At a Glance
- Tasks: Be the first point of contact for Children's Social Care, handling calls and emails.
- Company: Join Leicestershire County Council, a supportive public sector organisation focused on community welfare.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, generous leave, and discounts on retail and gym memberships.
- Other info: Opportunities for career progression and commitment to diversity and inclusion.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in children's lives while working in a friendly, motivated team.
- Qualifications: GCSEs or equivalent experience required; strong communication skills essential.
The predicted salary is between 21998 - 22773 £ per year.
Children and Families Department
Organisation: Leicestershire County Council
Work Location: County Hall/Remote Working, Glenfield, Leicester LE3 8RA
Worker Category: Hybrid Worker
Salary: £25,998 - £27,273 per annum (pro-rata for part-time)
Working Hours:18.5 & 37 hours per week
Contract Type: Permanent
Closing Date: 3rd August 2025
Interview Date(s): 13th & 14th August 2025
An opportunity has arisen for a well-organised and resilient individual to join the Children and Family Services Business Support Team as a First Response Children’s Service Agent. The main focus will be to act as the first point of contact for Children’s Social Care service users by telephone and email.
This role is part of the wider Business Support Service, and as such, an important part of this role is to provide back up to colleagues across locality areas and to assist in handling urgent work on a day-to-day basis.
What we offer:
- Guaranteed contracted hours.
- Opportunities to progress within a large public sector organisation.
- Excellent Local Government Pension Scheme.
- Generous annual leave entitlement.
- Access to staff wellbeing and counselling service.
- Access to an employee discount scheme, providing a whole host of retail discounts, including your supermarket weekly shop and gym membership!
- Work for an organisation which 95% of our staff say is a good employer.
About the Role
As a Children’s Service Agent, you will join a friendly motivated team committed to providing excellent customer service.
Main duties and responsibilities:
- To work with a range of internal and external agencies to ensure the safeguarding of children and young people and referral to services to achieve the best outcomes for the child.
- To provide the best quality service for all First Response Children’s Duty service users, maintaining professional standards and responding to concerns appropriately.
- To process a range of referrals received from professionals and members of the public via email and telephone and to be responsible for a range of generic email boxes to process different types of referrals.
- To utilise case management systems for inputting and gathering accurate and timely information.
- To consult with other agencies to obtain missing mandatory information required.
- To communicate effectively with Social Workers, Team Managers, professionals and members of the public and use initiative to respond quickly and escalate enquiries to a senior where there are immediate safeguarding concerns.
- To be able to follow written processes and guidance provided, and to be able to prioritise your own workload and work as part of a team.
A DBS enhanced check for a regulated activity is required for this post.
For information on our approach to the recruitment of ex-offenders, please see our policy statement.
About You
To apply for this post, you must respond to and provide evidence of the following essential criteria within your personal statement. This should be no more than 1,000 words.
- Have recognised Academic Qualifications, e.g. \'GCSE\', \'A\' Levels, Vocational Quals, Professional/Further Education Quals in relevant area. NVQ 2 in Business Administration or equivalent. Or equivalent level of relevant experience.
- Have experience in communicating with a wide range of people, including professionals and members of the public.
- Be able to handle sensitive and distressing information.
- Have experience working in a fast-paced and stressful environment whilst accurately maintaining records and following processes.
- Have the ability to prioritise your own workload, work to tight timescales and maintain a professional demeanour.
- Be able to work under own initiative and work well within a team.
- Be computer literate and be an able and accurate typist.
You must also have an understanding of, and commitment to, equality, diversity and inclusion.
In addition, we also expect you to share our commitment to our values and will ask you to provide evidence when you have demonstrated them as part of the selection process.
Reasonable adjustments will be considered for applicants with a disability.
Interested in Flexible Working?
We are keen to support employees to balance their working life with other commitments. Therefore, wherever possible, we will consider working arrangements that suit an individual\'s personal circumstances whilst still meeting the needs of the Council. If you would like to discuss the possible flexible working options that might be applicable to this role, please contact the person named below. This may include requests for term-time working, part-time hours, compressed hours, flexible start and finish times, home/remote working, etc.
Every role within the Council has a defined working style that determines where it can work. The worker category applicable to this post is detailed in the above advert. You can find out more about our worker categories on the Our Working Styles page on our career site.
