Personal Advisor

This role has a starting salary of £35,730 per annum, based on a 36 hour working week.

We are excited to be hiring a new Personal Advisor to join our fantastic Asylum-Seeking Care Leaving team, based in Woking. This role is open to hybrid working and as a team we split our time between working with the communities we support, working from home and collaborating together in the office.

Rewards and Benefits

• 26 days' holiday (prorated for part time staff), rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 30 days after 5 years' service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• An extensive Employee Assistance Programme to support health and wellbeing
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping and many more
• 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
• Flexible working arrangements considered, such as 9 day fortnights

About the Role

Our service strives to make every young person and child count, and this has been recognised both locally and nationally as recipients of the "PA Team of the Year" award by the National Care Leavers Benchmarking Forum, alongside a Personal Advisor winning a "Star of Surrey" award. Our service embraces a learning culture where we aim to learn and develop each other through support and training opportunities. Our teams have stable staffing, and team members are valued for their hard work.

The team sits within the Looked After Children and Care Leaving Services and is being created in response to increasing numbers of both Unaccompanied Minors and Young People claiming Asylum whom Surrey County Council are responsible for.

As a Personal Advisor (PA) you will hold a case load of high risk and complex young people, and participate in the assessment and preparation of Pathway Plans for those who are eligible. The Pathway Plan sets out the young person's aspirations regarding education, accommodation, health, social relationships and specific needs. For asylum seeking young people, this will include how their immigration status may impact on these areas.

Working with the Team Manager and the team, you will make a personal contribution to a collective endeavour, creating the conditions for success and actively contributing to the development and success of the service. Alongside this, you may be responsible for representing the Leaving Care Service at working groups, such as participation events and at Care Council meetings. You will also chair and lead the review of the Pathway Plan according to statutory requirements, including liaising with partners for young people living out of Surrey County Council.

As a PA you will be able to recommend services that the local authority maybe required to pay for, and while you would hold no direct budget responsibilities, you would be required to have an understanding of the finance policy. Alongside your caseload, you will be required to carry out duty on a rota basis.

Shortlisting Criteria

To be considered for shortlisting for this position, your application will clearly evidence the following:

• Ability to develop and sustain good working relationships with young people including those who may be disengaged
• Experience working with asylum-seeking young people and an understanding of the issues they face, plus a good working knowledge of relevant legislation (The Children Act 1989, Children Leaving Care Act 2004, Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, Children and Social Work Act 2017.)
• Ability to work to the reporting standards of the department and in accordance with the Directorate Quality Assurance Standards
• Awareness of current issues relating to socially excluded young people including young people claiming asylum and/or subject to immigration control
• Knowledge of Housing legislation, Department of Work and Pensions Benefits, and Immigration Policy

Surrey has both urban and rural areas and as part of this role, you will be expected to have a valid driving licence to drive in the UK, access to a vehicle and be willing to travel. Reasonable adjustments where needed will be made for successful applicants who have a disability or long term health condition to enable them to fulfil the requirements of the job.

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 04.05.2025. We look forward to receiving your application, please click on the apply online button below to submit.

An enhanced DBS 'Disclosure and Barring Service' check for regulated activity (formerly known as CRB) and the Children's and Adults' Barred List checks will be required for this role.

Our Commitment

Surrey County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. A guaranteed interview will be offered to all disabled applications where:

• The candidate has evidenced the minimum criteria for the role through their application
• The candidate has chosen to share that they have a disability on the application form

Our application form and onboarding process will provide an opportunity to request any reasonable adjustments for the interview and/or the role. We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all underrepresented groups.