Exploitation And Missing Worker

Peterborough First group; Peterborough; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave 25 days + bank holidays

Cycle to Work scheme

Home & Electronics schemes

Car lease scheme

Job summary

Peterborough City Council is seeking an Exploitation Practitioner to safeguard vulnerable children and young people at risk of exploitation, trafficking, and going missing. The role involves direct work with young people, families, and partner agencies to assess risks and build protective strategies.

You will work 1:1 and in professional networks, supporting the Team Manager and Senior Practitioner to maintain high standards of practice across the team and drive positive outcomes.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of methods for building positive relationships with children and young people.
• Awareness of risk factors and indicators of exploitation and related harms.
• Clear understanding of children's rights and commitment to promoting them.
• Experience working with children and families at risk or who have gone missing, including sensitivities involved.
• Confidence in advocating for the child's voice in multi‑agency settings and working both independently and in a team.

Responsibilities

• Provide and develop direct support services for young people at risk of exploitation in line with current legislation and best practice.
• Build positive relationships with individual young people and deliver high‑quality one‑to‑one support to boost skills, knowledge and confidence.
• Collaborate with police, social services, education and others through regular communication and good working relationships.
• Offer return home interviews to children missing from home or care to inform protective responses.

Skills

Building positive relationships

Risk awareness

Children's rights

Experience with missing children

Advocacy in multi‑agency settings

Job description

All about the Role

Are you an experienced children's practitioner who would like to make a difference to the lives of vulnerable children and young people at risk of exploitation?

If the answer is yes then please carry on reading!

The Exploitation and Missing Team worker plays a pivotal role in safeguarding vulnerable children and young people who are at risk of exploitation, trafficking, and going missing. This position involves direct work with individuals, their families, and partner agencies to identify risks, develop protective strategies, and ensure the best possible outcomes. The successful candidate will demonstrate a strong commitment to child protection, advocacy, and multi‑agency collaboration.

What will the job entail

• To provide and develop direct support services for young people who are at risk of Child Criminal and Child Sexual Exploitation in accordance with current legislation and good practice guidelines
• To build positive relationships with individual young people at risk and deliver high quality one to one support to enhance their skills, knowledge and self‑confidence to develop alternative strategies
• To work in partnership with the police, social services, education and other relevant voluntary and statutory agencies through regular communication and good working relationships.
• To offer return home interviews to children who have been missing from home or care, to help inform responses that will promote safety and prevent harm.

We're looking for a dedicated and skilled Exploitation Practitioner with the ability to support young people experiencing or at risk of experiencing child exploitation to work 1:1, and in professional networks, making a real impact in the lives of children and young people. You will support the Team Manager and Senior Practitioner in identifying next steps and building on the high standard of practice across the team.

Key skills and experience:

The required skills and competencies for this role are:

• Knowledge and experience of methods in building positive relationships with children and young people
• Awareness of risk factors and indicators of Exploitation and the associated risks that young people are exposed to
• Clear understanding of children's rights and a commitment to promoting those rights
• Experience working with children and families, particularly those who may be at risk or have gone missing, and understand the complexities and sensitivities involved.
• Confidence in advocating for the child's voice in multi‑agency settings and work well both independently and as part of a team.

Our Benefits

We value our colleagues and have developed a number of benefits in addition to our generous annual leave starting at 25 days + bank holidays, sick pay and local government pension scheme…

• Access to a range of benefits via our Employee Benefits Platform, including in‑store and online discounts as well as our Cycle to Work and Home & Electronics schemes
• Buy up to 10 days additional annual leave (pro‑rate)
• Access to car lease scheme
• Take your bank holidays flexibly to better suit your personal circumstances
• Make Additional Voluntary Contributions (Shared Cost AVCs) to your pension with tax and National Insurance savings
• Access to development opportunities including apprenticeships to support your personal and professional growth
• Paid volunteering hours each year so you can make a positive impact on our community during your normal working day
• Access to our equality, diversity and inclusion network
• Opportunities to receive Employee Recognition Awards

Our Commitments

We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer, dedicated to fostering diversity, advancing equity, and building an inclusive workplace for everyone. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and particularly encourage those from underrepresented groups, including disabled people, care leavers, and individuals from minority ethnic communities. Your unique perspectives and experiences are encouraged and valued and will play a vital role in our success.
We are committed to making our recruitment process as accessible as possible. If you are a person who has or considers yourself to have a disability and you require reasonable adjustments to the application or interview process, please contact [e-mail].
Appointment to this post will be subject to the outcome of an Enhanced Disclosure obtained through the Disclosure and Barring Service. The Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you've already applied and completed the recruitment process for this position within the last three months, there's no need to reapply. We really appreciate your interest and thank you for considering us.