Family Support Worker; safe and secure tenancies

Last updated: 29/01/2026

Post:Family Support Worker – (fixed term 1 st April 2026 – 31 st March 2027 with continuation of post dependant on funding)

Hours: 18 hours per week – 9am-3:30pm – 3 days worked between Monday – Thursday

Location: City of Edinburgh wide, based at OPFS Headquarters, 2 York Place with travel and remote work in local communities

Reports to: Regional Coordinator – Edinburgh

Closing date: Friday 20th February 2026 at 5pm

The Family Support Worker will contribute to the organisation’s vision of a Scotland in which single parents and their children are valued and treated equally and fairly, by supporting the delivery of various components which contribute to the Edinburgh service, including proactively supporting single parents living in private rented accommodation. The Family Support Worker will support single parent families across all six key priority areas of the OPFS ‘My Life and Me’ tool, which are My Money, My Health and Wellbeing, My Home, My Work, Education and Training, My Children and My Relationships.

The role will include direct work with single parents to understand their needs, their current housing situation, and their current barriers to secure, safe, private rented tenancies. Liaising with housing providers within Edinburgh, helping single parents navigate the complex housing system and understand their rights as a private tenant is a key element of this role. This role may include networking and events to promote the Edinburgh service and this new, unique role.

The work will include outreach work with single parents, stakeholders, and partners in and around Edinburgh.

All roles at OPFS contribute to our mission of working with and for single parent families, providing support that enables them to achieve their potential and help create lasting solutions to poverty and barriers facing many single parents and their children. Our core values of Justice, Equity, Trust, Collaboration and Compassion are at the heart of everything we do and underpin all aspects of our work.

OPFS aims to be an equal opportunity and family friendly employer. OPFS has Investors In People Gold status.

The role description is a broad picture of the post at the time of preparation. It is not an exhaustive list of all possible duties, and it is recognised that roles change and evolve over time.

Key tasks and responsibilities

Support Single Parents:

• Support single parents to understand their rights as a private tenant so that they can be empowered and informed.
• Support single parents to advocate for themselves when early-stage challenges or difficulties have arisen in relation to their private tenancy
• Support and advocate for single parents, signpost to targeted housing support services when challenges and barriers are more complex
• Promote the services available through OPFS by developing trusting relationships with single parents through the provision of 1:1 support and providing information, advice and guidance.

Family Support Work:

• Identify community resources and local services and assist single parents to engage with other agencies.
• To facilitate the delivery of groups and events.
  
  Support single parents to develop their confidence, practical skills, self-esteem and to feel empowered and informed.
• Work with single parents to identify wider support needs and refer to other support services where appropriate.
• Work alongside single parents using the My Life and Me tools, ensuring a holistic approach to support is offered.

Record Keeping and Reporting:

• Maintain confidential information, complete all appropriate client paperwork as per our Family Support process.
• Record and document meetings and support provided to single parents.
  
  Use appropriate databases as required by OPFS and the post funder, complete quarterly reports, case studies and maintain a high level of data recording to record, monitor and evaluate targets as set by the funder.
• Regular…