Posted: 11 June
The role
Apprentice Home Adaptations Triage Officer “Southampton – a city of opportunity where everyone thrives” Apprenticeships are an exciting way to develop your career. At Southampton City Council we’re keen to invest in people, apprentices are a valuable part of our workforce and the future of the council. As an apprentice, you’ll be receiving practical and professional training right from the start. Working alongside experienced colleagues who will supervise your development and a dedicated mentor providing support and guidance throughout your training. You will have regular reviews with your manager and tutor so you know how you are doing and can gain support with any activities to help you progress. An apprenticeship is a real job, with real responsibilities and along with a competitive salary an apprenticeship will provide you with many benefits including: Paid time off for holidays and a pension scheme A career path so you can progress to the next level On and off the job training The achievement of a nationally recognised qualification while you work. At Southampton City Council we are committed to paying Foundation Living Wage as a minimum and we believe apprentices should also be paid fairly. Your salary as an apprentice will be £25,583 annually and may increase in line with any national rise in Foundation Living Wage. Although we can’t guarantee you a permanent job at the end of your apprenticeship, we will support you to apply for other roles within the council and help make sure you are ready for a wider job search with support from our Employment Skills team. About the Home Adaptations Service We have an exciting opportunity to expand our delivery of adaptations in Southampton and join the Council’s newly formed Home Adaptation Service as Adaptations Triage Officer . We are committed to investing in our future and strengthening our directorate to deliver high quality, person centred support for adults across the city. This is an excellent time to join us as we continue to innovate and develop our adaptation service as part of a wider transformation programme of expansion and promotion via the establishment of the new city wide Home Adaptation Service. Our goal is to provide a more robust foundation from which we can expand the reach of the service whilst also seeking more innovative, preventative, and personalised applications from the available funding. Working with colleagues in the Home Adaptations Service, the Housing Occupational Therapy Team in Adult Social Care, and Social Care, as a Triage Officer you will help support people to live independently in their own homes for longer through a strengths-based approach. One of the most important parts of a Triage Officer’s role is to employ a systematic approach to determine the most suitable course of action for each adaptation application, helping assess and support an applicant’s adaptation needs through their whole adaptation journey, assessing appropriate resources and escalating urgent matters where appropriate. An Adaptations Triage Officer will help assess the complexity of a client's health or disability needs to determine the most appropriate home adaptation. They will also help ensure those requiring straightforward solutions like grab rails or minor ramps receive prompt support without waiting for a full Occupational Therapist (OT) assessment. They will be responsible for: Initial Screening: Determining if a home adaptation is the right intervention or if the client needs to be signposted to other housing or social care options. Complexity Triage: Using a standardized assessment tool to help evaluate medical conditions, difficulty with daily activities, and care needs. Collaborative Escalation: Referring highly complex or fluctuating needs to qualified OTs or members of the Home Adaptation Service officers for joint evaluation. About the Team Our Home Adaptation Service team supports both children’s and adult residents of Southampton who require an adaptation in their home to help access essential facilities and to maximise independence. We complete home visits across the city and make recommendations for: Major and minor adaptations funded via the Disabled Facilities Grant/ Discretionary Financial Assistance Policy Adaptations delivered through Southampton City Council Housing Revenue Account Specialist equipment and other minor works when required You will be part of a supportive, collaborative team with strong links across housing, health, and social care services. This post is an 18 month fixed term role. About the Role We are looking for a confident and conscientious individual to undertake the role of Apprentice Triage Officer within the Home Adaptation Service, you will: Take all enquiries into the Home Adaptation Service via telephone, e-mail or in writing and ensure that these reach the right team members at the right time. They will collate all appropriate adaptation application supporting information to help create tailored action plans for an applicant requesting adaptations, from initial referral to the installation and completion of an adaptation. Support the delivery of adaptations, minor equipment and processes to meet assessed needs Work closely with a range of internal and external partners, including: Home Adaptation Service officers including Casework officers, Senior Caseworkers, Technical Officers, Senior Technical Officers and Southampton’s Principal Officers. Southampton City Council Home Adaptation delivery Adult Social Care and Housing Occupational Therapists Appropriate additional support agencies Relevant NHS and community health teams Support the delivery of safe, effective, and timely adaptation pathways Contribute to the continuous improvement and development of the service About You We are looking for confident and self motivated individuals who: Have excellent communication and interpersonal skills Can work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team Are committed to delivering high quality, strengths based practice Can demonstrate sound organisational and problem solving skills Are adaptable and willing to contribute to a new, exciting overarching Home Adaptation Service Training and regular supervision will be provided , You must: Hold GCSE in English and Maths Have experience of managing a case load and working with vulnerable members of the public Have demonstrable administrative and organisational skills as well as being an effective communicator with the ability for critical thinking for quick decision making Proficiency in IT and case management skills Able to maintain accurate case files, writing and updating reports and preparing documentation Able to prioritise urgent cases and can handle sensitive and high-pressure situations with empathy and assertiveness What We Can Offer. The Council operates a successful and comprehensive Apprenticeship Scheme and would look favourably at applications for the Southampton City Council Apprenticeship Scheme. You will be working towards the Level 3 Customer Services Specialist apprenticeship with Fareport Training. The duration of this apprenticeship is 15 months with 3 months for the End Point Assessment. This is an exciting opportunity to build a solid foundation for your future career. If you’re ready to improve economic growth in our city and develop valuable workplace skills, we want to hear from you! To apply for this role please click on the 'Apply' button below to complete the online application form. Salary: The salary band for this role is £24,795 and is a 18 month fixed term role. This post is subject to a Standard criminal records check. Please see the job description for more information. The supporting statement section of the application form must be completed detailing how you meet the essential, and if applicable the desirable criteria for the role. Unfortunately, we no longer accept CVs as part of our application process. W hat we can offer you : Here at SCC we have a range of different benefits, a few examples can be found below. Excellent local government pension with 15.2% 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 F or further information on our benefits package please visit : Employee benefits (southampton.gov.uk) Contact details for informal discussion: Peter Gaimster- 07834 611145 or Patricia Mahoney- 02380 833 108. Interview Information: Please note that interviews are scheduled for 24th June and 25th June 2026. Recruitment contact details: Email: recruitment@southampton.gov.uk Tel: 023 8083 4033 For more information about SCC please visit Southampton City Council Follow us on social media for regular updates on our featured jobs and latest news. Facebook YouTube
