PERMANENT HELPLINE PRACTITIONER

Make a difference that lasts a lifetime.

MPA Recruitment is proud to be recruiting exclusively on behalf of NSPCC Northern Ireland for SEVEN Permanent Helpline Practitioners.

This is a unique opportunity to join one of the UK’s leading children’s charities and play a vital role in protecting children, supporting families, and helping to create safer childhoods.

Every day, children and families need someone who will listen, understand, and take the right action. As a Helpline Practitioner, you could be that person.

If you have a background in safeguarding, social care, health, education, youth work, counselling, or a related field, and are passionate about making a real difference, we would love to hear from you.

THE PACKAGE

• Salary: £34,582 per annum
• Rota allowance: Additional 3.5%
• Homeworking bonus: £220
• Contract: Full-time, permanent
• Location: The Lanyon Building, Jennymount Business Park, Belfast, BT15

THE ROLE – YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

As a Helpline Practitioner, you will be at the heart of the NSPCC’s work to protect children and young people.

You will provide support to people contacting the NSPCC Helpline, responding appropriately to a wide range of enquiries and concerns. Through safe, effective, and child-focused practice, you will gather essential information, contribute to safeguarding assessments, and help ensure that appropriate action is taken by statutory agencies where necessary.

You will also play an important role in representing the NSPCC, delivering an exceptional standard of customer service, and helping to maintain its outstanding reputation.

This is a rewarding role that requires compassion, sound professional judgement, resilience, and a genuine commitment to putting children first.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

As a Helpline Practitioner, your responsibilities will include:

• Engaging with a diverse range of service users, recognising, and responding to their individual needs, rights, and circumstances.
• Providing support, guidance and advice to carers, professionals, and members of the public, always adhering to effective safeguarding practice.
• Assessing the information received through contacts and working under the direction of the Duty Manager to determine the appropriate action.
• Gathering relevant information to support safeguarding assessments and ensure concerns are appropriately progressed to statutory agencies where required.
• Accurately recording comprehensive details of all telephone and other contacts, together with recommended actions, in line with NSPCC procedures and Helpline guidelines.
• Delivering a consistent, high-quality service in accordance with team objectives and activity plans.
• Building positive relationships with service users, external agencies, and members of the public.

WORKING PATTERN – THREE-WEEK ROLLING ROTA

This is a full-time permanent position operating on a three-week rolling rota, offering a varied working pattern.

Week One – Homeworking

• Monday to Friday
• 9.00am – 5.00pm
• Working from home.

Week Two – Evening and Weekend Cover

• Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday: 1.00pm – 9.00pm.
• Saturday and Sunday: 11.00am – 7.00pm.
• Office-based.

Week Three – Four-Day Working Week

• Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
• 8.00am – 4.00pm.
• Office-based.

The rota provides a mixture of home and office working, evening, and weekend shifts, alongside a four-day working week.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We are looking for individuals who combine professional safeguarding knowledge with empathy, excellent communication skills, and the confidence to respond appropriately to potentially sensitive and challenging situations.

Essential criteria:

• An appropriate qualification in a safeguarding-related field, such as social care, health, education, law enforcement, youth justice, youth work, or counselling.
• Post-qualification experience in a role involving responsibility for safeguarding children or families.
• An understanding of children’s needs, welfare, and development.
• Up-to-date knowledge and a good understanding of current Northern Ireland childcare legislation, research, and best-practice guidance.
• Experience of working in a high-demand, customer-focused environment.
• Well-developed written and verbal communication skills.

You will be someone who can listen without judgement, communicate with confidence, demonstrate compassion, and remain professional when dealing with sensitive information and challenging circumstances.

OUR SHARED COMMITMENT

Everyone working with the NSPCC has an important role to play in protecting children and promoting their welfare.

All staff are expected to demonstrate:

• A commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and adults at risk.
• Full compliance with all relevant NSPCC safeguarding policies.
• A commitment to upholding and demonstrating NSPCC values and behaviours in every aspect of their work.

KEY RECRUITMENT DATES

• Closing date: Wednesday 16 December 2026.
• First interviews: Week commencing Monday 4 January 2027.

HOW TO APPLY

MPA Recruitment is delighted to be managing this exclusive recruitment campaign on behalf of NSPCC Northern Ireland.

If you have the qualifications, experience, and passion to make a meaningful difference, we would love to hear from you.

For further information or an initial confidential conversation, contact our Belfast Recruitment Team and speak to Sarah or Shannen.

Telephone: 028 9521 1111
Email: [email protected]

Seven opportunities. One shared purpose. The chance to make a difference to children’s lives.

Every childhood is worth fighting for.