Role Overview
Kent County Council's Adolescent Response Team (ART) provides specialist, non‑case holding intervention to adolescents and their families during times of crisis. The team works intensively to prevent adolescents from entering care or experiencing changes to care arrangements, and to reduce extra‑familial risks such as peer harm, exploitation, and community‑based threats. Practice is rooted in Contextual Safeguarding, with a strong focus on mediation, de‑escalation and stabilising family relationships.
The role can be either full‑time (37 hours per week) or part‑time.
Responsibilities
* Work directly with adolescents and their carers in complex and high‑risk situations.
* Prevent adolescents from entering care or experiencing changes to care arrangements.
* Reduce extra‑familial risks such as peer harm, exploitation, and community‑based threats.
* Mediating, de‑escalating and stabilising family relationships in times of heightened tension and instability.
* Collaborate with adolescents, carers, social workers and partner agencies to reduce risk and promote safety and stability.
* All aspects of the role are subject to an Enhanced Disclosure Application to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Qualifications & Skills
* Significant experience working directly with adolescents and their carers, particularly in complex and high‑risk situations.
* Confidence and solution‑focused practice with strong mediation, conflict resolution and engagement skills.
* Ability to work effectively at times of heightened tension and instability.
* Good understanding of Contextual Safeguarding and how external risks influence adolescents and family dynamics.
* Command of spoken English/Welsh sufficient for effective performance of the job (statutory duty under Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016).
EEO Statement
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.
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