Children's Workforce Guide to Qualifications and Training: Early help

The Troubled Families Programme aims to tackle the needs of a whole family, addressing problems such as domestic abuse and debt. Troubled Families workers may be employed directly by a local authority or a partner agency.

There are three roles within the programme: keyworkers; co-ordinators; and employment advisers. Keyworkers work directly with the family and 60 per cent hold NVQ Level 4 or above, while 31 per cent have NVQ 1 to 3, according to a 2017 evaluation of the programme.

Co-ordinators lead a team of keyworkers. They are likely to hold a NVQ Level 4 or above. Most have responsibility for other services as well as the Troubled Families team and may be a senior manager, manager or head of service.

Employment Advisers are based in job centres and work to help families move into, or closer to, employment. Many also spend time training local authority and Jobcentre Plus staff. Most - 64 per cent - hold NVQ Level 1 to 3, while 29 per cent hold a Level 4 or above. The most common route into the role is through working as a work coach or employment adviser, or a disability employment adviser.

Training provider Interface offers a four-day skills-based programme specifically developed for the early help workforce, as well as a Level 4 Certificate in Working with Children, Individuals and Families. Local authorities have recognised the need for specific training and many have chosen to offer their core targeted workforce the accredited programme, and their wider workforce the four-day training. Employers increasingly request family workers to hold or be working towards a vocational Level 4 qualification, says Clare Joyce, training manager at Interface: "We have seen a rise in staff from education, social care and the voluntary sector funding themselves through the qualification in order to progress in careers in early help, especially those who want to move into a targeted or senior role."

Core Cities, a group of major cities outside London, has invested Troubled Families Programme funding to create a workforce development programme that works with frontline staff and managers to ensure whole-family working can be supported across a whole system. The approach was piloted in Newcastle, which has not continued with the scheme due to capacity issues, and Sheffield. Other cities such as Liverpool and Nottingham are now implementing the scheme.

Read more from CYP Now's Children's Workforce Guide to Qualifications and Training