Preventative Caseworker

North Somerset Council; Weston-super-Mare; Hybrid; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

North Somerset Council is seeking a dedicated Preventative Caseworker for the Youth Justice and Prevention Service. The role involves delivering child-first interventions to children and young people aged 10-18, with a focus on safeguarding and promoting pro-social opportunities. Join a supportive team and help make a positive impact in the community while enjoying flexible work arrangements and opportunities for professional growth.

Benefits

Competitive salary and benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Local Government Pension

Opportunities for professional development

Dedicated in-house Wellbeing Team

Qualifications

• Experience working with vulnerable children/young people.
• Thorough understanding of safeguarding procedures.
• Ability to engage and build trust with children and their families.

Responsibilities

• Independently manage and deliver 1:1 and group interventions.
• Collaborate with partners to support children’s development.
• Record case notes using relevant systems.

Skills

Advocacy

Safeguarding

Collaboration

Education

Professional qualification in working with children/young people

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 Preventative Caseworker to join our North Somerset Youth Justice (YJPS) and Prevention Service which is a successful partnership between key partners including North Somerset Council, Police, Health Integrated Care Board and Education partners. SAS sits within the wider YJPS alongside other prevention teams.

The SAS team offer support to children and young people aged 10-18 around their own or familial substance use. This includes both structured and unstructured interventions. Preventative Caseworkers engage with children to assess and plan their interventions to include the promotion of life prospects and opportunities to engage in pro social activities. Ability to address safeguarding and minimising risk are key aspects of this role.

A key element of the role is the delivery of child first, trauma informed interventions mainly on a 1:1 basis with children. Meeting with children and young people in a range of settings include in school or college or at their home or in community settings including the YJPS office in Weston Super Mare. The role will involve travelling across the whole North Somerset area, with some time in the office base and some home working.

In this role, you will have the following key responsibilities:

• Independently case manage and deliver both 1:1 and group interventions to children and their families/carers.
• Promote children’s individual strengths and capacities and act as an advocate to promote their pro social identity.
• Work collaboratively with a range of partners including schools/colleges, children’s services, health services, and the police, to engage with children and their families/carers to build trusting and supportive relationships.
• Record case notes and outcomes using both YJPS case management system and the national drugs database as well as other online systems.
• Aid in the development and delivery of substance misuse training to professionals from across Children’s Services and wider partners, including bespoke training to key partners such as schools/academies.
• Assist in the development of range of programmes/activities related to substance misuse and the wider experiences impacting upon these children including mental health resources.

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.

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. 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.

This role falls into the category of Flexible Worker which means you can expect to work in the following way:

• 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 and who possesses the following skills and experience (please see job description for a full list of criteria):

Essential Criteria:

• You have an approved professional qualification working with children and/or young people (e.g. social work, teaching, probation, youth and community work or health ….) to a degree level or equivalent.
• You have experience of working with vulnerable children/ young people.
• You have a thorough and up to date understanding of safeguarding issues and procedures.

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.

How to Apply

If you share ourvision and valuesand are ready to make an impact to North Somerset, please select the apply online button below. If you are interested in this exciting opportunity, please submit your application by 11.59pm on the application closing date. When completing our online application form, please detail how you meet the essential criteria for the role.

Contact Information

For further information about the role, please contact Lucy Frampton on 07771 833173.

Important Information

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

Anticipated Interview Date: Wednesday 23 July 2025.

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.