Care Leavers Service - Personal Advisor

Job title: Personal Advisor

Salary: SO1 £35,570 - £37,563

Hours: 37 – fulltime

Contract: multiple contracts available

• 2 x Permanent roles
• 2 x Family Leave Cover (one year from Nov 2026 and one from Jan/Feb 2027)
• 1 x Fixed Term role until 31/12/2027

Location: Archway, Care Leaver Service Hub

This is an exciting opportunity for five positions for Personal Advisors within the Care Leaver Service. As a Personal Advisor you’ll thrive on supporting young people, this includes young people leaving care from children’s residential homes, hospital, care leavers experiencing homelessness, separated migrant children and young people in or those leaving custody. You will advocate on behalf of our young people and demonstrate empathy and support to ensure that they are able to thrive into their adulthood years.

Leeds Care Leaver Service supports young adults aged between 17.5 years and 25 years of age who have left care: providing guidance, and practical assistance to support their transition to independence and adulthood. The service is committed to developing positive and meaningful relationships with young people, developing practice across the service, and building on the opportunities for care leavers in Leeds.

Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.

It’s an exciting time to join Leeds City Council’s children’s services, which was rated outstanding by Ofsted at our last inspection.

We are committed to the ambition of Child Friendly Leeds. We want Leeds to be a city where all children are safe, happy and healthy, do well at school, fulfil their potential and grow up to be active citizens with voice and influence.

About you

As a Personal Advisor you will bring the ability to form constructive relationships with young people from a diverse range of backgrounds, deal with conflict situations using a calm and composed approach and be able to form purposeful working relationships with a diverse range of agencies. You must be able to work effectively as a member of a cohesive team in order to provide a high quality service.

About the role

As our next Personal Advisor you’ll build close working relationships with other colleagues, services users, carers, and relevant agencies and provide a high quality service when working with young people. You will have the opportunity to improve own practice through observation and evaluation with colleagues and development programmes, as you advocate for young people.

What we offer you

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

• a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
• membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
• flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
• a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
• a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further

How to apply Please complete the online application form.

Read our guidance for further advice. Please check your information carefully and ensure you complete all sections before submitting your application.

If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role please contact Harbinder Kaur Service Delivery Manager, Tel [phone removed], Email [email removed]

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check against the Children’s or Adults’ barred list as applicable will be carried out on preferred candidates. Read our recruitment of ex-offenders policy.

We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visaroute before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job Description

Job purpose To assess needs, develop and review pathway plans to ensure young people are fully supported when they leave care. To work in partnership with professionals from across the public, private and voluntary sectors to ensure actions identified within the plans are carried out. To advise, assist, and befriend young people who are living-in, or leaving care, the help them achieve full potential and prepare for living independently.

Responsibilities

• Assess, plan, and review young people in accordance with the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 as the young person’s Personal Adviser and primary worker
• Undertake the duties of lead worker, working with other professionals to meet the objectives of the pathway plan.
• Undertake case responsibility for young people who have qualifying, relevant and former relevant care leaver status under Leaving Care Legislation.
• Providing guidance and advice to other staff including those from partner agencies including assistance in staff induction.
• Produce accurate high-quality pathway plans.
• Develop links with partner agencies, including housing, health and youth offending, working with them for young people, to ensure maximum service integration.
• Undertake direct work and group work, inclusive of hub sessions, with young people to prepare them for the transition to adulthood, including young people with complex or additional needs and who may live in out of authority areas.
• Carry out needs assessments in order to inform and construct appropriate Pathway Plans.
• Follow internal procedures, maintain records and carry out administrative tasks, including financial procedures associated with the efficient running of projects, for example a Leeds City Council purchasing card.
• Act as an appropriate adult for young people when necessary
• Arrange and chair meetings to complete and review Living Together agreements in respect of Staying Put and Supported Lodgings accommodation.
• Be involved in legal and judicial processes when required.
• Encourage links with parents and families with the agreement of the young people
• Complete