Leaving and Aftercare Housing Lead in Colchester

Fixed Term, Full Time £46,574 to £56,027 per annum

Location: Countywide

Working Style:

Closing Date: 28th January 2026

Please note that this is a Fixed Term Contract / Secondment opportunity for a period of 12 months.

Here in Essex, we continue to raise the bar about practice and our investment in our workforce is second to none. It’s an exciting time to join us having received our 2nd Outstanding Ofsted rating in a row.

Remote working from home is supported. There is an expectation to work from the office at least 2-3 days a week.

The Team

Leaving and Aftercare Teams concentrate on good outcomes for young people aged 16 – 25 who are in care or have left care. The teams are made up of Social Workers and Personal Advisors, Mental Health Co-ordinators, Targeted Youth Advisors and Employability Workers, and they all have opportunity to undertake focused work with young people. They look to maximise the potential of young people by working with providers, other agencies and partners. For those who have left care, our teams continue to offer advice, information and help to enable young people to live independently – and to access education, training and employment.

The Opportunity

This post is funded by the DFE and supported by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) for 12 months to provide specific interventions to aid good housing outcomes and a reduction in homelessness for young people who have exited care. This post will work closely with the Social Care practitioners, Leaving and After Care Personal Advisors, Housing Officers and partner agencies to achieve positive housing outcomes for 18 to 25-year-old care leavers.

The post holder will work in partnership with Housing Officers to prevent homelessness and improve housing outcomes for Care Leavers unsuitably housed or approaching a planned transition. Care Leavers are among the most vulnerable in the county, and closer and more effective joint working at strategic and operational levels is essential for the improvement of outcomes for our young people. It is widely recognised that safe and appropriate accommodation can lead directly to improved health, employment and other positive outcomes. Good partnership arrangements can also lead to efficient use of resources, creating savings and avoiding costs.

High level outcomes include:

• Work with the social and private housing sector to reduce homelessness and risk of homelessness for Care Leavers.
• Improve communication and understanding of Care Leavers and their vulnerabilities and strengths.
• Develop effective partnerships to prevent homelessness and secure safe housing provision for those who are homeless.
• Assist with allocation panels and priority responses.
• Improved utilisation and effective use of existing accommodation options to increase stability and reduce costs.
• Implement the Essex Care Leaver Joint Housing Protocol.
• Collection of accurate data.

Work with Social Care colleagues to:

• Ensure that knowledge and skills of staff around Care Leavers, housing and homelessness are enhanced.
• Assist with problem solving on complex situations with allocated workers.
• Enhance our offer to Care Leavers in preparation for independence and tenancy readiness.

Work with key partners to:

• Collaborate with Social Care colleagues to plan sooner for transitions and with Housing colleagues to anticipate need and provide adequate solutions to prevent risk of homelessness.
• Enhance the support packages available for Care Leavers to ensure they are given the best support to access and maintain their tenancies.

Accountabilities

This will include:

• Working with the responsible manager to promote and support NEST provision.
• Working with colleagues in Leaving Care, Fostering, Commissioning and Children in Care Teams to promote the principles of Corporate Parenting regarding accommodation and to influence the approach to supporting skills, planning sooner and making this a system wide responsibility to ensure Care Leavers are better equipped for independent living.
• Strengthening joint working through helping to launch and embed our Joint Care Leaver Housing Protocol.
• Improve understanding of data (Homelessness Statistics, including H-Clic) on numbers of Care Leavers needing homelessness support in each Housing area.
• Helping to upskill the wider Essex Social Care workforce so all play an active part in stable transitions for Care Leavers and preventing homelessness.
• A review of the input and delivery of a programme of information and training for Housing employees, raising the profile of housing issues for Care Leavers and paving the way for the early identification and referral of Care Leavers.
• The provision of thorough, professional and timely housing advice.
• Quarterly track and plan for the cohort with Housing Officers for proactive identification and housing planning of young people leaving care including those out of county.
• Offer consultation to Leaving and After Care staff.
• To develop good links with Housing Officers to assist in timely problem solving and decision making.
• Working with Housing Gateway Managers in all quadrants on the development and maintenance of an effective professional network with partners who can influence housing related outcomes.
• The provision of regular feedback and data collection for monitoring purposes including homelessness presentations, challenges and prevention successes.
• Collation and completion of Quarterly Monitoring Return to MHCLG.
• Identification, evaluation and communication of operational gaps and barriers as well as sharing national good practice.
• Development of effective interagency meetings to assist individuals in need of specific housing support such as housing surgeries.
• Attendance at multi-agency forums and accommodation panels such as attending the Joint Referral Panels.
• Participate in pre-release meetings to plan for housing of Care Leavers leaving custody.
• Promote tenancy ready course/pack such as AQA modules across all accommodation provisions including young people in foster care and oversee its use.
• Developmental work to support National Agenda and legislation around homelessness for Care Leavers and promote positive outcomes for this group.
• To provide professional expertise around housing and homelessness to support and develop skills and knowledge for staff to improve the quality of service.
• To attend team meetings, supervisions and training required.
• Chairing case discussion, network meetings and planning meetings.
• To work proactively with other allocated workers and agencies, such as, Housing, Benefits, Youth Justice, Immigration, Health & Education to prevent homelessness and strengthen tenancy stability.
• To involve Care Leavers in opportunities to contribute to local and national practice such as support to enhance preparation for independent living skills.
• To become a lead contact with partner organisations to aid good practice and improve outcomes for Care Leavers involved with their services around housing issues.

This job description is not intended to be exhaustive. The post holder will be expected to adopt a flexible attitude to these duties which may have to be varied after discussion, subject to the needs of the service. This may take the post holder out of hours on various occasions.

The Experience You Will Bring

• Educated to Degree Level.
• Minimum of 2 years working in within a setting relating to vulnerable young people and/or housing.
• Experience of working with looked after children/ care leavers, in a statutory setting.
• Knowledge of housing processes and housing related issues faced by young people, including EET, funding and benefits.
• Good understanding of factors that impact on care leavers development and overall outcomes. Trauma, attachment, learning and mental health difficulties experience of complex interagency partnership work.
• Evidence of continuing professional development and expert knowledge in relevant professional area, housing, employment, and training issues for young people.
• Experience in working creatively in various ways with young people including young parents.
• Experience in collaborating with other professionals and agencies for the benefit of the client.
• A commitment to working relationships which promote and support the clients to progress into independence.
• Be able to work as part of a team and be flexible with an ability to work some evenings and weekends.
• Familiarity with the principles of the Children’s Act 1989 and the Children Leaving Care Act 2000 and Children and Social Work Act 2018.

Why Essex?

As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we’re committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters. With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you.

The role requires you to be mobile throughout a wider operational area including travelling around the county of Essex and beyond, transporting service users and their belongings and to be able to do so in an emergency. Driving licence and car or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means is essential.

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.