Homelessness Practitioner

SUFFOLK COUNTY COUNCIL; Ipswich; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

29 days leave

LGPS

Travel benefits

Performance pay

Training

Career development

Staff networks

Flexible working

Job summary

Suffolk County Council is recruiting a 16-17 Homelessness Practitioner to provide early support to vulnerable youths in Ipswich. You will work with housing services, complete joint assessments, and help ensure timely safeguarding decisions that centre the voice and safety of the young person.

The role requires strong safeguarding knowledge, multi-agency collaboration, and the ability to manage workload while recording data accurately across a fast-paced front-door environment.

Qualifications

• Experience working with children, young people and families.
• Knowledge of safeguarding, early intervention and relevant legislation.
• Experience with multi-agency collaboration and partnership working.
• Ability to identify risk, assess needs and support outcomes.
• Strong communication to influence and engage others.
• Commitment to safeguarding and welfare of children and young people.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist early support to 16-17 year-olds at risk of homelessness.
• Complete joint assessments with housing colleagues for young people.
• Gather and analyse safeguarding information to inform decisions.
• Record and present information to inform risk and planning.
• Support safeguarding processes and maintain timely records.
• Work flexibly across the Integrated Front Door as required.
• Ensure the voice of the child remains central to decisions.

Skills

Safeguarding knowledge

Experience with children

Multi-agency collaboration

Strong communication

Risk assessment

Education

Level 5 qualification or equivalent

Job description

This post is open to current Suffolk County Council staff on redeployment only. We're passionate about improving the future for our customers, our communities and the environment. If you are too, join us as a 16-17 Homelessness Practitioner and make a huge and meaningful impact. Your innovation and drive will help us to continue improving and evolving. Our opportunities and support will enable you to make a difference and leave a positive, lasting legacy. Reimagine the possibilities.

Your role and responsibilities

As a 16-17 Homelessness Practitioner, you will provide specialist early support to young people at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness. You will work closely with housing services to complete joint assessments and ensure young people receive the right support at the earliest opportunity. You will play a key role in gathering and analysing multi-agency information to inform safeguarding decisions, ensuring the voice, needs and safety of the young person remain central at all times.

• Completing joint homelessness assessments for 16 and 17 year-olds alongside housing colleagues
• Building strong working relationships with housing authorities and partner agencies
• Gathering, analysing and sharing safeguarding information in line with statutory guidance
• Contributing to multi-agency decision-making, including offering professional advice and challenge
• Recording and presenting information that informs risk and support planning
• Supporting safeguarding processes and working flexibly across the IFD as required
• Ensuring the voice of the child is central to all decision-making

You will also manage your own workload, identify and respond to safeguarding risks, and maintain accurate, timely records in line with service requirements. You will need We're looking for someone who is passionate about supporting children and families and is motivated to make a positive difference.

Qualifications

• Experience of working directly with children, young people and families
• Knowledge of safeguarding, early intervention and relevant legislation
• Experience of multi-agency working and partnership collaboration
• The ability to identify risk, assess needs and support positive outcomes
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to influence and engage others
• Experience of working with families where safeguarding concerns exist
• To be committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people

You'll hold a relevant Level 5 qualification (or equivalent experience) and demonstrate a clear commitment to improving outcomes for children and families.

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts.

At Suffolk County Council, we aspire for every child to live their best life. The Integrated Front Door is a fast-paced, multi-agency environment bringing together professionals from across the partnership - including social care, police, health and education - to ensure concerns are responded to quickly, consistently and effectively.

You’ll be part of a service that:

• Supports early decision-making and earlier help
• Works within a shared safeguarding framework and statutory duties
• Promotes joined-up, high-quality responses for children and families
• Plays a key role in Suffolk's Families First approach.

This role is county wide with office base in Ipswich. The expectation is that staff are office-based aside from arranged visits. We believe that being together matters. Visible leadership supports better decision-making, stronger oversight, professional development and a culture where practitioners feel supported to do their best work.

Take a look at what makes our Ideal Worker, shaped by the voices of young people:

Empowering Everyone We're big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We're always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve.

We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our

As a modern and effective council, we offer a wide variety of careers to suit people with a range of skills, abilities and ambitions. We offer working options that flex to reflect the way people work today and take the time to understand and support your individual needs. We're driven to make a positive difference to the world around us and encourage everyone with drive and focus to join us and build an influential and impactful career. Reimagine the possibilities.

In return, you'll enjoy:

• up to 29 days annual leave entitlement (pro rata), plus UK bank holidays and two paid volunteering days
• membership of a competitive Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• travel, lifestyle, health and wellbeing benefits
• performance-related annual pay progression, in addition to an annual cost-of-living pay increase
• training and encouragement to expand your knowledge
• a variety of career development opportunities across our organisation
• diverse and active staff networks
• flexible working options, with the right to request flexible working from your first day