The Bridge Project is pleased to announce an exciting employment opportunity. We are seeking a highly competent practitioner to be an Early Help Substance Use Specialist. The role is for 28 hours per week.
The Early Help Substance Use Team enhances Bradford Children and Families Trust Family Hubs by embedding a dedicated team of Substance Use Specialist roles. Their purpose is to strengthen the system’s ability to identify and respond earlier where parental substance use may be emerging, unacknowledged, minimised, or only partially understood.
All roles in this strand are non-case holding. Instead, the team works alongside Early Help practitioners at all grades, providing consultation, reflective practice, training, auditing, and modelling of best practice. The aim is to ensure consistent, high-quality responses to parental substance use within Early Help and to build practitioner confidence in working with families where substance use may be hidden or minimised.
Each Early Help Substance Use Specialists are embedded in one of Bradford’s four Family Hubs and works as part of a coordinated team, under the direction of the Lead Practitioner – Substance Use Specialist and Service Manager.
We are looking for a practitioner who has at least 3 years’ experience in substance misuse/substance use delivery services, with proven expertise in early intervention, along with the ability to undertake safeguarding and risk analysis in complex family contexts. Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to provide clear feedback, reports and recommendations is essential as is being skilled in trauma-informed and relational practice approaches.
Bridge is a value driven organisation, and these strong values are the foundation of our organisation stability and are at the heart of what we do. It is essential that all employees meet our expected standards around key behaviours, which represent standards of conduct, collaboration and professionalism that underpin how we work with each other, with our partners, and with the people who use our services.
If you are passionate about what we do, we’d love to hear from you. Alongside a rewarding career, you’ll enjoy a benefits package designed to help you thrive:
Joining The Bridge Project means becoming part of a team that values you, your wellbeing, your growth, and your future. The Bridge Project is proud to be a Mindful Employer, championing a workplace where wellbeing truly matters.
If you would like further information about the role, please contact Jenny Brown, Deputy Director of Operations on jenny.brown@thebridgeproject.org.uk or Dave Calcott, Lead Practitioner on dave.calcott@thebridgeproject.org.uk to arrange this.
You must complete the Bridge Project’s application form in order to be considered for the role. The application form plays a key part in our recruitment and selection process. We use the information you provide about your skills, experience, career and education history to decide whether or not to invite you for an interview. It is important that you complete the application form as fully and accurately as possible, ensuring that you give specific examples which demonstrate how you meet the criteria.
No CV’s are accepted. No Employment Agencies please.
Closing Date: 9.00 am on 25 February 2026
Shortlisting Date: 26 February 2026
Interview Dates: 5 and 6 March 2026
If applying online, please make a note of this Job Reference
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