Navigator - West Dunbartonshire; Family Support Worker

About Kinship

Kinship is the leading National kinship care charity, supporting relatives and friends who step up to raise children when their parents cannot. Through advice, practical support, research and campaigning, we work to ensure kinship families have the help they need to thrive. Together with our community, we drive positive change so that every child can grow up in a loving, stable family environment.

For more information about Kinship and the work we do.

Join Kinship at an exciting milestone as we launch our first programme in Scotland. Working in partnership with Inspiring Scotland and local youth charity Y Sort It, this National Lottery‑funded pilot will strengthen support for kinship families in West Dunbartonshire through a coordinated, whole‑family approach.

As part of a small and dedicated delivery team, you will help shape Kinship’s future in Scotland, contribute to evidence‑based learning, and make a lasting difference to kinship carers, children and young people in the local community.

As a Kinship Navigator, you will provide intensive, six‑month support to kinship carers through Kinship Connected, helping families build resilience, access services and strengthen support networks. Based at Y Sort It and working across the community, you will develop trusted relationships with families, carry out assessments and reviews, and coordinate support with local partners, including Intandem mentors.

This is a rewarding, community‑focused role where you will directly support kinship families while helping to demonstrate the impact of an innovative new model of support in Scotland.

As a Kinship Navigator, you will provide intensive one‑to‑one support to kinship carers, helping families access services, build support networks and achieve positive outcomes for the children in their care.

You will carry out assessments, develop support plans, advocate on behalf of families and facilitate a local peer support group.

Working closely with Y Sort It, Inspiring Scotland and local partners, you will coordinate support for kinship families, strengthen referral pathways and contribute to a pioneering whole‑family approach in West Dunbartonshire.

You will also play a key role in safeguarding, partnership working and maintaining high‑quality records to demonstrate impact and inform future development of Kinship’s work in Scotland.

We’re looking for someone with experience supporting vulnerable families, carers or communities through direct casework, family support or similar roles. You’ll be confident building trusted relationships, carrying out assessments, managing a caseload and working collaboratively with statutory and voluntary sector partners.

You will bring strong communication, organisation and record‑keeping skills, alongside an understanding of safeguarding and trauma‑informed practice. Knowledge of kinship care or the Scottish family support landscape would be beneficial, as would experience facilitating support groups and using CRM systems such as Salesforce.

Most importantly, you’ll be empathetic, resilient and passionate about improving outcomes for kinship families, with the confidence to work independently while contributing to a small, supportive team.