Leaving Care Personal Advisor

North Somerset Council; Weston-super-Mare; Hybrid; GBP 29,000 - 38,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Local Government Pension

Wellbeing Team

Flexible working

Career development opportunities

Job summary

North Somerset Council is seeking a Leaving Care Personal Advisor to support care-experienced young people aged 18-25. The role focuses on housing, education, employment, health and wellbeing, working with carers and local partners to enable pathways to independent living.

You will assess needs, tailor Pathway Plans and advocate for the rights and opportunities of young people, while travelling as required and operating in a hybrid work environment from Weston-super-Mare.

Qualifications

• Relevant training or knowledge in child development, trauma-informed practice and safeguarding.
• Experience forming positive relationships with care-experienced young people, including those affected by trauma.
• Ability to work independently, manage a varied caseload and travel out of county when needed.

Responsibilities

• Build trusting relationships with care-experienced young people and support their independence.
• Complete assessments to inform personalised Pathway Plans.
• Support transitions to independent living including housing, education, and wellbeing.
• Collaborate with carers, internal teams and external partners to ensure joined-up support.
• Maintain accurate case records in line with statutory requirements.
• Advocate for young people’s rights and voice in decision-making.

Skills

Child development

Trauma-informed practice

Safeguarding

Welfare benefits

Direct work with young people

Communication skills

IT systems

Independent working

Travel flexibility

Education

Social Work / Youth & Community Work / Counselling / Psychology / Health & Social Care / Criminology

Job description

About Us

North Somerset Council is committed to providing high-quality services to our community. We are committed to creating a fair, green, and more inclusive environment for all our residents. Join us and contribute to making a positive impact on our community.

The Role

We are seeking a dedicated and experienced Leaving Care Personal Advisor to join our Care Leavers Team. The Care Leavers Team are responsible for supporting care-experienced young people as they move towards adulthood, offering the encouragement, stability and guidance they need to feel confident about their future.

We’re looking for someone who is naturally nurturing, great at building trust, and passionate about working alongside young people in a way that makes them feel valued, understood and genuinely supported.

In this role, you’ll primarily work with young people aged 18-25, providing a mix of practical help and emotional support across important areas of life, including housing, finances, education, employment, health and relationships. You’ll also work closely with our Children in Care teams to help 16-18-year-olds prepare for independent living, ensuring their Pathway Plans are personalised, meaningful and shaped around their strengths, ambitions and what matters most to them.

You’ll collaborate with carers, supported accommodation providers, housing services, and professionals across education and health to ensure support is joined-up, responsive and consistent. The role is varied, rewarding and sometimes challenging – involving creative problem-solving, advocacy and helping young people navigate the realities of adulthood with reassurance, clarity and kindness. Some young people live outside North Somerset, so a flexible approach to travel is important.

If you’re someone who thrives on building positive relationships, enjoys working in a role where no two days are the same, and truly wants to make a lasting difference for care-experienced young people, we’d love to hear from you.

Key Responsibilities

• Build positive, trusting relationships with care-experienced young people, empowering them to make informed decisions and supporting them to develop independence skills.
• Complete ongoing assessments of young peoples needs, ensuring these inform meaningful, personalised Pathway Plans that reflect their goals and aspirations.
• Support young people through the transition to independent living, offering practical guidance around housing, education, employment, health and wellbeing.
• Work collaboratively with carers, internal teams and external partners, ensuring young people receive coordinated, consistent support across services.
• Maintain accurate, timely and high-quality case records, in line with statutory requirements and organisational recording policies.
• Advocate for young peoples rights and opportunities, promoting their voice in decision-making and strengthening their connections within the community.

This position is exempt under the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions) Order 1975 and is subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.

Valid driving licence and own transport, or be able to provide alternative, suitable method of travel is an essential condition for this role.

This position is based at our Town Hall offices in Weston-super-Mare.

Work Style

At North Somerset Council, we offer a hybrid working environment based on four distinct work styles. Depending on the role and personal circumstances, you will fall into one of these categories. However, please note that during the induction period, it may be necessary to spend more time in the office to support your learning and development or to meet service demand. We are flexible and open to discussions about your preferred working style, and if you wish to be in the office more frequently, this can be negotiated.

• 2-3 days in the office
• Works both from home and the office, depending on the task at hand.
• Training is provided to help balance work-life and manage time effectively, with an emphasis on communication for team touchpoints and planning in-office days for collaboration.

About You

We are looking for an individual who is passionate about Care Experienced children and young people, and who possesses the following skills and experience.

Essential Criteria

• Relevant training or knowledge in areas such as child development, trauma-informed practice, safeguarding, welfare benefits, substance misuse, or direct work approaches with young people.
• Strong understanding of key legislation and guidance relating to care-experienced young people, including the Children Act 1989, Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000, and statutory guidance for care leavers.
• Experience of forming positive, trusting relationships with young people, particularly those who may have experienced trauma, instability or disadvantage.
• Clear and confident communication skills, written and verbal, with the ability to record work accurately and use IT systems effectively.
• A compassionate, strengths-based and non-judgemental approach, with a commitment to equality, anti-discriminatory practice, and championing young peoples rights and voice.
• Ability to work independently and flexibly, managing a varied caseload, travelling out of county when needed, and making sound, timely decisions in challenging situations.

Desirable Criteria

• A relevant qualification such as Social Work, Youth & Community Work, Counselling, Psychology, Health & Social Care, Criminology, or equivalent Level 35 training.
• Experience working directly with care-experienced young people, including knowledge of pathway planning, transitions and independence work.
• Experience within Childrens Social Care, supported accommodation, youth services or other statutory/voluntary roles supporting vulnerable young people.
• Experience working with unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people, including understanding of immigration-related pathways for care leavers.
• Knowledge of local services supporting housing, education, employment, health, wellbeing and community inclusion for young people.
• Training in recognised relational or therapeutic approaches, such as trauma-informed practice, motivational interviewing, restorative practice or solution-focused work.

What We Offer

At North Somerset Council, we value our employees and provide a supportive and inclusive work environment. We offer:

• Competitive salary and benefits
• Flexible working arrangements
• Local Government Pension
• Opportunities for professional development
• Inclusive Staff groups including Carers, Disabled, LGBTQ+, REACH (Race, Ethnicity, and Cultural Heritage), and Young Staff Forums
• Opportunity to purchase up to an additional 10 days annual leave each year
• Dedicated in house Wellbeing Team
• Salary sacrifice Cycle to Work and Electric Vehicle schemes

Further details of our excellent rewards package can be found in our Benefits booklet.

Contact Information

For further information about the role, please contact Karen McNally, Team Manager, at [e-mail] or 07386665815.

Important Information

As a Disability Confident Leader, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the job role.

Interview Date: Thursday 24 September 2026.

Please note: We are currently only able to accept applications from candidates who have full permission to work in the UK and are unable to provide Sponsorship for this role.

Equal Opportunities

At North Somerset Council we want all our employees to feel valued and appreciated. We aim to ensure equality of opportunity and prevent discrimination irrespective of your sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or belief, race, age, disability, including neurodiversity, if you are married or in a civil partnership or are pregnant or currently on maternity leave. We strive to create a workplace that reflects the communities we serve and where everyone feels empowered to bring their full, authentic selves to work.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

We reserve the right to close this advertisement early or extend the closing date depending on the number of applications received.