Job Introduction
This is an exciting opportunity to join our 16+ Care Leaver Service as a Personal Advisor. You will work with young people from the age of 16 to 25 and will support, advise, and befriend young people from the age of 16 who are in care as well as young people who have left care.
Duties include:
- Assessing, planning, and coordinating services for care experienced young people identifying their specific needs and those at risk of harm.
- Managing a caseload of varying complexity in compliance with departmental policies and procedures with statutory timescales, whilst maintaining accurate records and case files.
- Working in partnership with relevant agencies and other stakeholders
- Jointly working with social workers within the service supporting children in care aged 16-18 in preparation for adulthood and independence.
- You must hold an NVQ3 in Health and Social Care (or an equivalent relevant subject) together with a minimum of 5 GCSEs, including Maths and English at Grade 6 or equivalent. Experience of working with young people in care and/or care leavers and up to date knowledge of legislation is essential.
A day in the life of a PA:
“I have tried to think of everything we do in a day but it is so random at times and no two days are ever the same.
As a PA you really are a “corporate parent”.
Care leavers often have a very small support network and little contact with parents or family, if any.
As a PA you are the taxi driver, the bank of social care, the nurse, the removal person, the handyperson and the counsellor.
The person they call when they have run out of food, electricity, they need to hang curtains, they are homeless, a referral has been made to social care relating to their child, or they have achieved a first at university.
You move care leavers to university, or you attend court when they have done something wrong.
You help shop for their first home or you visit them in prison.
You take them for their first baby scan, or you support them through a still birth.
You chase them all over the UK because they are involved with county lines, or you visit them at home.
You need to have a thick skin and even more patience.
If at first you don’t succeed you just keep trying.
Some of our very challenging cases generally emerge from their teenage years successfully. This is down to the relationship between the young person and their PA because we are often the only reliable, consistent, adult in their lives and despite the problems and issues that come our way, we keep on coming back for more.
No matter how many times they push us away, we are always still there.”
For an informal discussion about the position please contact Debbie Taylor, Service Manager on 07773210505.
To apply, please complete a supporting statement confirming your job history and how you will be able to meet the key responsibilities identified in the job profile.
An enhanced DBS will be required for this position. We also require you to have a full UK driving license with access to a vehicle for business purposes.
In return we offer you:
- Generous annual leave entitlement
- Generous local government pension scheme package
- Access to wider training and development qualifications
- Flexible working scheme
- Travel plan discounts
- Access to CAREFIRST advice & counselling service
- Employee discount scheme for national and local retailers
- The Government has introduced new ways of supporting parents with childcare costs. Further details are available here: - https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/
Career Progression Framework:
Career Progression Frameworks (CPF) have been introduced for all roles at Medway Council. These frameworks provide a mechanism for employees to take ownership of their development within their post and be rewarded accordingly. This means that the salary you will be offered will be at level A unless, based on an assessment against the CPF criteria, you demonstrate that you are meeting the criteria of level B or C. There will be further opportunity once in post to progress from level A to B, and B to C.
When writing your application, it is important to ensure you identify your suitability against the requirements of the job profile, as this information will be used for shortlisting and may contribute to the CPF assessment. Your application may be rejected if the minimum required criteria is not met. Further information relating to the requirements for this role can be found in the CPF Guidance document attached.
The person specification of a job profile is split into three levels:
Level A details the essential criteria that all applicants must be able to demonstrate through their application and interview.
Level B details the developed competencies that an individual who is practised in this role would be able to demonstrate and will be a progression of knowledge, experience and skills from level A.
Level C requires the highest level of competence and applicants would need to fully meet and demonstrate all aspects of the job profile, including qualifications, knowledge, skills and experience.
The 16+ Care Leavers team are seeking a Personal Advisor to join the team at level A. This is the entry point of the role, so you will need to be able to demonstrate the relevant knowledge, experience and skills to get you started, but you will be supported to develop in your role through induction, probation and a supportive Performance Appraisal and Career Conversation. All elements of level A listed within the person specification are essential. Through your induction you will be introduced to the Career Progression Framework (CPF), which will help you to identify your areas of strength and any development needs.
Our organisation:
Medway is a unitary authority in the South East of England, made up of the towns of Strood, Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham and Rainham and more rural areas, including the Hoo Peninsula.
Situated in Kent in the South-East of England, the area has plenty of green spaces, excellent facilities and easy access to the national motorway and rail networks, facilitating superb transport links to London.
We provide all local Government services for a quarter of a million people, looking after education, environment, social care, housing, planning, business and much more - everything from frontline services such as rubbish collection and events like the Dickens Festival to work that goes on behind the scenes to ensure services in Medway run smoothly and cost effectively.
Working at Medway Council means that you get to be part of this journey working alongside talented, professional colleagues to drive forward change to transform the lives of our residents and the communities they live in.
Important Information:
Applicants must be able to demonstrate all essential requirements as listed in the job profile
Equal Opportunities Commitment Statement
Medway Council is committed to creating an inclusive work environment with a diverse workforce. All appropriately qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability or age
For further information please refer to the Medway information pack available as a download or to view online
Please be advised that if you are not contacted within 3 weeks of the advert closing date then you have not been shortlisted. All recruitment correspondence, including interview letters and contracts of employment will usually be sent out via email.
Please visit http://www.mindfulemployer.net/ for information on how Medway Council put good practices in place to ensure employees and job applicants who declare mental health issues receive the right level of support.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy at any time prior to the closing date.
If you are not contacted within 3 weeks of the advert closing date then you have not been shortlisted.
All recruitment correspondence, including interview letters and contracts of employment will usually be sent out via email, if you require documentation/correspondence in different format such as braille or large print, please contact the Resourcing Team on 01634 332878.
