Referral Officer

The Methodist Church in Britain; Brighton; On-site; GBP 17,000 - 22,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Wellbeing support

Leave

Pension

Training and development

Job summary

Brighton and Hove City Council is seeking a Referral Officer for the Front Door For Families team. The role handles contact and referrals about children, searches council and partner databases, and maintains precise case records within the safeguarding hub.

You will work closely with health, education and police colleagues, handling enquiries by phone, email, and other formats. A DBS check is required, with a 22-hour weekly pattern, and a commitment to equalities and confidentiality.

Qualifications

• NVQ level 2 or equivalent, or equivalent experience.
• Experience dealing with the public by telephone, email and other formats.
• Researching computer systems, assessing and collating information.
• Working in a confidential environment.

Responsibilities

• Receive contacts to Front Door For Families, where appropriate.
• Identify customer and partner enquiries promptly, elicit information and assess the appropriate response.
• Research and collate information from Children's Services databases and other agency sources to support decisions under the Right Support at the Right Time framework.
• Receive and respond to contacts and referrals about children, progressing them under relevant procedures.
• Carry out detailed system and database searches and process checks with police, probation, education, health, CAFCASS and other organisations.
• Input information to the client database to keep accurate case records.
• Implement the council's Equalities Policy at a level appropriate to the job.

Skills

Verbal & written communication

Customer handling under pressure

Signposting for families

IT/data input skills

Work under pressure

Equality & Inclusive policy

Education

NVQ Level 2 or equivalent

Job description

The Referral Officer post sits in the Front Door For Families team at Brighton and Hove City Council, within its multi-agency safeguarding hub. The work centres on receiving and processing contacts and referrals about children, searching council and partner-agency records, and keeping case records accurate. The role is office-based and sits alongside health, education and police colleagues, with a 22-hour weekly pattern. A DBS check is required.

What the job involves

• Receive contacts to Front Door For Families, where appropriate
• Identify customer and partner enquiries promptly, elicit information and assess the appropriate response
• Research and collate information from Children's Services databases and other agency sources to support decisions under the Right Support at the Right Time framework
• Receive and respond to contacts and referrals about children, progressing them under relevant procedures
• Carry out detailed system and database searches and process checks with police, probation, education, health, CAFCASS and other organisations
• Input information to the client database to keep accurate case records
• Implement the council's Equalities Policy at a level appropriate to the job

What's required

Qualifications

• NVQ level 2 or equivalent, or equivalent experience

Experience

• Dealing with the public by telephone, email and other formats
• Researching computer systems, assessing and collating information
• Working in a confidential environment

Skills & knowledge

• Excellent verbal and written communication
• Dealing calmly and effectively with customers who have diverse and complex needs
• Excellent understanding of signposting to facilities for children and families
• Excellent keyboard skills and efficient use of IT systems, including inputting and retrieving data
• Ability to work under pressure
• Commitment to the principles of equalities and the Council's Inclusive Council Policy

Checks & eligibility

• Basic Disclosure and DBS check

What's offered

• Wellbeing support
• Leave
• Pension
• Training and development