Independent Visitor

Hampshire County Council; Havant; On-site; GBP 51,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Paid travel

Employee assistance programme

Local Government Pension Scheme

Job summary

Hampshire County Council seeks an Independent Visitor to carry out monthly visits to designated children’s residential homes, produce detailed reports, and make clear recommendations for best practice. You’ll help ensure children are safe, supported, and have their needs consistently met, drawing on your knowledge, experience and compassion to improve outcomes.

This annualised hours role provides flexible working with 96 hours per year, paid travel, and the chance to contribute to safeguarding

Qualifications

• Significant experience of working with children in social, residential, education or health care settings.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to build trusting, supportive relationships.
• Confident with managing difficult conversations and guiding best practice to ensure safety and wellbeing.
• Strong report writing and good IT skills.

Responsibilities

• Conduct monthly visits to designated children’s residential homes, check operations and review care records.
• Collaborate with care providers to discuss concerns and advise on improvements.
• Complete detailed reports and measure findings against national standards for children’s homes.
• Work in the best interests of children and young people, liaising with home managers, Ofsted, care professionals, and families.

Skills

Experience with children

Communication skills

Report writing

IT skills

Travel ability

Regulatory knowledge

Job description

Job Reference: HCC624915

Salary Range: £50,564 - £56,219 pro-rata, per annum (Actual salary £2,882 - £3,204 per annum)

Hours: 96 per annum

Contract Type: Permanent (Annualised hours)

Closing Date: 17 September 2026

Interview Date: 7 October 2026

The Role:

Hampshire County Council provides residential care for vulnerable children and young people, supporting their recovery from traumatic experiences and helping them rebuild their emotional and mental wellbeing. As an Independent Visitor, you’ll play a key role in improving the outcomes for children and young people by carrying out monthly visits to your designated children’s residential home, producing detailed reports, and making clear recommendations for best practice and possible improvements. You’ll help to ensure children are safe, supported, and having their needs consistently met. Your knowledge, experience and compassion will help maintain high standards of care and make a meaningful difference to the lives of children across Hampshire.

What you’ll do:

• Conduct monthly visits: Complete visits at your designated children’s residential home, checking how the home and staff operate and reviewing records relating to care provision and home management.
• Collaborate with care providers: Discuss concerns or poor practice and advise on recommendations to encourage continuous improvement.
• Complete detailed reports: Record findings following visits, measuring the results of each visit against the National Minimum Standards for Children’s Homes.
• Work in the best interests of children and young people, liaising with children’s residential home and service managers, Ofsted, care professionals, children and their families.

What we’re looking for:

• Sound knowledge of regulated services, current legislation and statutory guidance in relation to vulnerable children and young people in residential care.
• Significant experience of working with children within the social, residential, education or health care sector.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trusting, supportive relationships.
• Confident with managing difficult conversations and sharing guidance on best practice to ensure children’s safety and wellbeing.
• Strong report writing and good IT skills.
• Ability to travel on a monthly basis to your designated children’s residential home.
  

To comply with statutory regulations, Independent Visitors must be fully independent of the local authority. For this reason, employees of Hampshire County Council Children’s Services (or those living in the same household) are not eligible to apply for this role.

• Rewarding work: Make a real difference to the lives of children and young people in care, knowing that your efforts can create a lasting impact and enhance their quality of life.
• Work-life balance: Flexible working, with the freedom to choose your hours around a time that suits you.
• Paid travel: Claim business travel mileage for any meetings outside your designated children’s residential home.
• Employee support: Access to Health Assured's comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme to support your physical and mental wellbeing, including 24/7 telephone support, a suite of online resources, and legal and financial advice.
• Competitive benefits package: Including occupational sick pay and access to the Local Government Pension Scheme. Find more information here .

How you’ll work:
This role is offered on an annualised hours contract, meaning your total working hours are spread across the year rather than following a fixed weekly schedule. You’ll work flexibly, ensuring you complete one visit and report per month. You'll be given the flexibility to decide when to conduct the visits each month around a time that works for you and the children's residential home.

You’ll be contracted to work 96 hours annually. Occasional cover may be required in the absence of other Independent Visitors. We’re looking for someone who enjoys flexible working and is passionate about making a meaningful difference to the lives of children and young people.

Applicants can expect to hear from us within two weeks of the advertised closing date.

Please note: We are unable to offer sponsorship for this role and therefore it is essential that you already have the right to work in the UK.

Other roles you may have experience of may include: Children’s Residential Care Worker, Youth Worker, Social Worker, Senior Social Worker, Social Care Manager, Case Worker, Children’s Residential Home Manager, Children’s Team Manager, Children’s Residential Service Manager.

Travel Requirements:

You may be required to visit other locations within Hampshire, and therefore need to have the ability to travel, as necessary.

The post is subject to a Criminal Records Check. As such, please note that under safer recruitment requirements for Children’s Services, references will be requested prior to interview.

Contact Details for an Informal Discussion:

Hampshire County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment.

In order to combat discrimination, no unnecessary conditions or requirements will be applied which could have a disproportionately adverse effect on any one group. All sections of the population will have equal access to jobs. No applicant or employee will receive less favourable treatment because of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership and pregnancy or maternity, unless a Genuine Occupational Requirement (GOR) applies.

We are a Disability Confident Employer - committed to ensuring that our recruitment and selection process is inclusive and accessible.