Participation Officer in Torquay

Are you passionate about making sure children and young people are heard, valued and empowered? Do you believe in restorative, relational practice and want to help shape services across Torbay using children's lived experiences? If so — we'd love you to join our team. As our new Participation Officer, you will play a vital role in strengthening and amplifying the voices of children and young people across Torbay. You'll champion their rights, create safe and inclusive spaces for them to express their views, and ensure their lived experiences shape the way services are designed, delivered and improved.

Working restoratively and relationally, you'll help children — including cared for, care experienced, and those with SEND — to confidently share what matters to them and influence the decisions that affect their lives.

What You'll Be Doing:

• Building trusted, meaningful relationships with children and young people.
• Leading participation groups, events and forums (Young Person Panel, Cared for Children Council, SEND Youth Forum).
• Designing engagement activities, surveys and feedback tools.
• Working 1:1 with children and young people to understand their views, wishes and feelings.
• Collaborating with colleagues across the Council to embed participation principles.
• Championing inclusive practice so every child sees themselves represented.
• Supporting service improvement through lived experienced insight.
• Lone working in the community, with flexibility in how you structure your day.
• Safeguarding children and promoting their welfare at all times.

This post will be carrying out Regulated Activity. As such the post will require an Enhanced Criminal Record Check plus an additional Barred List Check. The check will reveal any spent and unspent convictions and adult cautions (which have not been filtered), any local Police information and a check of either the Adult, Child or Adult and Child Barred Lists.

Skills Essential:

• Ability to produce and maintain accurate records and reports.
• Ability to engage positively with children, young people and their parents.
• Ability to build effective relationships with a wide range of organisations and individuals.
• Ability to engage and communicate effectively with children and young people and form positive working relationships with them, their families and carers, specialist services and colleagues.
• Understanding the needs of local young people including the more complex issues that the most vulnerable young people face in society.
• This role requires the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.

Knowledge Essential:

• Detailed knowledge and understanding of the issues that impact on children and young people who are cared for or care experienced and / or have a special educational need and disability.
• Understanding of basic human needs, physical, emotional, cultural and social.
• Knowledge of participation and engagement principles.
• Detailed knowledge and understanding of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.
• Knowledge of Children's Act 1989 and 2004, Adoption legislation, Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (Parenting Orders and Anti Social Behaviour Act 2003).

Experience & Qualifications Essential:

• Educated to GCSE O Level standard at Grade C or above or equivalent.
• Evidence of a consistent pattern of learning from education, training and experience.
• Work in a health, education or social care environment (paid or unpaid) with children and young people.
• Good communication skills and the confidence and ability to deliver training and presentations.
• Experience of working with children, young people and families experiencing high vulnerabilities and levels of needs.