Children and Young Person Advocate

Do you have experience with directly working with young people? Are you looking for a role where you can make a real difference?

We’re looking an Children and Young Person Advocate!

With a starting salary of £28,371, generous annual leave, great pension, plus a wide range of rewards and benefits, there’s never been a better time to join!

For more information about West Sussex County Council, please visit our WSCC About Us page.

Based within the Customer Relations Service, the Independent Visitor Scheme (IVS) and the Advocacy Service supports the Council's priorities as Corporate Parent. The Advocacy Service focuses on delivering services to those young people who access it, acting with integrity, professionalism, and respect on behalf of the organisation, ensuring always that the needs of individuals are paramount.

Your day-to-day role will range from:

• Ensuring that Looked After Children and Young People, Care Leavers and Children with Disabilities in West Sussex receive the appropriate services to meet their needs.
• Direct work with young people, ensuring they are listened to and are aware of their rights. (i.e.) preparing and supporting them with important meetings or helping them make a compliant.
• Managing a case load and act as a key worker for specific individuals, advising them and representing their views, writing reports and taking a person-centred approach to preparation and monitoring of plans.
• Opportunity to manage and guide other colleagues by supervising and allocating work for volunteers and student social workers.

You will have compassion and empathy to support individuals who need our services, and be able to manage your own health and well-being due to the emotional demands of the role.

The role involves working with and communicating with a diverse group of young people, including young people where English is not their first language and those with complex disabilities and learning needs.

A full job description is attached at the bottom of the advert.

Key Skills:

Qualifications and/or experience:

• Social Work Qualification (or other professional qualification with evidence of experience relevant to the role).
• Driving Licence
• Proven track record of working with children and young people, including children looked after, care leavers and those with complex needs.
• Knowledge and experience of the Advocacy Standards and national policy developments regarding young peoples’ rights and implications for practice. Including the Children's Act 1989, Children Act 2004 and Children Leaving Care Act 2000 and other relevant legislation.
• Experience of forming effective working relationships within a multi-agency setting.
• Experience of providing advice and guidance to others.
• Experience of co-ordinating and supervising others.
• Understanding of the assessment and review process of care packages.
• Experience of applying relevant legislation, policies and procedures to individual pieces of work.

The reference number for this role is CPP00740.

For an informal conversation or for further information regarding the role, please contact Francesca-Jo Sacco Jimpson at Francesca-Jo.SaccoJimpson@westsussex.gov.uk

For an informal conversation regarding the application process, please contact Rosa Siracusa (Resourcing Advisor) at Rosa.Siracusa@westsussex.gov.uk

For issues or queries regarding your application please contact hrrecruitment@westsussex.gov.uk.

To apply, upload your CV and complete the application explaining the skills and experience you can bring to the role ensuring that any gaps in employment are covered in your CV. Please ensure you have saved the job description attached to the main advert on our website as, once the job has closed, you may not have the opportunity to ownload again.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. This post is subject to enhanced DBS check, satisfactory references and health check.

West Sussex County Council is an equal opportunities employer committed to promoting an environment that is inclusive and free from all forms of unlawful or unfair discrimination and values the diversity of its people. We actively welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and take every possible step to ensure that no individual will be disadvantaged.

For information regarding your eligibility to apply for this role under our Disability or Veteran’s Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please visit our website.

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