At a Glance
- Tasks: Advocate for young people's rights and ensure their voices are heard in care decisions.
- Company: Join a supportive team at Kensington and Chelsea Council, dedicated to community impact.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, professional development, and a collaborative work environment.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse community-focused council committed to equality and inclusion.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in young people's lives by empowering them to influence their care.
- Qualifications: Recognised Advocacy Qualification and experience supporting young people with complex needs.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 40000 £ per year.
Help ensure young people are heard and their rights respected in the decisions that shape their lives. As a Looked After Children and Child Protection Advocate, you’ll support children and young people to express their views and influence decisions about their care. Your work will ensure their voices remain central to safeguarding and care planning processes.
Working Style: You’ll be based in the Borough for 4 days a week, playing a key role in serving the local community. Whether you’re working on the frontline or behind the scenes, you’ll be part of a dedicated team making a real difference to residents’ lives.
What you’ll be doing: You’ll provide direct advocacy for children subject to Child Protection Plans, Looked After Children and Care Leavers. This includes supporting young people to prepare for and participate in important meetings such as child protection conferences and pathway plan reviews. Your role will be to ensure their views, wishes and feelings are clearly understood and considered within the safeguarding process. You’ll work closely with social workers, carers and other professionals to help resolve issues and ensure young people understand their rights and the options available to them. Alongside individual advocacy, you’ll contribute to consultation and participation work across the service. This may involve supporting creative engagement projects or helping facilitate the Children in Care Council, ensuring young people can influence services that affect them. You’ll also maintain accurate records and data to track the impact of advocacy work and ensure the service continues to support positive outcomes for young people.
What you’ll bring: You will hold a recognised Advocacy Qualification and a Diploma in Social Work or an equivalent relevant qualification. You’ll bring a strong understanding of the legal frameworks surrounding Looked After Children and child protection processes, alongside experience supporting young people in a professional setting. Experience working with children or young people with complex needs – whether in the public sector, voluntary sector or community services – will help you succeed in this role. Strong communication and negotiation skills are essential, as you will often work with multiple professionals while ensuring the young person’s voice remains central. You will also bring resilience, flexibility and the ability to remain calm when working to tight deadlines or supporting young people through complex safeguarding processes. A strong understanding of safeguarding procedures and a commitment to equality and inclusion are fundamental to this role.
Why join us: At RBKC, we’re all in – investing in our people, our communities and our future. You’ll join a small and supportive team that forms part of a wider bi-borough service known for its collaborative culture and strong professional relationships. We are committed to supporting your development and offer opportunities for further training, including systemic practice training and other professional learning opportunities. Alongside a competitive salary, you’ll work in an environment that values integrity, diversity and teamwork. This role offers the unique satisfaction of seeing the direct impact of your advocacy as young people gain confidence and influence decisions about their lives.
About us: Kensington and Chelsea is home to diverse communities, thriving businesses and unique local places. Everything we do is focused on supporting our residents, strengthening our approach and creating a fairer borough. As a competent and caring Council, we take pride in our work every day, ensuring our services are delivered with care and competence. We listen to our residents, act with integrity and work together to build a borough that is greener, safer and fairer for all. The we’re all in mindset is central to this role. By helping young people understand their rights and ensuring their voices are heard, you play a vital part in creating a system that supports and protects those who need it most.
Position and Interview Details: This role requires an Enhanced DBS check, Adults and Children's Barred List. Ready to join us? We’re all in – are you? If you share our values and have the skills to contribute, we’d love to hear from you. Please apply online explaining how you meet the requirements set out in the person specification and job description. We reserve the right to extend or close this vacancy early without warning subject to the volume of suitable applicants. We are committed to promoting equality and respecting diversity and welcome applications from all sections of the community. We are a Disability Confident Employer – committed to ensuring that our recruitment and selection process is inclusive and accessible. We are committed to fair, transparent, and consistent pay practices. New hires will start at the minimum of the advertised salary range. Employees receive annual salary increases until they reach the top of the pay scale. In addition, employees will receive any agreed cost of living pay rises.
Care Experienced and Child Protection Children's Right Advocate in Kensington employer: ROYAL BOROUGH OF KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment where community engagement and consumer protection are at the forefront. Employees benefit from a supportive culture that prioritises professional development and collaboration, ensuring that you can grow your skills while making a meaningful impact in safeguarding consumers and promoting fair trade within the borough.
Contact Details:
ROYAL BOROUGH OF KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Care Experienced and Child Protection Children's Right Advocate in Kensington
✨Dive into Local Community Groups
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We think you need these skills to ace Care Experienced and Child Protection Children's Right Advocate in Kensington
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 ROYAL BOROUGH OF KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to ROYAL BOROUGH OF KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA! 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 ROYAL BOROUGH OF KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA
✨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.
