Job title: Family information services manager

What do family information services managers do?
Family information services managers run services that provide parents with details about local childcare provision and sources of financial assistance to help them support children up to their 20th birthday, or 25th birthday if their child has a disability.

Family information services are usually located within local authorities and have close links with children’s centres, Jobcentre Plus, schools, careers advisers, youth clubs and libraries.

Services may also provide wider information on a range of activities for families and
provide outreach work to make sure that the information they offer reaches disadvantaged families.

In a number of areas, family information services have taken on other responsibilities. Some carry out the council’s duties to ensure there is sufficient childcare available. Others are now charged with maintaining the local Common Assessment Framework database, or working on schools admissions.

Anthony Ellison, membership officer for the National Association of Family Information Services (Nafis), says services now do almost anything with information relating to children. He says: “There are models out there that bear little resemblance to one another.”

Every local authority must by law offer a family information service, although some deliver their service in partnership with other councils.

Managers head up teams of anything from one to 23 staff.

What skills are needed for the job?
Manager