Child Sexual Exploitation & Missing from Home Caseworker

Stoke-on-Trent City Council; Stoke-on-Trent; Hybrid; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Local Government Pension Scheme

Professional development

Job summary

Stoke-on-Trent City Council seeks a dedicated professional to support young people at risk of exploitation and complete Return Home Interviews after missing episodes. You will assess risk, plan interventions and work with families to reduce future risk within a multi-agency framework.

The role emphasizes direct work with young people, safeguarding and collaboration with social care and police partners. Hybrid working and ongoing professional development are available.

Qualifications

• Direct work with young people presenting a range of needs and risks.
• Strong engagement and partnership-working skills.
• Experience of assessment, action planning, reviewing interventions and working with families or carers.

Responsibilities

• Complete timely Return Home Interviews and engage young people after missing episodes.
• Deliver one-to-one interventions to vulnerable young people.
• Assess need and risk, develop and review intervention plans.
• Work with families and carers to raise awareness of exploitation and safeguarding.

Skills

Direct work with young people

Engagement

Partnership-working

Case-management

Analytical writing

Education

GCSE English and maths

Level 3 Diploma in Children & Young People’s Workforce

Job description

You will support young people who are at risk of child exploitation and complete Return Home Interviews following missing episodes. Through trusted direct work, assessment and partnership working, you will help identify push and pull factors, reduce future risk and ensure important information reaches Children's Social Care and Staffordshire Police.

• Complete timely Return Home Interviews and engage young people following missing incidents.
• Deliver one-to-one interventions to young people who are vulnerable to or affected by exploitation.
• Assess need and risk, develop intervention and vulnerability plans, and review progress.
• Work with families and carers to increase awareness of exploitation, online safety and protective strategies.
• Share relevant information and intelligence through agreed social care and police pathways.
• Maintain accurate Liquid logic records and contribute to relevant multi-agency meetings, mapping and risk-management processes.

Any offer of employment will be subject to the successful completion of required pre-employment checks. These may include:

• Right to Work in the UK.
• Proof of address.
• Satisfactory references.
• Occupational Health clearance.
• Evidence of relevant professional qualifications or registrations.
• A DBS check at the appropriate level.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council's diverse and talented workforce is its greatest asset. The skills, knowledge and experience of our employees are essential to delivering our ambitions for the organisation and the city. We want to be an employer people are proud to work for, where staff are supported, developed and rewarded in an inclusive way that helps them excel and deliver the high-quality services our residents need.

We are growing and developing our Children and Families workforce as part of an ambitious programme of service transformation. We are looking for talented, committed and values-led professionals to join us.

• GCSE English and maths, or an equivalent literacy and numeracy qualification.
• A Level 3 Diploma in Children and Young People's Workforce or another relevant qualification, or a willingness to work towards one.
• Extensive experience of direct work with young people presenting a range of needs and risks.
• Knowledge of exploitation, missing episodes, push and pull factors, safeguarding and child protection legislation.
• Experience of assessment, action planning, reviewing interventions and working with families or carers.
• Strong engagement, analytical writing, partnership-working and case-management skills.

We are a city of strengths, with a proud heritage and bright future. Working for Stoke-on-Trent City Council is more than just a job; it is about making, protecting and improving services for local people, reducing inequalities and improving independence for those who live and work in the city. That is where you come in. We are looking for people of the highest calibre, with the skills, knowledge and experience to help us deliver our compelling vision.

Your career matters here. At Stoke-on-Trent City Council, we are committed to helping our people thrive. From competitive pay and a supportive working environment to opportunities for development and career progression, we invest in our workforce because we know it is our greatest asset. We are building an inclusive organisation that reflects the communities we serve, where everyone is welcomed, valued and encouraged to make a difference.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

At Stoke-on-Trent City Council, we believe our strength comes from the diversity of our community, and we want our workforce to reflect that.

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences.

We understand that some people, especially those from underrepresented or marginalised backgrounds, may hesitate to apply if they do not meet every listed requirement.

If this role interests you and you think you could be a good fit, we encourage you to apply.

We are proud of what makes each of us unique and are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels included, can be themselves and can succeed together.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council is a unitary authority employing approximately 4,600 staff who deliver 700 services to more than 260,000 residents. Our city comprises of six towns: Burslem, Fenton, Hanley, Longton, Stoke and Tunstall. We are a city of strengths, with a proud heritage and bright future. We have undergone significant changes over the last few years. New ways of working have already transformed many service areas and we are determined to continue to develop more innovative approaches to ensure that we can maximise the benefits of transformation.

Although the 13th largest city in the UK, Stoke-on-Trent is rapidly outstripping a number of parts of the country with our economic growth and recovery. Stoke-on-Trent is a city with a strong sense of civic pride - we've been voted the kindest city in the UK - and a place where you'll receive a hugely warm welcome. We have a rich and diverse culture, steeped in our prestigious industrial heritage as the celebrated 'world capital of ceramics'. But we don't just want to celebrate our proud past - we firmly believe that Stoke-on-Trent's best years are ahead of it. We are determined to raise aspirations and match them with high-quality education and health provision, as well as improved opportunities to secure fulfilling and well-paid work. Through uniting social and economic opportunities, we are maximising the full power of the city council as a secure and steadfast institution within the city.

Why Join Us?

• Build trusted relationships with young people who may be difficult for services to reach.
• Play a direct role in reducing exploitation and repeat missing episodes.
• Work within a specialist, multi-agency response to contextual safeguarding.

What we offer

• A competitive salary based on your skills, experience and talent.
• Hybrid and flexible working options, where these are compatible with the needs of the role and service.
• Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Professional development through learning opportunities, regular training and apprenticeship and management programmes.

When you work for Stoke-on-Trent City Council you'll be helping to improve the lives and wellbeing of our residents. We'll provide you with support, learning opportunities and flexible working options and some amazing benefits including; a competitive salary, generous holidays, an excellent defined local authority benefit pension scheme, annual leave purchase scheme, cycle to work schemes just to name a few. We also have access to lifestyle benefits which offer a wide range of discounts such as family days out, travel, retail and many more.

Our commitment to you

Vibrancy and diversity are two of Stoke-on-Trent's greatest assets. A city founded on creative endeavour should value and celebrate the multitude of voices, ideas and identities that shape its culture. We are committed to creating a culture which is truly inclusive, where all staff feel valued, listened to, supported and able to do their work to the best of their abilities at all times. And we must ensure that our decisions and policies nurture and empower communities across our city and do not inadvertently disadvantage groups and individuals that we want to help to thrive. Our approach to Equality and Diversity is an invitation to all our communities to work with and for us so we can continue to improve how we deliver services residents need. Our employee networks are inclusive, open forums for colleagues with similar lived experiences. They allow staff to meet, support and mentor each other, alongside being a voice for under-represented groups to advise and support the organisation when developing policies and services.