Leaving Care Worker (Employment and Education Worker)

Derbyshire County Council

East Midlands

On-site

GBP 28,000 - 38,000

Full time

3 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Local Government Pension Scheme

Generous annual leave

Sick pay and flexi-time

Travel expenses

Discount on leisure centre memberships

Free car parking

In-house counselling service

Occupational health service

Physiotherapist sessions

Cycle to work scheme

DBS check paid by employer

Incremental pay increases

Job summary

Derbyshire County Council is seeking an Employment and Education Worker to join the Leaving Care Service in Ilkeston, covering Erewash and South Derbyshire. The role focuses on developing and enhancing employment and training opportunities for care-experienced young people aged 16-25, using social pedagogy and trauma-informed approaches.

You will collaborate with Leaving Care Teams and partner agencies, providing practical support with applications, interviews and planning, while promoting

Qualifications

Experience of working with children in care and care-experienced young people, focusing on education, employment and training (EET).
Demonstrated passion and commitment to improve outcomes for young people.
Excellent interpersonal skills to build positive relationships with young people, colleagues and partners.
Strong advocacy for care-experienced young people and children in care.
Ability to reflect on practice and develop flexible, thoughtful approaches.

Responsibilities

Focus on education, employment and training to help young people choose pathways and opportunities after leaving care.
Provide one-to-one support exploring education, employment and training routes aligned to interests and strengths.
Assist with applications, interview prep, CV writing and transition planning.
Uphold corporate responsibility, positive outcomes and a culture of persistence for care-experienced young people.
Apply social pedagogy, systemic and trauma-informed approaches with partners and locality social work teams.
Promote child-centred transitions into independence, employment and training.
Represent the service and care-experienced young people locally, regionally and nationally.
Work within statutory guidelines for care-experienced young people and children in care.
Keep up to date with local and wider employment opportunities and stay aspirational.

Skills

Experience with care leavers

Passion for helping young people

Interpersonal skills

Advocacy for care experienced

Reflective practitioner

Job description

Closing date: 01 November 2026

An exciting opportunity has arisen, where Derbyshire Leaving Care Service are looking for a full-time Employment and Education Worker to join our committed leaving care and employment and education team.

This post is based at our Young Person's Hub in Ilkeston, with the role predominantly covering Erewash and South Derbyshire.

In this role, you will play a key part in developing and enhancing our employment and training offer for care-experienced young people. You will work collaboratively with young people, empowering them to create sustainable and positive futures as they navigate the transition to adulthood and independence. You will support children in care and care-experienced young people aged 16-25, embedding Social Pedagogy, Systemic, and Trauma-Informed approaches into your daily practice. A strong commitment to corporate parenting and relationship-based practice will be essential, as these are central to achieving positive outcomes and successful transitions.

The role will involve working closely with our Leaving Care Teams and partner agencies, including the DWP, SEND services, Virtual School, DACES, Apprenticeship teams, and other Education and Employment services. You will focus on building strong partnerships and embedding new processes to strengthen our existing offer, ensuring that care-experienced young people receive the support they need to thrive in education, training, and employment.

What will I be doing:

You will have a focus on education, employment and training designed to help young people of all abilities choose the appropriate route to make the most of their opportunities when they leave care
Work one-to-one with young people of all abilities to explore education, employment and training pathways tailored to their interests, strengths, and aspirations.
Provide practical support with applications, interview preparation, CV writing, enrolment processes, and transition planning.
Maintain our corporate responsibility, our positive outcomes and our culture of never giving up on our care experienced young people.
Work with a Social Pedagogy, Systemic and trauma informed approach; supporting our young people holistically alongside our partners and locality social work teams with an aspirational approach for young people's futures.
Maintain a child centred approach while promoting care experienced young people's transitions into interdependence and employment and training.
Represent the service and our care experienced young people locally, regionally and nationally.
You will be working within the statutory guidelines and expectations for care experienced young people and children in care.
You will keep up to date with local and wider employment opportunities and remain aspiration focused for our care experienced young people.

What skills and experience do you need to have:

Experience of working with children in care and care experienced young people a particular focus on supporting them to access and sustain education, employment, and training (EET)
A real passion and commitment to do more and better for our young people
Outstanding interpersonal skills with the ability to build positive relationships with young people, workers, management and partners
A strong advocate for care experienced young people and children in care
Ability to reflect on own practice and development enabling flexible and thoughtful practice and positive change

What we offer you:

Manageable case loads
Two thriving offices/young person hubs
Visible, supportive and determined manager's
Diverse range of cases providing an exciting, challenging and rewarding career
Excellent supervision and a supportive peer network
Access to an excellent range of training and development opportunities,
Fantastic opportunities to undertake further formal qualifications and career progression through our career pathways

What benefits do we offer you?