Reception Centre Worker - Memona Lodge in Ashford

Please note that shortlisting decisions will be based on the whole application, including the ‘Reason for Application’ section. Within this section, please demonstrate how you meet the criteria within the person specification attached to the Job Description and why you would like to work with UAS children.

Kent County Council’s Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking (UAS) Children’s Service provides accommodation and support to newly arrived UAS children in Kent. The Service is developing as a centre of excellence nationally and we are seeking passionate individuals to join our service.

Reception Centres, staffing and services KCC provides to UAS children, are fully funded by Central Government. This is an exciting opportunity to join the Service’s Reception Centre team. The Reception and Safe Care Services are Kent County Council owned, Ofsted regulated, children’s homes and supported accommodation, collectively termed Reception Centres. The Reception Centres, and the services they provide to children, are run by a diverse team of managers and workers, who are all committed to ensuring children are protected and supported to take the first steps in their journey to a more permanent home elsewhere in the UK.

This role is for Memona Lodge. Memona Lodge is based in Ashford, Kent and is named after the Memona Trees of Eritrea. It is Kent’s longest-running Reception Centre and provides supported accommodation for UAS children aged 16-17 years old, with a capacity of up to 50 children. Located in a residential area, the centre’s long-standing presence in the community has established strong links with local organisations and services for young people to access a variety of activities.

This Reception Centre is subject to Ofsted regulations for Support Accommodation 2023. We are seeking Reception Centre Workers who have experience of working alongside UAS children and who thrive on direct work and providing support in a residential setting. This is an exciting opportunity to help shape and influence the resettlement of children in the UK who have suffered trauma and change.

This role involves managing routines, setting goals for young people, timekeeping and facilitating a learning culture in the centre. This role is important for UAS children during their early stages in the UK.

If you are enthusiastic about working with adolescents, understand the UAS children’s journey and want to help achieve the best outcomes for them – this post will be required to work across a rolling shift pattern, with weekly alternating shifts, and regular cover over weekends. The rota pattern is 4 shifts on, followed by 2 rest days – each block of 4 shifts will alternate between 8:00 am – 4:30 pm and 1:30 pm – 10:00 pm.

KCC’s employment offer for this role includes:

• Full induction
• Training and development opportunities
• Basic salary of between £29,167 and £30,934
• Equivalent annual leave allowance of 29 days
• Excellent local government pension scheme
• Opportunities to develop in your career
• The opportunity to expand and develop your knowledge and skills of working with children seeking asylum

This post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure application to the Disclosure and Barring service. This role is subject to holding a Full UK Driving Licence – The Council is committed to making reasonable adjustments so whilst this job requires the jobholder to drive your application will still be considered if you are unable to drive due to a disability.

This post is considered by KCC to be a customer-facing position. The Council therefore has a statutory duty under Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) to ensure that post holders have a command of spoken English sufficient for the effective performance of the job requirements. The appropriate standards are set out in the Job Description/Person Specification.

If you have queries regarding this role, please contact the Team on memonalodgerc@kent.gov.uk

KCC is committed to building a workforce which reflects the diversity of the county's working residents, encouraging applications from people of all ages, abilities, genders, sexual orientations, ethnic backgrounds, faiths and those with caring responsibilities, and aspires to create an inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves at work.

Please note - if you are interested, as the closing date for this advert may be earlier than stated should a number of suitably qualified candidates apply.