This is a full-time post based within Derbyshire’s Leaving Care Service in the South Derbyshire and Erewash team based at Ilkeston. We are fortunate enough to have our own office/ young person hub space in a brand new refurbished building.

You will have experience of working with young people, assessments, plans and be knowledge about statutory children in care and Leaving care practice. You will work with children from the age of 16 and became their lead worker at 18, completing Pathway Plans and ensuring our young people have a great transition to adulthood.

You will be committed to corporate parenting, relationships based practice as the driver of positive outcomes and transitions. Social Pedagogy and trauma informed approaches will be at the heart of your practice. You will be joining an established, high performing service with excellent strategic agreements including a comprehensive Local Offer for Care Leavers (soon to be refreshed), excellent EET opportunities, discounted water bills for care leavers, council tax reductions, thriving support groups. We are aspirational to build an even better service following on from our 2021 Ofsted Leaving Care Visit. Inspectors were humbled by the amazing strength’ of the council’s care leavers and found:

• A passionate and skilled workforce which is enabling care leavers to progress well and benefit from positive experiences
• The aspirations, wishes and concerns for young people leaving the council’s care are apparent and plans are ‘ambitious’ reflecting a ‘determination for care leavers to succeed in what they want to do.’
• A focus on effective transition for young people between the ages of 16 and 18 with support to develop confidence and life skills to negotiate the opportunities and challenges of adulthood.
• Young people leaving the council’s care value the service and said workers are caring and supportive and they felt they could contact their worker when necessary
• Accommodation needs are carefully considered so young people feel secure and their wishes around location are respected so they can maintain relationships with people who are important to them
• There is a clear focus on education, employment and training designed to help young people of all abilities choose the appropriate route to make the most of their opportunities when they leave care
• The council’s culture is ‘not giving up on a young person’ and this is embedded across the service

What will you be doing?

• ‘Case managing’ care leavers, completing Pathway plans, working with partner agencies, completing direct work and never giving up.
• Preparing children in care to be ready for life after 18 by relationship building and creative practice
• Effectively support a number of young people to achieve the best outcomes for them.
• Evidencing a determined commitment to corporate parenting
• Working in partnership with colleagues, locality social workers, housing and adult social care teams

What skills and experience do you need?

• Experience of working with children in care and care leavers
• Knowledge of local and national policy in relation to children in care and care leavers
• High aspirations for our young people.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a person-centred approach to building a rapport and relationships with workers and children and families.
• Ability to reflect on own practice and development enabling flexible and thoughtful practice and positive change.

We believe that hard work and commitment to your role should be rewarded, so we offer a package to our workers that will ensure you always feel supported and valued:

• manageable case loads
• two thriving office and young person hubs
• Visible, supportive and determined managers.
• diverse range of projects providing an exciting, challenging and rewarding career
• effective leadership and management
• excellent supervision and a supportive peer network
• access to an excellent range of training and development opportunities, worth over £5000, including leadership and management development
• Corporate membership with Research in Practice – allowing access to reputable, evidence-based research, training, and resources
• Membership of the National Leaving Care Benchmarking forum (including attendance at national conferences)
• fantastic opportunities to undertake further formal qualifications and career progression through our career pathways
• DBS check undertaken and paid for by us

If you would like to talk to someone informally about this post, please contact.

Leanne.Christian@Derbyshire.gov.uk – Team Manager

Claire.Connolly-weston@derbyshire.gov.uk – Care Leavers Strategic Lead

What benefits do we offer you?

• Local Government Pension Scheme
• generous annual leave and flexi-time scheme
• travel expenses
• discount on leisure centre memberships
• free car parking at most sites
• an in-house counselling service
• occupational health service
• access to sessions with a trained physiotherapist
• cycle to work scheme