Family Safeguarding Substance Use Worker

We are looking for an experienced and compassionate Substance Use Worker to join our Family Safeguarding Adult Team, working directly with parents and carers whose substance or alcohol use may be affecting their children’s safety and wellbeing.

This is a rewarding opportunity to be part of an innovative, multi‑disciplinary service helping families make sustainable change and supporting children to remain safely at home wherever possible.

About the Role

The role will be co‑located within Family Help and Building Your Futures teams, working alongside Children’s Social Workers, Mental Health Workers, Domestic Abuse Specialists and other professionals as part of Portsmouth’s Family Safeguarding model.

Responsibilities include:

Delivering specialist substance and alcohol use assessments and interventions for parents and carers

Supporting behaviour change using restorative, strengths‑based approaches and Motivational Interviewing

Contributing to multi‑agency plans aimed at improving parenting capacity and safeguarding children

Working with families in crisis and contributing to risk management and safety planning

Providing specialist advice, consultation and training to colleagues and partner agencies

Maintaining high‑quality records and contributing to reviews, conferences and court reports when required

The Ideal candidate

We are looking for someone who:

Has relevant qualifications and/or significant experience in substance and alcohol use services

Has a strong understanding of adult and children’s safeguarding

Is trauma‑informed, inclusive and confident working with families from diverse backgrounds

Can build effective, empowering relationships with parents and carers

Is confident working both autonomously and as part of a busy, multi‑professional team

Has knowledge of Motivational Interviewing and Restorative Practice (or willingness to develop)

Please ensure that you download and read the full job profile attached for the details and expectations of this role, paying particular attention the section 'Who is the person' as you will need to refer to this when completing your Personal statement.

About Portsmouth City Council

Portsmouth City Council is a unique organisation, committed to making a difference, and is guided by core values that set who we are as people, what we stand for, and how we act.

We are committed to our values of respect, integrity, collaboration, inclusivity and being people-focussed. These values set out how we can contribute to the success of the council and our own success as individuals. Learn more about our values and behaviours.

Working arrangements: This role if office based there is no Hybrid working.

Contact Details for an Informal Discussion:If you have any questions, or would like an informal discussion about the role, please email: Becky walker - becky.walker@portsmouthcc.gov.uk

Application process

We anonymise applications during application & shortlisting to ensure only relevant information is considered.

As part of your application, we ask that you complete apersonal statement, this statement is crucial and is where you must demonstrate how you meet the requirements of the job against each of the points described in the 'Who is the Person'points on the Job Profile using examples from your experience or transferable skills.This might be through qualifications or descriptive examples from your work / personal experience.

You will need to explain any gaps in your career history within the last 5 years - this is essential for all safeguarding roles

We are a disability confident employer and Armed Forces Covenant gold standard. More information can be found at Equality, diversity and inclusion - Careers portal.We are committed to offering an interview to all those candidates that qualify under one of our commitments and meet the minimum criteria, however for roles that receive a large number of applications, this is not always possible, and we will select the candidates that best meet the minimum criteria

You will need to demonstrate that you have the Right to Work in the UK. No post will be offered without it. We are unable to Offer sponsorship for this role.

Safeguarding

Portsmouth City Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and young people, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Every post is subject to PCC and Portsmouth Safeguarding Children Partnership safer recruitment procedures.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) at Standard/Enhanced level will be required prior to any offer of employment and this post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Please read the relevant DBS privacy notice before submitting any information.