Homeless Prevention Officer

The starting salary for this role is £34,356 per annum for working 36 hours per week. This is a fixed term opportunity until March 2025.

At Surrey County Council we are on a mission to make a lasting impact in the lives of young adults aged 18 - 25 who are transitioning out of local authority care. We believe that every young person deserves a stable foundation as they embark on their journey to adulthood. As a Homeless Prevention Officer, you will play a vital role in helping to achieve this vision and make a significant difference.

The Team

Our vision is clear: we are committed to supporting young people who have ceased to be looked after by the local authority and may now be eligible for services as per the Children Leaving Care Act 2000 and/or The Children and Social Work Act 2017. This includes providing assistance to asylum-seeking young people, referred to as Relevant and Former Relevant young people. Your role as a Homeless Prevention Officer is to guide and support these young people as they secure long-term housing, addressing any challenges that may arise in maintaining their tenancy.

Your role

This role comes with a strong sense of purpose and a real opportunity to make a difference for the communities we serve. As our Homeless Prevention Officer you will be involved in the following:

• Collaborating with housing partners in the statutory and private sectors to secure housing for young people in Surrey
• Leading and chairing housing needs reviews, ensuring eligibility criteria are met in accordance with statutory requirements
• Offering support to Personal Assistants and Social Workers to prevent young people from losing their tenancy
• Contributing to a collective effort to create the conditions for success and actively participating in the development and success of our service
• Potentially representing the Leaving Care Service at various working groups, such as participation events and Care Council meetings, addressing housing-related issues

As a Homeless Prevention Officer 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 to ensure efficient management of the Homeless Prevention budget.

About you

To be considered for shortlisting for this position, your application should clearly demonstrate:

• Your ability to establish and maintain strong, meaningful relationships with young adults, including those who may be disengaged
• Ability to work to the reporting standards of the department, ensuring that reports are structured, evidence based and in accordance with the Directorate Quality Assurance Standards
• An awareness of current issues relating to socially excluded young people including young people claiming asylum and/or subject to immigration control
• Knowledge of relevant legislation related to housing, particularly concerning care leavers, including the Housing Act 1996, Housing Act 2004 and the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017. Some familiarity with the Children Act 1989, Children Leaving Care Act 2004, and the Children and Social Work Act 2017 would be helpful
• Familiarity with housing legislation, Department of Work and Pensions Benefits, and Immigration Policy

If this sounds like the role for you, we look forward to receiving your application.

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 29th November 2023 with interviews to follow.

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.

Benefits

From flexible working to job sharing (where possible) we are committed to providing a healthy work life balance. A laptop and mobile will be supplied if applicable to your role. You will benefit from 26 days annual leave, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service, a generous local government salary related pension, as well as the option to join our car lease scheme.

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.