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We are committed to improving our services for the children and families we support in West Sussex. In May 2023 Ofsted Inspectors praised West Sussex County Council’s Children’s Services for its ‘relentless approach to improving practice,’ giving the service an overall rating of ‘requires improvement’, with ‘good’ judgements for children in care and leadership and management. The judgements on children needing help and protection and children leaving care are they ‘require improvement to be good’.

Inspectors recognised the ‘strong, determined and cohesive leadership team’ who have made significant improvements since 2019 and their commitment and focus to make further improvements.

For further 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.

Salary: £28,371 to £34,723 per annum
Working Pattern: Full Time (37 hours)
Contract Length: Secondment/Fixed Term Contract (ending March 2025)
Location: Based at County Hall North, Horsham with countywide travel

Internal candidates wishing to apply for this role will be considered for a secondment position. Please can you therefore discuss and agree this with your manager before applying for this position.

West Sussex Youth Justice Service (YJS) is a high performing multi-agency statutory partnership which provides services before and after Court to meet the statutory requirements of the youth justice system. Its primary aim is to prevent offending and reduce reoffending by children. The service works in partnership with a variety of agencies to ensure children are offered appropriate intervention to address their risks, meet their needs and build on their strengths. Further, the service seeks to repair the harm caused to victims and communities by addressing the root causes of offending and reoffending by children.

As a Youth Justice Officer you will be passionate about making a difference to high risk, complex and vulnerable children at risk of prosecution, on bail / remand, or subject to Court Orders; ensuring children involved in the youth justice system receive the right intervention at the right time to achieve and sustain best outcomes. You will be a professional who practices effectively, with high quality assessment and judgement skills. Be able to independently manage caseloads with confidence, utilising strong engagement skills and creative interventions. Be recognised as a source of reliable knowledge and advice and 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.

Key Skills:

• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to explain complicated information to others and use negotiation and persuasion skills to influence the actions of others.
• Excellent literacy, numeracy and sound IT skills to write complex reports to a high standard and present information clearly, concisely and accurately in ways that promote understanding.
• Able to research, assess, analyse and interpret information and data from varying sources, prioritise needs and identify strengths, to effectively formulate collaborative plans for intervention and service provision; including the voice of children, families and victims.
• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to prioritise your workload to effectively respond to unanticipated problems, whilst recognising the limit of your own accountability and responsibility and when to seek appropriate support, advice and supervision.
• Able to gain trust and respect, and work in partnership with parents, carers, colleagues and external agencies to deliver an effective service.
• Able to act in an appropriate manner, with discretion, whilst hearing confidential, sensitive or disturbing information.

Qualifications and experience:

• Relevant professional qualification recognised by one of the YJS statutory partner agencies (Social Work, Probation, Education, Health, Police), e.g. Social Work Degree, Professional Qualification in Probation (PQiP), BA (Hons) Youth Work, Diploma in Counselling/Careers Guidance, PGCE, Registered Nurse qualification, Police Sergeant Level. (NB - Social Work qualified staff are required to be HCPC registered).

OR

• Youth Justice Effective Practice Certificate (YJEPC) and the Foundation Degree in Youth Justice, plus relevant training, and to have practised as a qualified Youth Justice Officer.
• Theoretical knowledge, practice, and skills in terms of youth justice and child/ adolescent behaviour, e.g., attachment and developmental trauma, child development, restorative practice, good lives model, desistance theory, RNR.
• Excellent assessment skills and experience of case management.
• Demonstrable experience of writing reports and presenting to a high standard in a Court/formal setting, being able to defend case and confidently challenge when appropriate.
• Extensive experience of multi-agency working to address the needs and risks of adolescents and their families.
• Training and development skills with the ability to successfully transfer bespoke knowledge and “up-skill” new colleagues to enhance and maximise their capabilities.

As an employer we recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive and dynamic working environment where employees can achieve their full potential, achieve a healthy work-life balance and are rewarded for the work they do.

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.

The reference number for this role is CAFHE04043 .

For an informal conversation or for further information regarding the role, please contact David Bolger at [email protected] for issues or queries regarding your application please contact [email protected].

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.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. This post is subject to Registration with a relevant professional body, enhanced DBS check, 5 years referencing and a health check.

Equity, inclusion and accessibility is very important to West Sussex County Council. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, as this helps us build a diverse and talented workforce, that reflects the communities we serve. We ensure our approach to recruitment is flexible and supportive to enable all applicants to be at their best and to ensure they have the best possible chance of success.

We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that have a disability, are a veteran or are a care leaver. More information can be found on our application help page.

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