WHAT IS INVOLVED? Sometimes families in County Durham can face adversity and need support to ensure their children are safe, are thriving. Our First Contact team is a central point for screening gathering, sharing and analysing information about children who may be at risk of harm or families who need support. As a First Contact Assessment Officer you will be the first person who speaks with a member of the public or a professional with a concern about a child or family. You will respond in a calm, patient and reassuring manner, be curious and use active listening skills. You will sift high volumes of information and keep clear, kind and accurate records with the child’s voice at the centre. You will work as part of a multi-agency/multi-skilled team and will be supported to respond to highly sensitive and emotional issues in a timely manner to ensure that information is shared appropriately and children, young people, families and carers receive the right advice and support at the right time. It’s a really exciting time to join us. You are likely to start your role in our central First Contact Team based in Newton Aycliffe, but later in the year you will move into one of our local Front Door teams (based in the North, South and East of the County). TO FIND OUT MORE It’s a great idea to speak to us before you apply. To find out more about the First Contact Team as it currently is contact Janette McEwan, Team Manager by e-mail at janette.mcewan@durham.gov.uk To find out more about how our local Front Doors will look in the future contact Rachel Halliday, Team Manager by e-mail at rachel.halliday@durham.gov.uk HOW WILL I BE SUPPORTED? We will ensure you are highly supported. You will benefit from high quality professional supervision, a great induction, and access to our strong learning and development offer. We encourage flexible working to achieve a good work-life balance. WHAT WILL I NEED? You will need real enthusiasm for making sure children, young people and families get the right support at the right time and: Hold an NVQ Level 3 in Business Administration or equivalent Experience in both a customer services environment and a social care setting Excellent communication skills Please refer to the attached person specification for the full criteria. Optional. If successful, you will be required to apply for a Disclosure and Barring Service Enhanced Disclosure. Our commitment to safeguarding Durham County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all employees and volunteers to share this commitment. This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore if successful in your application, an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be sought inclusive of a check of the Children’s Barred List and Adults Barred List, due to the position working in regulated activity. Applicants should be aware that the DBS check will disclose both spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings, in line with current legislation INTERVIEWS Interviews will be held on Wednesday 1 April 2026. We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that can show they meet all the essential criteria and have indicated they have a disability, are a looked after young person, care leaver or a veteran. OUR OFFER TO YOU We offer a competitive rewards package that includes attractive salaries, a generous annual leave entitlement of 27 days (rising to 32 after five years’ continuous local government service), membership of the excellent contributory career average Local Government Pension Scheme, and a range of flexible working arrangements including hybrid working (home and office) where applicable. Explore the full range of rewards and benefits on our website Rewards and benefits are subject to individual terms and conditions. EQUALITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION We are a proud equal opportunities employer and believe a diverse workforce brings fresh ideas and drives service improvement. We welcome applications from everyone and make employment decisions based on skills and ability. As a Disability Confident Leader, we actively encourage applications from disabled and neurodivergent people and offer support throughout the recruitment process. HOW TO APPLY Please note, we do not accept CVs. All applications must be submitted online via the Northeast Jobs portal. Use the ‘Person Specification’ section of the form to clearly demonstrate how you meet the essential (and where possible, desirable) criteria. Applications that do not evidence the essential requirements will not be shortlisted. Please visit our website to understand our position on using AI to support to your application and for guidance on completing your application. If you require assistance when applying for this role, please contact our Recruitment Helpdesk on 03000 26 27 27, or via email RecruitmentCYPS@durham.gov.uk All correspondence relating to your application will be sent from donotreply@northeastjobs.org.uk. Kindly check your spam/junk folder regularly to ensure you don’t miss any updates. CONNECT WITH US Follow us on Instagram Like us on Facebook Visit our website VPRS/161