Personal Advisor - Surrey County Council : Job Details

This full-time, permanent role has a starting salary of £35,730 per annum, based on a 36-hour working week.

We are excited to be hiring a new Personal Advisor (PA) to join our fantastic Asylum-Seeking Care Leaving team. The team is based in Weybridge, however Surrey County Council embraces hybrid and agile working, and as a team we split our time between working from home and collaborating together in the office.

Rewards and Benefits

• 26 days' holiday (prorated for part time staff), rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 30 days after 5 years' service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• An extensive Employee Assistance Programme to support health and wellbeing
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping and many more
• 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
• Flexible working arrangements such as 9-day fortnights

About the Team

The North East Asylum Care Leavers Service sits within the Looked After Children and Care Leavers Services and supports asylum seeking young people from 18 to 25 years old. We work closely with a wide range of external services and agencies with the purpose of supporting, assisting and signposting young people through a wide range of areas such as the asylum system, education or employment options, and empowering young people to achieve their ambitions and goals.

Our purpose is to case hold and provide support to young people who have ceased to be looked after by the local authority and who are eligible for a service as per the Children Leaving Care Act 2000 and/or The Children and Social Work Act 2017. Our vision is to support eligible young people to achieve their potential as they make their transition to adulthood.

The team is made up of six Personal Advisors, one Senior Practitioner and the Team Manager, with our service embracing a learning culture where we aim to learn and develop each other through support and training opportunities. Our teams have stable staffing and team members are valued for their hard work.

About the Role

As a Personal Advisor you will case hold high risk and complex young people and participate in the assessment and preparation of Pathway Plans for those who are eligible. The Pathway Plan sets out the young person's aspirations regarding education, accommodation, health, social relationships and specific needs. A key area of your role within the Asylum Care Leavers Service will be supporting young people in how their immigration status may impact on these areas.

Working with the Team Manager and the wider team, you will make a personal contribution to a collective endeavour, to create the conditions for success and actively contribute to the development of the service. Alongside this, you may be responsible for representing the Leaving Care Service at working groups, such as participation events and at Care Council meetings. You will also chair and lead the review of the Pathway Plan, including liaising with partners for young people living out of Surrey County Council.

As a PA you will be able to recommend services that the local authority maybe required to pay for, and while you would hold no direct budget responsibilities, you would be required to have an understanding of the finance policy. Alongside your caseload, you will be required to carry out duty on a rota basis.

Shortlisting Criteria

To be considered for shortlisting for this position, your application will clearly evidence the following:

• Ability to develop and sustain good working relationships with young people including those who may be disengaged
• Experience working with asylum-seeking young people and an understanding of the issues they face, plus a good working knowledge of relevant legislation
• Ability to create reports are structured, evidence based and in accordance with the Directorate Quality Assurance Standards
• An awareness of current issues relating to socially excluded young people including young people claiming asylum and/or subject to immigration control
• Knowledge of Housing legislation, Department of Work and Pensions Benefits and Immigration Policy

Surrey has both urban and rural areas and Personal Advisors will be expected to have a valid driving licence to drive in the UK, access to a vehicle and be willing to travel across a wide geographical area. Reasonable adjustments where needed will be made for successful applicants who have a disability or long term health condition to enable them to fulfil the requirements of the job.

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 12.03.2025 with interviews to follow.

An enhanced DBS 'Disclosure and Barring Service' check for regulated activity (formerly known as CRB) and the Children's and Adults' Barred List checks will be required for this role.

Our Commitment

Surrey County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. A guaranteed interview will be offered to all disabled applicants where:

• The candidate has evidenced the minimum criteria for the role through their application
• The candidate has chosen to share that they have a disability on the application form

Our application form and onboarding process will provide an opportunity to request any reasonable adjustments for the interview and/or the role.

We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all underrepresented groups.