Head of Family Support
The Vacancy
Lead a National Service That Changes Lives Every Day
This is a rare opportunity to take on a newly created national role at the heart of CHAS’s mission. Every week in Scotland, three children die from a life‑shortening condition. CHAS is there for them - and for their families - providing unwavering, compassionate, specialist care.
Our Family Support teams include senior social workers, child and family workers, play specialists and other experts, working hand‑in‑hand with clinical colleagues across our two hospices, in hospitals, and in homes and communities across Scotland.
We’re looking for an exceptional Head of Family Support to shape and lead the full breadth of these services - from child & family support and therapeutic activities to bereavement, spiritual care and financial wellbeing. Your leadership will ensure families receive holistic, responsive and trauma‑informed support wherever and whenever they need it.
About the Role
Reporting to the Director of Nursing and Family Support, you will:
- Provide strategic leadership across all CHAS family support services
- Lead teams across hospices, hospitals and community settings
- Act as CHAS’s Safeguarding Lead, offering expert oversight and driving safe, compassionate practice organisation-wide.
- Champion continuous improvement, helping families make the most of their precious time together
- Strengthen resilience and support families navigating life-altering adverse experiences.
About You
You will bring:
- Significant leadership experience in children’s services, operating confidently at senior level
- A professional social work qualification, with deep knowledge of GIRFEC, UNCRC and Scottish policy
- Expertise in child protection, safeguarding, and adult support and protection
- Experience leading multidisciplinary teams in emotionally complex environments
- Excellent partnership skills, working across HSCPs, local authorities, NHS and the third sector
- A compassionate, values‑driven approach that supports wellbeing, reflection and professional growth
- Confidence in shaping high‑quality, impactful services
- SSSC registration
Why CHAS?
For the families we support, time is precious - and the work you lead will help families live it fully.
Our 2024–2028 Strategic Plan commits us to providing unwavering care from the moment a child is diagnosed through living well, dying well, and beyond into bereavement. As Head of Family Support, you will play a pivotal leadership role in bringing this strategy to life for our family support workforce - shaping services, developing people, and ensuring the highest standards of safe, compassionate and effective care.
We offer:
- Broad national impact: Influence practice across Scotland and contribute to sector‑wide improvement.
- Flexibility: Based at one of our central CHAS sites: Kinross, Balloch, Edinburgh or Glasgow, with frequent presence in our hospices. CHAS provides care and support to children and families across Scotland with staff bases in Aberdeen and Inverness. This role will require Scotland-wide travel to CHAS sites, local authority and NHS settings and office locations, as well as attendance at external events. Flexibility is essential, and business mileage expenses will be reimbursed. As a family‑friendly organisation, we recognise that flexibility works both ways, and we will support a balanced and adaptable approach to working hours and locations wherever possible.
- Professional growth: A visible, national leadership role with space and support to excel.
- Generous holidays: 35 days, rising to 40 after five years.
- Pension: Opportunity to join the Local Government Pension Scheme for Scotland, administered by Lothian Pension Fund or continued membership of the NHS Scotland Pension Scheme (if applicable)
- Comprehensive benefits: Including life assurance, wellbeing support, employee assistance programme, discount schemes such as Blue Light and Perkbox, and incremental pay progression.
How to Apply
If this role inspires you, we’d love to hear from you.
Follow the link to answer a few short questions and upload your CV, or complete the full application form.
To learn more about this role and a career with CHAS, please review the attached Recruitment Pack
To arrange an informal conversation with Jennifer Rodgers, email executivesupport@chas.org.uk.
For recruitment queries, contact the HR Team on 0131 444 3293 or careers@chas.org.uk.
This role requires a Disclosure Scotland Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) check.
Provisional interview date: 31 March.
The Company
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