Youth Justice Key Worker

About Us

For information about us and about working in Children's Social Care at West Sussex County Council, please visit Careers in children's social work in West Sussex.

About The Job

Youth Justice Keyworkers provide essential support and coordinate interventions for children on the cusp of entering the Youth Justice system. The Youth Justice Key Worker is a lead professional role to deliver focused support to families with complex issues. This is achieved by working closely and intensively with whole families, using a single plan with agreed outcomes, that the family and professionals will work towards. By providing this support we will improve outcomes for children and reduce the risk of offending.

You will be a professional who practices effectively with good assessment and judgement skills, and able to manage caseloads confidently under limited supervision, demonstrating engagement skills and creative interventions. You will understand what different partnership agencies do, why they are involved and be able to identify the best way to work with them to achieve the best outcomes for children. You will be accountable for your own professional development. You will support and advocate for equality and diversity, respecting anyone working for or in contact with WSCC.

Experience and Skills

Key Skills

• Ability to listen to adults and children who have experienced trauma and have complex needs, and to use excellent interpersonal skills to build an effective relationship with the families.
• Analytical and judgmental skills to interpret complex situations and information from families to make assessments.
• Excellent crisis management skills with the ability to recognize the individual needs of families.
• Ability to create an environment where families are empowered to make positive change.
• Ability to build rapport quickly with people participating in services and remain up to date with changes in best practice and available support mechanisms.
• Ability to accurately record information in Excel spreadsheets and web databases. Ability to use a variety of screening tools.

Qualifications and/or experience

• Relevant qualification, degree level preferably, in a relevant subject, or demonstrable experience in a paid or unpaid capacity of providing support to people in stressful and difficult situations.
• Demonstrable experience of working with families in crisis in order to provide support, especially those with complex and chronic difficulties.
• Experience of interpreting families' needs and assisting families to access appropriate support services.
• Experience of working in a team environment and multi-agency working.
• Experience of working within a frame of confidentiality.
• Experience of applying relevant legislation, policies and procedures to individual pieces of work.
• You will need to be able to travel independently around the county, including to areas that may not be easily accessible by public transport. Pool cars and pool bikes available.

Rewards and Benefits

In addition to working within a great team and a brilliant opportunity you will receive:

• A competitive salary
• A generous pension scheme
• Training and development opportunities, including coaching and mentoring
• Flexible working
• A range of discounts giving our staff access to hundreds of offers with the opportunity to save over £1,000 (Including: Argos, Samsung, Asos, B&Q and many more)
• Free access to employee assistance programmes
• Discounted membership at selected local sports and fitness centres
• A range of commuting and business travel discounts and initiatives

For a full list of the benefits offered to you as a West Sussex County Council employee you can find them on our Rewards and Benefits page.

Further Information

To apply, please follow the links below to upload your CV and cover letter. In your cover letter outline your motivations for applying and explain how you meet the key skills listed in full and the experience you can bring to the role (please refer to the key skills) ensuring that any gaps in employment are covered in your CV. Please ensure you have saved the job description attached to the main advert on our website as, once the job has closed, you may not have the opportunity to download again.

This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check, 5 years referencing and a health check.

West Sussex County Council is an equal opportunities employer committed to promoting an environment that is inclusive and free from all forms of unlawful or unfair discrimination and values the diversity of its people. We actively welcome and encourage applications from people with lived experience and from minority groups, and take every possible step to ensure that no individual will be disadvantaged.

For information regarding your eligibility to apply for this role under our Disability or Veteran's Guaranteed Interview Scheme, this can be found on our application help page.