Salary: From £44,428 to £48,474 per annum
Grade: M
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full time
Location: County Hall, Northallerton, hybrid working available
This is an exciting opportunity as a Policy and Development Officer based in the Effective Practice and QA team to lead on the ongoing integration and alignment of our Youth Justice Service within Children and Families Early Help. Working alongside Barbara Merrygold (Head of Early Help with responsibility for Youth Justice Service), Andy Dukes(Team Manager Youth Justice Service) and Jo Miles (Principal Social Worker, the post line manager).
The post will lead on the preparation for future HMIP inspections whilst further enhancing alignment of our practice and processes across Children and Families Service embedding both our North Yorkshire Youth Justice Alternative Prevention and Diversion Assessment (My Assessment Plan) and our Strength and Relationships Practice tools within the new case management system.
This is an exciting opportunity to be at the forefront of innovation, to lead and develop practice and system approaches to strengthen support for children on the edge of or entering the criminal justice system and their families. We want to ensure that children and young people entering this service and their families get the support they need, at the right time, in the right place and by the right person. Ensuring that the whole Early Help workforce is appropriately trained and provided with the right guidance, systems, tools and resources to work meaningfully, effectively and proportionately with children and their families, so that their needs are met in a timely way and their experiences of Early Help (including Youth Justice) is positive.
The MAPS assessment has been developed alongside Youth Justice Practitioners, Practice Managers and the team managers and with involvement/participation from children and young people and parents/carers as appropriate. We want to ensure that the new Youth Justice Inspection Framework is fully understood across Early Help and the wider Children and Families Service whilst continuing to drive the Child First approach to ensure that families can trust that their child’s worker is knowledgeable and that there is fair and equitable access to support regardless of which team their child is supported by.
It will be essential that you have clear knowledge and understanding of practice and legislation in relation to the Youth Justice, all inspection frameworks that apply to children’s services, NYSCP and associated QA activities that evidence best practice. We are looking for a motivated, passionate and creative individual who is not afraid of new ideas, thinking or approaches.
There will be an expectation of working systemically through all aspects of social care for children on the edge of or involved in criminal activity, from Early Help, Child in Need, Child Protection and Children in Care, Leaving Care and Transitions to adulthood with Health and Adult Services. These children and young people and their families deserve the best approach we can offer. NYC are dedicated to working with the Youth Justice board, and partner agencies to ensure that the child first approach is fully embedded within our practice when working with these children.
If you would like an informal discussion about the role and the service then please contact Joanna Miles Principal Social Worker on Joanna.Miles@northyorks.gov.uk or Barbara Merrygold Held of Service - Early Help on Barbara.Merrygold@northyorks.gov.uk
Key documents:
Key dates:
Closing date: Monday 23rd September
Interviews: Thursday 10th October, will be held at County Hall Racecourse Lane Northallerton
Enhanced Level DBS Disclosure is required for appointment to this post.
It is a criminal offence for people who are barred from working in Regulated Activity (under the Safeguarding and Vulnerable Groups Act 2006) to apply for roles that require them to work unsupervised with adults at risk.
We are committed to the inclusion, safeguarding, and promoting the welfare of adults at risk.
NYC are committed to directly recruiting staff and will not accept applications nor services from agency suppliers in respect of our vacancies.
We are committed to meeting the needs of our diverse community and aim to have a workforce reflecting this diversity. We are also committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
North Yorkshire Council (NYC) advertise vacancies on behalf of schools and external organisations (third parties) in North Yorkshire. NYC are not responsible for the recruitment/employment practices of third parties and accept no liability in relation to the vacancy and any subsequent recruitment/employment processes. Enquiries regarding the vacancy or practices should be made directly with the third party.
North Yorkshire Councils’ purpose is to deliver services and facilities to the diverse residents and visitors of North Yorkshire. To ensure we deliver inclusive services we strive to have a diverse workforce where everybody can be themselves by respecting differences and embedding equality of opportunity. We celebrate diversity and recognise each other’s contributions; we therefore welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds.
North Yorkshire Council are committed to the health and safety of our employees and of others including the general public. It has a responsibility to ensure employees who hold a position that is deemed to be safety critical as it requires the performance of duties which are directly related to the safe operation or security of a facility, piece of equipment or vehicle, handling of chemicals or work at height or in confined spaces and which, if not performed properly, could result in a serious safety risk or environmental hazard to employees, a facility or the general public , do not attend work whilst under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Individuals offered employment with North Yorkshire Council will be subject to the Workplace Substance Misuse policy. For safety critical roles as detailed above, random alcohol and drug testing may take place during the course of employment.