Reception Centre Workers

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 for social work practice 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 both Cypress House. Cypress House is based in Gravesham, Kent and is named after the Mediterranean Cypress Trees of Persian Iran. Cypress House provides supported accommodation for UAS children aged 16-17 years old, with a capacity of up to 36 children. Cypress House is one of Kent's newly established Reception Centres, opening in October 2024. Based in a residential area within the diverse district of Gravesham, Cypress House is well-located for children to be able to access a variety of activities and experiences in the local community.

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 - please apply., 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/Welsh sufficient for the effective performance of the job requirements. The appropriate standards are set out in the Job Description/Person Specification.

Work that works for you and us - let's talk flexibility!

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, please apply soon as possible as the closing date for this advert may be earlier than stated should a number of suitably qualified candidates apply.

This post will be required to work across a rolling shift pattern, with weekly alternating shifts, and regular cover over weekends.(4 days on, 2 days off including bank holidays)

This role does not meet the Home Office eligibility criteria for sponsorship.

KCC's employment offer for this role includes:

- Full induction

- Training and development opportunities

- 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