Job Description

We are the difference for Children in Care and Care Leavers.
Participation Worker Opportunity in Southampton
Southampton City Council, Pathways Through Care Team is a service passionate and striving to achieve the best outcomes for our children we care for and continue that support and care into early adulthood as they access the support from our care leavers service. Building relationships that enable our children and young people to feel and know that they are held in mind is important to us. This will be a crucial part of the role to any worker leading on participation.
This vacancy is a rare opportunity for any applicant who has passion and a strength-based approach when they are working with children and young people. The vacancy within this part of the service will be your opportunity to build meaningful and influential relationships with the children and young people we care for as well as continuing that influence as they leave care. This role will be incredibly rewarding and will with some certainty give you the sense of being able to make the difference and enabling young peoples voices to be heard.
In June 2023, Ofsted saw strong evidence that: "The experiences and progress of children in care are good. Improvements to the quality of support provided to children in care have accelerated recently. Careful and successful workforce recruitment, a comprehensive strategy to improve children's placement stability and an impressive level of meaningful engagement by senior leaders with children in care all provide a firm foundation for further improvements". The participation worker will be in addition to this established service.
About the role:
The role will include driving forums forward such as children in care council, care leavers forum and attendance and supporting attendance for our young people at corporate parenting board. Improving attendance at participation events will be priorities for the person in this role. Helping our young people to make a positive difference to their own outcomes as well as other children in care and their outcomes. Working with senior leaders as well as social workers, foster carers and children helping their views form strategic work plans around children in care and care leavers. Getting the voice of the child is fundamental to this role.
As explained in Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Right's of the Child (UNCRC), children and young people have a right to be involved in decisions that impact their lives, and their future.
About you:
We are wanting to attract people who are flexible, willing and able to travel reaching out to our children who are placed out of area, have skills in event organisation, forming networks in the community to build links for services to enhance the experience of children in our care. Working on a one to one basis with our children as well as skills in running group sessions. Understanding trauma and working from a trauma informed approach will be essential. A person who is motivational, energised positive thinking and empathetic are all qualities that need to be valued and would be necessary for the successful applicant in connecting with our young people.
Please note, we may choose to interview and appoint before the application deadline if we receive a high volume of applications and consider it appropriate to do so.
If you feel you have the necessary background, experience, and skills to undertake this role we would like to hear from you.
What we can offer you:
Salary: The salary band for this role is 41,771 - 46,141. The starting salary is 41,771 with annual progression through the salary bands.
Here at SCC we have a range of different perks and benefits, a few examples can be found below.

• Excellent

with 16.8% employer contribution * Death in service benefit of x3 salary, and optional salary sacrifice shared cost AVC (additional voluntary contribution)

• Generous holiday 25-31 days, based on role and service
• Flexible working options (role-dependent)
• Family-friendly policies - Maternity, Paternity, Adoption, Shared/Unpaid Parental Leave, Time off for Dependents
• Training and development, including coaching and mentoring
• Health and wellbeing support - Employee Assistance Programme, Menopause Pledge, Mental Health First Aiders and access to a variety of staff networks
• Veteran-friendly employer with the Armed Forces Covenant
• Retail discounts and savings through the Southampton City Council benefits platform
• Discounted memberships at local sports and fitness centres
• Sustainable travel benefits - low emission car scheme, cycle to work, season ticket loans
• Employee volunteering scheme with 2 paid days leave to volunteer

For further information on our benefits package please visit:
Please note: We are not able to offer Skilled Worker Visa sponsorship on this role, at this time.
Contact details for informal discussion:
For further information and details regarding the Participation Officer Role please contact Ellie Steel, Service Manager for Children in Care by email - or Rebecca Bohan, Team Manager by email - or Carolyn Driscoll, Team Manager by email -
Interview Information:
Please note that interviews will be scheduled for week commencing 13th October 2025.
Recruitment contact details:
Email:
Tel: 023 8083 4033
For more information about SCC please visit
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Organisation
Southampton City Council
Service Area
Pathways Through Care & Resources
Job Location
Civic Centre. Civic Centre Road. Southampton. SO14 7LY
Contract Length
Permanent
Work Hours
Full time 37 hours per week
Salary
41,771 - 46,141 per annum
Special Requirements
Enhanced DBS will be required
Closing Date
03/10/2025
Job Reference
16022
Documents
(PDF, 169.17kb)

Skills Required