Young Persons Practitioner

Young Person's Practitioner 

Salary: £28,500 per annum 

Location:  City of Edinburgh

Contract/Hours: Permanent / Full Time – 37 hours per week, including evenings and weekends

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 looking for a committed Practitioner to deliver targeted interventions that support children and young people to recognise their strengths, overcome challenges, and make positive, informed choices. You’ll provide focused 1:1 support, group work, and diversionary activities across community settings, helping young people re‑engage with education, training, or employment.

Working closely with families is central to the role. You’ll help strengthen relationships, reduce vulnerabilities, and build the foundations that enable young people to thrive. We strongly welcome applications from individuals with lived experience relevant to the issues faced by the children and young people we support.

About the Service

Action for Children’s Intensive Intervention Service is a voluntary programme for children and young people aged 11–18 who may be at risk of, or coerced into, serious offending or criminal exploitation.

The service operates as part of a multi‑agency partnership with City of Edinburgh Council, Police Scotland, and Education, working together to intervene early and reduce the likelihood or impact of criminal exploitation.

Through intensive 1:1 work, group interventions, and meaningful diversionary activities, the service equips young people with the skills, confidence, and tools they need to make safer choices and build positive futures.  

How you'll help to create brighter futures

Some key responsibilities of the Young Person's Practitioner role;

• Lead structured interventions that support positive outcomes for children and young people, ensuring all practice aligns with service policies, safeguarding requirements, and regulatory standards.
• Help young people re‑engage with education, training, or employment, providing practical support and encouragement to build confidence and motivation.
• Manage a varied caseload, delivering consistent, high‑quality support and maintaining clear, accurate records within the service.
• Build strong, trusting relationships with children, young people, families, and partner agencies, including undertaking home visits when appropriate.
• Participate in multi‑agency meetings, contributing to discussions, sharing updates, and presenting cases at monthly panels or reviews.
• Promote a safe and positive environment, following all safeguarding and health and safety procedures to ensure the wellbeing of children, young people, and colleagues.

Let's talk about you

• SVQ/Diploma Level 3 (or equivalent) in early years and childcare, social care, or a related field.
• Experience supporting young people within social work, youth work, or criminal justice settings.
• Confidence working in a multi‑agency environment, applying safeguarding procedures to keep children and young people safe.
• Experience managing a caseload, completing assessments, planning interventions, and reviewing progress to support positive outcomes.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively, maintain professional boundaries, and build trusting relationships with young people and families.

• This role involves delivering outreach support across Edinburgh, with car mileage expenses fully reimbursed.

Why Action for Children?

Every child should have a loving home, food, warmth, the chance to grow and learn - the support to cope with life’s challenges. But too many children don’t. By bringing your passion and unique skills and experience, you’ll help us change that where it really matters. 

We've been driven by love to take action for children for over 150 years, giving them the protection and practical help they need. A lot’s changed since 1869. But what children really need, hasn’t. So as long as children need us, we’ll be here. 

Will you join us?

Contact: Please submit an application via our careers page. If you have any further questions, you can contact Laura McCarthy at [email protected] quoting reference 13502

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

Want to get to know Action for Children better?

Job description

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Please note we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role.