Job title: Personal Advisor
Salary: SO1 £34,434 - £36,363 (Fulltime 37 Hours a week ) £16,668 - £17,617.4 (Part time 18.5 Hours a week)
Hours: 1 post at 37 Hours, 1 post 18.5 Hours
Contract: Temporary until 31/12/2026
Location: Archway, Care Leaver Service Hub
This is an exciting opportunity for a full time and temporary position as a Personal Advisor within the Care Leaver Service. As our next Personal Advisor you’ll thrive on supporting young people, this includes young people leaving care from children’s residential homes, hospital, care leavers experiencing homelessness, former Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children and young people in or leaving custody. You will advocate on behalf of our young people and demonstrate empathy and support to ensure that they are able to thrive into their adulthood years.
Leeds Care Leaver Service supports young adults aged between 17.5 years and 25 years of age who have left care: providing guidance, and practical assistance to support their transition to independence and adulthood. The service is committed to developing positive and meaningful relationships with young people, developing practice across the service, and building on the opportunities for care leavers in Leeds.
Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.
It’s an exciting time to join Leeds City Council’s children’s services, which was rated outstanding by Ofsted at our last inspection.
We are committed to the ambition of Child Friendly Leeds. We want Leeds to be a city where all children are safe, happy and healthy, do well at school, fulfil their potential and grow up to be active citizens with voice and influence.
About you
As a Personal Advisor you will bring the ability to form constructive relationships with young people from a diverse range of backgrounds, deal with conflict situations using a calm and composed approach and be able to form purposeful working relationships with a diverse range of agencies. You must be able to work effectively as a member of a cohesive team in order to provide a high quality service.
About the role
As our next Personal Advisor you’ll build close working relationships with other colleagues, services users, carers, and relevant agencies and provide a high quality service when working with young people. You will have the opportunity to improve own practice through observation and evaluation with colleagues and development programmes, as you advocate for young people.
What we offer you
We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:
- a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
- membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
- flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
- a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
- a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further
How to apply Please complete the online application form.
Read our guidancefor further advice. Please check your information carefully and ensure you complete all sections before submitting your application.
If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role please contact Kate Kerr Team Manager , Kate.Kerr@leeds.gov.uk, Tel 0113 3785178 Mathew Wotherspoon, Service Delivery Manager – mathew.wotherspoon@leeds.gov.uk,Tel 0113 3783365
A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check against the Children’s or Adults’ barred list as applicable will be carried out on preferred candidates. Read our recruitment of ex-offenders policy.
We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.
This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.
If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visaroute before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.
Job Description
Job purpose To assess needs, develop and review pathway plans to ensure young people are fully supported when they leave care. To work in partnership with professionals from across the public, private and voluntary sectors to ensure actions identified within the plans are carried out. To advise, assist, and befriend young people who are living-in, or leaving care, the help them achieve full potential and prepare for living independently.
Responsibilities
- Assess, plan, and review young people in accordance with the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 as the young person’s Personal Adviser and primary worker
- Undertake the duties of lead worker, working with other professionals to meet the objectives of the pathway plan.
- Undertake case responsibility for young people who have qualifying, relevant and former relevant care leaver status under Leaving Care Legislation.
- Providing guidance and advice to other staff including those from partner agencies including assistance in staff induction.
- Produce accurate high-quality pathway plans.
- Develop links with partner agencies, including housing, health and youth offending, working with them for young people, to ensure maximum service integration.
- Undertake direct work and group work, inclusive of hub sessions, with young people to prepare them for the transition to adulthood, including young people with complex or additional needs and who may live in out of authority areas.
- Carry out needs assessments in order to inform and construct appropriate Pathway Plans.
- Follow internal procedures, maintain records and carry out administrative tasks, including financial procedures associated with the efficient running of projects, for example a Leeds City Council purchasing card.
- Act as an appropriate adult for young people when necessary
- Arrange and chair meetings to complete and review Living Together agreements in respect of Staying Put and Supported Lodgings accommodation.
