lived experience

Diversity, Equality and Inclusion

We work hard to create an inclusive environment. One where individuality is celebrated and where everyone feels valued and supported. Because when we come together, with skills like yours, we’re capable of amazing things.

We actively encourage applications from people with Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds and people with a disability, as these groups are under‑represented within Action for Children.

Contact

Laura McCarthy – recruitmentservice@actionforchildren.org.uk (reference 13259)