Job Introduction
Personal Advisor- Care Leavers Service
Pay: Band 8 / S01 - £31,022 - £36,363
18 Month Fixed Term Contract
Location: Bradford
About Bradford Children and Families Trust
Bradford Children and Families Trust was established in April 2023 with a clear mission: to transform the quality and delivery of Children’s Services across our district and make a real difference in the lives of children and young people. This is a bold ambition, one that requires dedication, determination, and resilience.
With a new Chief Executive, a strong Senior Leadership Team, and an unwavering commitment to achieving the best outcomes for children and families, we are on the right trajectory. Ofsted monitoring visits over the past 18 months confirm that significant improvements have been made and are being embedded. We know there is still work to do, but we are confident in our progress and committed to getting it right.
Working for Bradford Children and Families Trust means joining a passionate team in a city rich in diversity and culture. We work collaboratively with partners to ensure families receive the right support at the right time. Here, you can make a real difference, helping shape services that meet the needs of Bradford families and improve life chances for children and young people.
We believe families are the experts in their own lives, and listening to their voices is central to everything we do. That is why we have invested in our Voice and Participation Service to ensure children, care leavers and families are actively involved in shaping the support they receive. Our aspiration is that all service development is co-produced with those who matter most.
We are also committed to becoming a restorative and relational organisation. For over a year, we have partnered with the Leeds Relational Practice Centre and renowned expert Mark Finnis to embed relational practice across our workforce. Through conferences, workshops, and leadership development, we are building a shared understanding of what this means for children, care leavers and families and we are excited about the journey ahead.
About the Care Leavers Service
Care-experienced young people face significant challenges as they transition from care to independence, often leaving home at a much earlier age and without the consistent family support their peers enjoy. Many have experienced trauma, instability, and adversity, which can impact their confidence and opportunities. Sadly, care-experienced young people are statistically more likely to face poorer long-term outcomes compared to their peers: they are less likely to be in education, employment, or training, and more likely to experience homelessness, long-term mental health difficulties, and involvement in the criminal justice system.
At Bradford Children and Families Trust, we are committed to changing this narrative by reducing barriers, enhancing strengths, and increasing opportunities for care-experienced young people to succeed and thrive. We celebrate their resilience, skills, and achievements, and work to empower them through meaningful relationships, trust, and consistent support.
To support this ambition, Bradford Children and Families Trust is expanding its Care Leavers Service as part of a planned development to strengthen resources and enhance support for care-experienced young people. This includes creating a new team, increasing the number of Personal Advisors, Managers, and Practice Supervisors to ensure we deliver the highest quality support, be the best possible corporate parent we can, and provide consistent care and guidance as children and young people transition from care to independence.
Our service is built on strong foundations: a permanent and experienced management team, high levels of permanent staff, low staff turnover, and a culture of high-quality support and supervision. This stability enables us to continue to develop standards and provide a reflective, learning environment where staff and young people can thrive
We want young people leaving care to feel loved and cared about and to know that we have high aspirations for their future. If you believe this too, believe that you can be that caring person for young people leaving care and make a positive impact on their lives, we want to hear from you.
Ready to make a difference? Join us and help shape a brighter future for Bradford’s care leavers.
About the Role
Personal Advisors play a vital role in our commitment to care-experienced young people. We believe children in care and care-experienced young people should be treated as we would our own children, provided with consistent care, guidance, and support to help them succeed in adult life. This means building strong, trusting relationships, empowering young people to make informed choices, and ensuring they feel valued and respected.
Personal Advisors are consistent, trusted adults for care-experienced young people. They provide emotional support, guidance, and advocacy, helping young people overcome challenges, celebrate achievements, and build the confidence and skills they need to succeed and thrive in adulthood.
