Keyworker


Company:	Barnardo's
Salary:	£32,786 to £35,831 a year
Hours:	Full-time
Location:	Birmingham
Working pattern:	Field-based
Job type:	Contract
Posting date:	3 Sept 2026
Closing date:	20 Sept 2026

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Summary

Are you passionate about supporting children and young people to achieve positive outcomes?

Do you want to be part of the Birmingham and Solihull (BSOL) Keyworker support service for children and young people?

Can you support and achieve positive change for children, and young people with a learning disability autism or both, helping them to navigate services and support?

Then this could be the opportunity for you.

This is a time limited post with the possibility of extension subject to ongoing funding being awarded.

Service Overview

The Keyworker function in Birmingham and Solihull has been developed as part of the National Health Service long term plan for all children and young people (CYP) with a learning disability, autism or both to have a designated Keyworker by 2024. Barnardo's Autism and Learning Disability keyworkers work in partnership with Birmingham and Solihull ICB to support children and young people 0-25 years who on the Dynamic Support Register, due to being at risk of mental health hospital admission or are already in an inpatient setting. The Keyworkers ensure that these children, young people and their families get the right help at the right time across complex systems.

Each young person referred to the service will have a named assigned Keyworker. The team will provide expert planning, support navigation and advocacy to the young person and their family at a level appropriate to the child or person's needs.

Keyworker Function/Model

Keyworkers work across the Birmingham and Solihull system with and for Children and Young People and families, capitalising on cross-system knowledge and experience to help them effectively navigate services. They will support lead professionals, ensuring that they have the knowledge of education, care and health services and processes and are mandated to work across sectors to facilitate timely and properly integrated assessment, care and support. Staff across the team will be recruited from a range of professional backgrounds within education, social care, health and the third sector to establish a multi-disciplinary team.

As a Keyworker you will

co-ordinate, enable, organise and provide direct support for Children and Young people and family-centred planning;

provide effective communication, challenge, problem-solve and influence; achieve change and unblock the system.

work with the Children and young People's expressed views and feelings

work flexibly and responsively to help Children and Young People and families understand and navigate the system.

ensure co-production is maintained throughout Children and Young People and family journeys, including close working relationships with parent carer representatives who are supporting with the implementation, appraisal and monitoring of the Keyworking function.

The Keyworking function will work closely with the Parent Carer and Young people Forums and parent carer representatives, who have worked as family voice consultants to co-design and co-produce the vision, implementation plans, key opportunities and processes for continuation of co-production during mobilisation and roll-out.

The key principles are:

Improving the experience of Children and Young People.

Improving the experiences of parents/carers and families.

Improving access.

Improving quality of care.

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