For more information or an informal discussion, please contact:
Simon Parn -Senior Business Support Officer
Telephone: 0116 305 5772
Email: simon.parn@leics.gov.uk
How to Apply
Leicestershire County Council is an inclusive organisation which is on a journey to embed and celebrate equality, diversity and inclusion at every level. We warmly welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, as having a diverse workforce with different perspectives and ideas is fundamental to our values and enriches the services we offer our communities. We particularly welcome applicants from Ethnically Diverse and LGBTQ+ communities and people with disabilities to create a balanced workforce and one that reflects the communities we serve. Applicants with a disability who meet the criteria listed in the \'About You\' section above will be offered an interview under the Disability Confident Employer Scheme.
To apply for this job, please click on the apply button. You will need to upload a supporting statement as part of your application which explains how you meet the criteria listed in the \'About You\' section above. For more information, see the How to Apply section on our career site.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
If you have any technical issues when trying to apply for this post or you want to request an application pack in an alternative format, please contact our Employee Service Centre by telephoning 0300 3030222 (select option 2) or raising a ticket via our online portal: https://emss.org.uk/support.
By applying for this post, you agree to our Terms and Conditions.
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Children\'s Service Agent in Leicester employer: Leicestershire County Council
Leicestershire County Council is an exceptional employer, offering a supportive and inclusive work environment where 95% of staff report satisfaction. With guaranteed contracted hours, generous annual leave, and access to a robust Local Government Pension Scheme, employees can enjoy a healthy work-life balance while pursuing meaningful careers in public service. The hybrid working model allows for flexibility, making it easier to manage personal commitments alongside professional responsibilities.
Contact Details:
Leicestershire County Council Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Children\'s Service Agent in Leicester
✨Dive into Local Community Groups
Social work thrives on community connections, so get involved in local groups or forums specific to your interests. Whether it’s volunteering at local shelters or joining community action boards, these are great ways to boost your visibility and make direct contacts that could lead to opportunities like the one at Leicestershire County Council.
✨Attend Social Work Events and Workshops
Keep an eye out for workshops, seminars, or conferences in social work. These events are fantastic for meeting professionals in the field, learning about emerging trends, and spotting job openings. Plus, you might just bump into someone from Leicestershire County Council!
✨Showcase Your Passion and Expertise
Use platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn to share your journey and insights into the social work sector. Whether it’s writing about your experiences or sharing relevant articles, this helps to establish you as an engaged professional. Potential employers, like Leicestershire County Council, will notice your enthusiasm!
✨Leverage Your Network
Don’t hesitate to reach out to professors, mentors, or even past colleagues who are in social work. They might have inside knowledge about openings at Leicestershire County Council or be able to connect you with someone who’s hiring. Networking is key, especially in a full-time role where relationships matter.
We think you need these skills to ace Children\'s Service Agent in Leicester
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Social Work:In your cover letter, let us see your passion for social work shine through! Talk about the experiences that made you want to pursue this career—whether it’s volunteering, personal experiences, or academic projects. We want to know why this field matters to you.
Emphasise Relevant Qualifications:Make sure your CV highlights any relevant qualifications, like degrees in social work or certifications like a DBS check. If you've done any workshops or training, don’t forget to include those as well. We're keen to see your commitment to your professional development!
Detail Your Experience with Clients:Since this is a hands-on field, detailing any direct experience you have with clients is crucial. Whether it's internships, volunteer roles, or previous jobs, highlight those experiences in your CV to show us you've got the practical skills necessary for the job!
Tailor Your Application to Leicestershire County Council:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Leicestershire County Council! Research our mission and values, and refer to them in your cover letter. This shows us that you understand our work and are genuinely interested in being a part of our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Leicestershire County Council
✨Understanding the Role of Empathy
In social work, understanding and demonstrating empathy is key. Be prepared to share personal experiences or scenarios where you effectively showed compassion and support. This helps show that you genuinely care about the well-being of others, which is crucial in social work.
✨Demonstrating Knowledge of Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with the frameworks and models used in social work, such as the Strengths-Based Approach or the Ecological Perspective. Be ready to discuss how these frameworks apply to your work, especially if you can tie them into real-world examples or case studies you've encountered.
✨Showcasing Your Multi-Disciplinary Skills
In a full-time social work role, you'll often collaborate with healthcare professionals, educators, and law enforcement. Be prepared to describe your teamwork experiences and how you've effectively communicated with other disciplines to achieve the best outcomes for clients.
✨Preparing for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical social work situations, such as dealing with a crisis or managing a complex case. Think through your thought process for these scenarios beforehand, considering how you'd assess the situation and what steps you'd take, as this demonstrates your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
