Personal Advisor

Job Purpose

To manage complex individual cases, including assessment, planning, intervention and the co-ordination of services to vulnerable young people leaving the care system in accordance with national Children Act regulations and guidance and local policies and procedures.

Key Responsibilities

1. To work to achieve the specific aims and objectives of the Aftercare Service and the Children, Families and Cultural Services Business Plan.
2. To work collaboratively with a range of partner organisations to assess, plan and intervene with vulnerable young people and their families.
3. To manage a caseload of individual service users in accordance with assessed risk and policies and procedures and the Children Act guidance and regulations.
4. To use manual and computerised systems for the recording of information and data and ensure that all relevant records and documents are managed in accordance with policy and procedures and to keep up to date case records in accordance with policy.
5. To contribute to the development and delivery of interagency strategies relating to vulnerable young people.
6. To attend and contribute to statutory child care reviews and participate in meetings including those in a variety of settings and institutions such as district councils, hospitals and custodial units.
7. To work flexibly to meet user need, including unsocial hours as required.
8. To undertake specific specialist roles in relation to complex assessment or service development.
9. To be fully aware of the principles of safeguarding as they apply to vulnerable children and young people in relation to work role and ensure that your line manager is kept fully informed of any concerns. To be part of Protection Plans for vulnerable children and young people as necessary.
10. To review the needs of identified careleavers to ensure that plans and services reflect current needs and risks using Children Act Pathway Planning Guidance.
11. To contribute to the duty arrangements of the Leaving Care team seeing young people by appointment and in crisis, dealing with internal and external enquires, providing support assistance and information as required, recognising the need to involve other more experienced staff where appropriate.
12. To maintain effective liaison and work in partnership with other staff or managers and other agencies, organisations and individuals as required and as appropriate.
13. To attend and contribute to team meetings, identifying training and whole service events.
14. To coordinate and ensure the delivery of a wide range of specialist and mainstream services through advocacy, inter-agency working and direct intervention to achieve positive outcomes for a diverse group of vulnerable young people including unaccompanied asylum seeking children.
15. To provide transportation as needed including the transport of service users including the moving and handling of goods and belongings.
16. To ensure that the views of service users and their families are taken into account and are central to the planning and delivery of services.
17. To design, co-ordinate and deliver independence preparation training to groups of vulnerable young people.

Key Accountabilities

1. To deliver services within the framework of the Children Act Guidance and regulations volume 3 Planning Transitions to Adulthood for Careleavers.
2. To assess need and deliver support and programmes of intervention to a wide ranging group of young people leaving care in line with Departmental standards.
3. To assess financial needs of young people and manage the spending of individual budgets for accommodation and maintenance for young people.
4. To undertake visits, complete assessments and reviews, maintain records in accordance with procedures.
5. To actively participate in and contribute to the professional development of self and others.
6. To deliver services within the Services scheme of delegation for safeguarding children and local safeguarding children board policies.
7. To participate fully in supervision, appraisals (Competency Framework) and practise observations as part of professional development and support.
8. To maintain an up to date knowledge and awareness of legislation, policy, procedure and practise in the postholders field of work.
9. To participate in meetings, case conferences, reviews ,planning meetings and other forums as required and appropriate.
10. To be responsible for convening, chairing and recording Pathway Planning meetings where required.
11. To prepare reports for statutory reviews for looked after children, careleavers and child protection and safeguarding meetings as required.
12. To visit young people at home and other external venues in accordance with minimum visiting standards, policy and procedures.
13. To ensure that all services delivered take into account diversity and social justice issues.

Person Specification

Education and Knowledge

1. Educated to minimum GCSE level C or above including Maths and English.
2. Full driving licence (unless disability precludes this)
3. Relevant qualification
4. Knowledge and understanding of human growth and development, and the particular issues relating to young people living care.
5. Relevant legislation, guidance including Children Act 1989, 2004, Children (leaving Care) Act 2000 Regulations and Guidance, Children and Social Work Act 2017.
6. Awareness of related key agencies.
7. Understanding of partnership working.

Personal skills and general competencies

1. A high level of personal drive and commitment to excellent customer care and the ability to set an example for other staff
2. Strong interpersonal skills to gain the agreement and acceptance of others including colleagues, senior managers and customers.
3. Ability to make decisions and solve problems to meet operational targets, involving devising solutions and prioritising the resources available
4. Information technology skills including the use of databases and word processing.
5. Undertake necessary administrative duties.
6. Ensure the County Councils policies for fairness and respect are delivered including setting high personal standards.
7. Take an active role in managing risk, health and safety and safeguarding issues.
8. Ability to work on own initiative as well as part of a team.
9. Ability to manage and develop effective strategies when working with young people presenting challenging behaviour

Experience

1. Experience of working with a diverse group of young people through paid or voluntary work.
2. Experience of forming and sustaining positive relationships with young people and making appropriate interventions.