Housing Support Practitioner

Salary: circa £26,150 per annum

Location: Dundee

Contract/Hours: Permanent / Full Time - 37 hours per week (including evenings and weekends)

Closing dates for applications is 3rd December and interviews are provisionally scheduled for 11th and 12th December

Benefits:

· 29 days annual leave PLUS bank holidays, with up to 5 additional days for continuous service and option to buy or sell leave

· Gain professional qualifications and excellent training/development opportunities

· Flexible maternity, adoption, and paternity packages

· Pension with up to 7% employer contribution with included life assurance cover

· Staff discount portal and Blue Light Card eligibility with 15,000 national retailers discounts.

Vulnerable children in the UK need your help

Wherever you work in the Action for Children family, you'll be helping to change the lives of the most vulnerable children in the UK.

Last year, we helped more than 670,000 children and families across the UK. From direct work in communities to national campaigning, we are focused on making sure every child has a safe and happy childhood, and the foundations they need to thrive.

Why Action for Children?

Working here is more than a job. Everyone in the Action for Children family is passionate about protecting and supporting children. It's the sense of purpose that drives us every single day. Because we know that, when we work together, we can make a huge difference to bring lasting improvements to vulnerable children's lives.

A bit about the role

As a Housing Support Practitioner, you'll empower young people by helping them develop independent living skills through a structured process that includes individual referral, assessment, and regular reviews. Before a young person moves into our accommodation, a baseline assessment is conducted either through social work or by our AFC early intervention and prevention team. Ultimately, our aim is to equip young people with the skills necessary for a successful transition to permanent accommodation.

About the service

The Dundee Youth Housing Service, in collaboration with the Dundee City Council, fulfils its statutory duty by supporting homeless young people aged 16 and above. The aim of the service is to engage with young people and families at the earliest opportunity. To be responsive, to prevent situations escalating, and take the pressure off the local authority front line services.

As the initial point of contact for any young person facing homelessness in the city, our service plays a crucial role. Within the strategic housing partnership, Action for Children stands as the sole organisation dedicated to preventing young individuals from becoming homeless. Our service operates 24/7.

Our primary focus is to provide temporary accommodation for young people who have been assessed as homeless. We extend our support to young individuals who are homeless, have care experience, or are seeking asylum.

How you'll help to create brighter futures

Some key responsibilities of a Housing Support Practitioner role are;

· Supporting transitions between children and adult services.

· Providing background assessment reports for AFC colleagues.

· Delaying emergency requests by supporting young people who are ‘sofa surfing' by ensuring they are safe and supported.

· Supporting families at risk of eviction from private rented landlords

· Promoting positive relationships between tenants and landlords to sustain tenancies and reduce the number of families having to move into temporary accommodation and the associated trauma.

· Supporting families with financial difficulties by providing basic budgeting advice e.g. realistic repayment plans for rent arrears and signposting to welfare rights, Citizens Advice Bureau, Debt Management services etc.

Let's talk about you

• SVQ Level 3 or equivalent level qualification or willingness to work towards.
• Experience of working with young people who present with a range of complex needs and behaviours and an understanding of the issues that they may face.
• Experience of managing cases, in accordance with agreed procedures and completing assessments of need and risk.
• Experience of demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of safeguarding and an ability to promote the wellbeing and welfare of young people.
• Ability to keep the young people as the focus and ensure their voices are heard and feelings and wishes are represented in meetings and record keeping
• Ability to communicate effectively and engagingly and to maintain independent professional relationships and boundaries

Good to know 

Application Process

There are five sections to complete: Personal Details, CV, Supporting Statement & Information, Equality & Diversity, Submission & Declaration.

Talent Pool

We know talent when we see it. But sometimes we find the right person but not for the right job. We'd love to keep your details for when the right job comes up. Let us know if you'd rather we didn't.

Diversity, equality and inclusion

At Action for Children, we're dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace.

We actively encourage applications from Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic and disabled candidates as they are under-represented within Action for Children. We want to take deliberate and purposeful action to ensure equal opportunity to all groups in society and for Action for Children.

Male staff are under-represented within our Children Service roles. We would like to encourage more male applicants for our Children Service roles.