Personal Adviser - Leaving and After Care Service
| Posting date: | 13 February 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £31,931.00 to £36,423.00 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 27 February 2026 |
| Location: | Basildon, Essex, SS14 2BQ |
| Company: | Essex County Council |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | req21816_1770981545 |
Summary
Personal Adviser - Leaving and After Care Service
Permanent, Full Time
£31,931 to £36,423 per annum
Location: Basildon
Closing Date: 23rd February 2026
This position has been classed as an anywhere worker role but has an expectation that the successful candidate will attend the office, in Ely House, Basildon, 2-3 days per week, with the remaining time allowing for remote working if desired, in line with the organisation's needs.
Essex County Council understand how important flexibility and wellbeing is for our colleagues working across children's Social Care and that we need to think differently. We have therefore developed a nine-day working fortnight for full time frontline Social Workers within Children's services.
The Opportunity
Children and Families is recognised as a service in which social work can develop and prosper, with a culture of collaboration, integrity and compassion; promoting the development and wellbeing of children, young people and their families; protecting them from neglect and abuse. Working together with partners delivering a range of early help, family support and effective social work interventions which build resilience, remove barriers and enable children and young people to look forward to a brighter future.
The main focus of work will be, alongside Social Workers, to support young people who are "Looked After" (in care) and due to leave care, and to hold a caseload of young people who have left care up to the age of 25 years old. To consider all the important component parts that make up their individual lives in order to maximize their life opportunities and reach their full potential.
To carry out agreed plans to support young people both directly and indirectly, to act on behalf of the Social Care Directorate in fulfilling statutory responsibilities under the Children Act 1989, the Children Leaving Care Act 2000, and The Children and Social Work Act 2018.
Accountabilities
- To give practical, personal and emotional support to young people in order to meet assessed need; to maintain and promote their health, physical, emotional development and well-being. This may include domestic tasks and transporting where necessary
- To facilitate, directly and indirectly the assessment of need, engaging with the ongoing monitoring and reassessment of need, engaging with the ongoing monitoring and reassessment of need over time.
- To hold a caseload of care leavers and undertake direct work where required
- To enable and empower young people to make decisions in their lives and to self-advocate and to advocate on behalf of young people who do not have the skills to do this
- To facilitate the construction of a Pathway Plan, from the assessment which establishes a viable response to established need over time.
- To work alongside colleagues both within Social Care and from other agencies, in a variety of ways, for example in groups, running "Drop ins" in addition to undertaking direct work with young people and to engage with significant people in the young person's life (members of the family, community etc).
- To build up effective interagency networks to have an understanding of voluntary and statutory agencies and an awareness of opportunities within the Local Community.
- To maintain records and write reports as required in accordance with Directorate policy and procedures.
- To attend meetings as required by the Line Manager, e.g Reviews, Planning Meetings etc and carry out any other appropriate duties that may be required, which are commensurate with the grade of the post.
- Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.
The Experience You Will Bring
- Educated to NVQ level 3 or equivalent by experience.
- Evidence of continuing professional development and expert knowledge in relevant professional area. eg, Housing, Employment, and training Issues for young People
- Experience in working creatively with in various ways young people including young parents
- Experience in collaborating with other professionals and agencies for the benefit of the client
- A commitment to working relationships which promote and support the clients' developing independence
- Be able to work as part of a team and be flexible with an ability to work some evenings and weekends
- Full driving licence and the use of a car or access to a driver and vehicle for work purposes
- Familiarity with the principles of the Children's Act 1989 and the Children Leaving Care Act 2000 and Children and Social Work Act 2018