Join a brand‑new service. Shape the future. Empower families.
This is an exciting opportunity to join a newly established and innovative service within Families First. We are launching Bexley’s Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) Service, and we’re looking for passionate, skilled practitioners to help us further embed this model across Children’s Social Care and transform the way families are supported.
As part of this dynamic new team, you will play a central role in delivering high‑quality Family Group Conferences and Family Network Meetings, ensuring that children, young people, and their wider support networks have the space, confidence, and ownership to create safe, sustainable plans for their futures.
About the Role
The Family Group Decision Making Coordinator is both an independent, facilitative role and an integrated supportive role, ideally suited to experienced and qualified social workers who are committed to empowering families through a strengths‑based, relationship‑focused approach.
Family Group Decision Making Coordinators directly contribute to Bexley’s strategic aim to:
- Strengthen internal capacity for family‑led planning
- Reduce the likelihood of families escalating into pre‑proceedings or court
- Improve outcomes for children and families
- Embed inclusive, family‑driven decision making across the service
What You’ll Be Doing
As a Family Group Decision Making Coordinator, you will:
- Plan, organise, and facilitate family led decision meetings to include Family Network Meetings and Family Group Conference models of practice
- Support families to identify strengths, resources, and solutions within their wider network
- Prepare family members, children, and professionals for the process
- Lead reviews to monitor progress and outcomes
- Work collaboratively to help shape, grow, and embed Bexley’s new FGDM service
- Promote and model best practice in family‑led planning and relational, strengths‑based work
- Contribute to the learning and development of our workforce via training and modelling
Why This Role Matters
This is more than a coordination role. It’s a chance to:
- Be part of building a service from the ground up
- Strengthen family networks
- Champion inclusive practice where families lead their own decision making
- Make a tangible, lasting difference in children’s lives
- Support Bexley’s Practice Signs of Safety and Success Practice Model and contribute to innovative and exciting ways of working
- You will be a qualified social worker registered with Social Work England. You will normally have completed the ASYE year unless you qualified before it was in place
Please refer to the Job Description attached for more information.
Please note that the successful candidate will be required to be office based at least 3 days a week. Location: Bexley Civic Offices
For an informal discussion about the role please contact Stefanie Roberts, Principal Social Worker, [email protected]
Candidate Profile
To thrive in this role, you will be:
- Self‑motivated and highly organised, with the ability to manage your own workload independently
- A skilled communicator, confident in balancing independence with partnership working
- Committed to empowering families, promoting their voice, and supporting them to take ownership of plans
- Experienced in working with children and families across a range of services
- Passionate about trauma‑informed, solution‑focused practice
- Enthusiastic about shaping a new service and driving innovation
- Able to drive our Signs of Safety Practice model (support and training given)
For the full list of essential and desirable criteria for this role then please refer to the Person Specification within the Job Description attached.
Please upload your personal statement under the Relevant Experience and Skills section and ensure this fully aligns to the role criteria. This should not be more than two sides of A4.
Appointment to this post will be subject to the outcome of an Enhanced Disclosure obtained through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
Interview schedule to be confirmed.