Homeless Prevention Officer Children's Services

• To work with Bexley's Leaving Care Service and its partners to provide additional support to young adults leaving our care to improve housing and accommodation outcomes, promote housing stability, and reduce homelessness. To help further develop joint working arrangements between the Leaving Care Service, Bexley Housing services, multi-agency partners, and other supported housing providers.
  The purpose of this role is to help vulnerable young people who have experienced past abuse and neglect, often experiencing the effects of trauma, be able to develop their life skills, find and sustain suitable housing, and be supported to achieving their life goals. 

  Please refer to the Job Description attached for more information.

  This is a fixed term contract until March 2026

  For an informal discussion about the role please contact Claire Hannabuss, Service Manager, Leaving Care, 02030455997 or e mail [email protected] 

  Candidate Profile

  Core Tasks:
  • Support young adults leaving our care to gain knowledge around tenancy management and their rights and responsibilities as a tenant by delivering tenancy ready courses to individual young people or in a group setting
  • Hold regular housing advice drop-in for personal advisors and social workers
  • To maintain accurate records and oversee required data reports that allows oversight of young people preparing for independent living, their housing requirements, their housing or tenancy application status, types of tenancies and accommodation, and those at risk of housing breakdown or eviction
  • To have a good understanding of housing legislation and statutory guidance
  • To have experience supporting young people and young adults with housing, homelessness, and independence skills
  • To assist allocated personal advisors and young people/adults with the expectations, readiness, and process relating to housing applications, private rented accommodation search, tenancy agreements, and rent guarantor schemes
  • Work with young people, their allocated social workers and personal advisors who have been referred for housing support due to homelessness
  • Work with young people to prevent future housing issues or eviction and prepare them to manage and make a success of their tenancies
  • Engage with housing providers and landlords to explore and seek local housing options for young adults leaving our care
  • Keep up to date records of interventions and support provided
  • Work in partnership with young people, young adults, their families, their carers, other agencies who provide them with support
  • An understanding of Data Protection legislation and guidance and the need to seek consent from young adults when working with other professionals or housing providers
  • To identify any barriers to good housing options, support, and stability for young adults leaving our care and share these with line managers along with suggestions for how to overcome these and improve our housing options, support, and ways of working together 

  For the full list of essential and desirable criteria for this role then please refer to the Person Specification within the Job Description attached.

  Appointment to this post will be subject to the outcome of an Enhanced Disclosure obtained through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Bexley is a vibrant and diverse outer London Borough nestled in the Thames Gateway between London and Kent which means it combines the perfect blend of city vibe and the tranquillity of Kent. It's got award-winning parks, open spaces, and heritage sites. The borough has excellent transport connections, including the Elizabeth Line and proximity to the M25. Bexley offers fantastic amenities such as libraries, leisure centres, and shopping areas. Our borough is also home to numerous primary and secondary schools, as well as further education institutions.