- Be involved in legal and judicial processes when required.
- Encourage links with parents and families with the agreement of the young people
- Complete reports/referrals to partner agencies for funding/financial support.
- Provide comprehensive and appropriate advice and support, under departmental guidance, to young people in respect of financial management, welfare benefits etc, assisting with applications for financial support, and participating in care leaver finance panels.
- Maintain accurate and up to date individual files and case records on MOSAIC in accordance with Leaving Care Service requirements.
- Play a proactive role in the implementation of child protection procedures and act in accordance with safeguarding procedures and where required attend meetings in accordance with child in need and child protection plans.
- To comply with adult safeguarding procedures and participate in the completion of adult risk assessments.
- Act as a duty Personal Advisor, including offering on-going support to young people over the age of 21, up to the age of 25 in accordance with leaving care regulations and referring to appropriate services.
- Share responsibilities for the security of the building
- Hours of work are primarily determined by the needs of the service and where necessary and approved by the Team Manager may include some evening and weekend working
- The role will maintain close working relationship with other colleagues, services users, carers, and other agencies to provide a high-quality service
- Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade
- Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities as necessary to ensure up to date knowledge and skills
- Improve own practice through observation, evaluation, discussion with colleagues and development programmes
- Work collaboratively with colleagues, knowing when to seek help and advice
- Contribute to the overall ethos, work, and aims of the service by attending relevant meetings, training days/events as requested
- Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures e.g., child protection, health, safety and security, confidentiality, and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person
- Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, and promoting the values, standards, and equal opportunities of Leeds City Council
- Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment or victimisation and any form of abuse of equal opportunities, ensuring compliance with relevant policies and procedures
- The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol, and this role will be expected to work within these parameters
The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.
Qualifications NVQ Level 3 and / or 4 in Care or relevant experience of working with care leavers, or a willingness to register to commence the course within 3 months of taking up appointment and have successfully completed it within 12 months of registration.
Essential requirements It is essential that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria. Candidates will only be shortlisted if they can demonstrate that they meet all the essential requirements.
- Able to travel throughout the Leeds City Council boundaries, and where required the UK, and work flexibly across different work locations and areas as appropriate.
- Able to form constructive relationships with young people from a diverse range of backgrounds
- Able to work independently following lone working policies and effectively assessing potential risks to yourself and young people.
- Able to negotiate with young people on a variety of issues
- Able to deal with conflict and risk situations, defusing escalation, with a calm and composed approach
- Able to advocate for the young person’s needs to other service providers, for example when working alongside social workers allocated to the children of care experienced parents or working alongside solicitors managing criminal injury claims etc.
- Able to form purposeful working relationships with a diverse range of agencies
- Able to pass on information effectively, accurately, and concisely between service users, carers, colleagues, and other agencies
- Able to work to conflicting deadlines and organise and prioritise work in an efficient and effective way
- Able to work effectively as a member of a cohesive team to provide a high-quality service
- Able to show empathy when working with young people who have experienced or who are experiencing trauma.
- Able to implement individual pathway plans for young people assisting and enabling them into independence
- Knowledge of the education, training and work experience needs of young people and the opportunities open to them, including any financial entitlements.
- Understanding the impact of homelessness issues and accommodation needs of young people and working with the public and private housing sector.
- Understanding the need for confidentiality
- Understanding of legislation and current issues affecting the provision of children’s social work services, and particularly the Care Leaver Service.
- Experience of working within a team, and working with young people from a diverse range of backgrounds with a diverse range of needs which may include those with learning disabilities, and with other relevant agencies
- An understanding of the emerging issues that young people may face, for example domestic abuse, substance misuse, serious youth violence and exploitation.
Essential Behavioural and other Characteristics
- Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct
- Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon
- Be aware of and be able to understand and observe Leeds City Council policies.
- Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health and Safety.
- Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities
- Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
- Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities.
- Be aware of and support difference ensuring equality for all, working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & diversity.
- Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person
- The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.