They work closely with children in care and young people who have left care to plan for their future and achieve their ambitions. Central to this is the creation of a pathway plan, which sets out their rights, entitlements, and the support required to thrive as adults. These plans take a holistic approach, covering education, training, employment, health, housing, and social needs. Importantly, they are not just about meeting needs, they focus on creating opportunities, enhancing strengths, and celebrating resilience, skills, and achievements.
Personal Advisors are practical problem-solvers and strong advocates. They help young people develop essential life skills such as budgeting, managing bills, running a home, cooking, and shopping. They support access to education and training, assist in securing employment opportunities, and ensure young people receive the right health and wellbeing support. They also help with housing arrangements, building positive relationships, and connecting young people to community resources, providing consistent care and guidance every step of the way.
About You
Personal Advisors must be empathetic and able to connect with young people, building strong, trusting relationships through active listening and genuine care. They need to understand the challenges that leaving care can present for children in care and care-experienced young people and demonstrate compassion and commitment in supporting them through this transition.
To succeed in this role, you will need confidence, proactivity, and the ability to work collaboratively with a wide range of multi-agency partners to ensure young people receive the support and care they need.
You should be passionate about helping young people achieve their potential, resourceful and tenacious in securing the services and opportunities that enable them to thrive and driven to achieve the best possible outcomes for their future.
The ideal candidate will have experience working directly with children in care, care-experienced young people or care leavers. Experience in related fields such as homelessness, youth work, youth justice, residential care, or adult services is also highly valued.
We also recognise the importance of lived experience and welcome applications from individuals who have themselves experienced care. Your insight and understanding can make a real difference in shaping positive outcomes for young people.
What We are Looking For
- G.C.S.E (or equivalent) Mathematics grade C and English grade C
- Experience of working directly with children, young people and families and hold an NVQ Level 4 in childcare/ Youth work or related field or considerable work-based experience in a similar field. Candidates without a Level 4 qualification must commit to completing this qualification in the first 12 months of appointment.
- Experience in related fields such as homelessness, youth work, youth justice, residential care, or adult services is valuable.
- Ability to build trusting and supporting relationships with young people.
- Demonstrate a good understanding of adolescent development and an understanding of leaving care legislation and leaving care rights and entitlements.
- Admin skills
- Ability to author reports, prepare plans and maintain accurate and clear casework records.
- Have excellent communication skills.
- A driving licence and access to a car with business Insurance unless a disability prevents this.
Benefits of working for Bradford Children and Families Trust
- Enhanced annual leave: 31 days rising to 34 (plus bank holidays).
- Generous Local Government pension contributions.
- Competitive salary and structured pay progression.
- Flexible working and hybrid options (subject to service needs).
- Comprehensive wellbeing support, including Occupational Health and counselling.
- Enhanced parental leave policies.
- Access to Blue Light Card discounts.
- Professional development and career progression opportunities.
Want to Know More?
If you’d like more information about the role, the recruitment process, or working for Bradford Children and Families Trust, please contact:
Service Manager Jon Nevill or Cairine Doyle-Morrill
Jonathan.Nevill@bradfordcft.org.uk | cairine.morrill@bradfordcft.org.uk
Job Profile: see attached.
Bradford Children and Families Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all employees to share this commitment.
If shortlisted, you will be required to disclose relevant information regarding criminal history prior to interview.
A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check including a check against the Children’s barred list, will be carried out on preferred candidates.
The Code of Practice on the English language requirement for public sector workers, Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 requires that Councils ensure that all candidates applying for customer facing posts must be assessed in order to establish their fluency in English. The criteria under special knowledge and experience on the job profile which is shown in this advert outlines what level of fluency you will be expected to demonstrate. Therefore, it is essential that you provide examples in your application.
We are an equal opportunity employer dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We welcome applications from everyone, especially underrepresented groups like disabled individuals, care experience, and minority ethnic communities. Your unique perspectives are important to us.
We strive to ensure our recruitment process is fully accessible. If you have a disability and need any reasonable adjustments during the application or interview stages, please contact us and we can discuss how we can support you.