About Pinbrooks
Pinbrooks Ltd is a specialist supported accommodation provider working with young adults aged 18 and over, including care leavers. We operate a floating support model across a number of properties and also provide a dedicated Mother and Baby service for young mothers aged 18 and over.
Pinbrooks is aligning its policies and practice with the standards set out in the Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023. We work in partnership with placing local authorities, Through Care and Leaving Care teams, and children’s social care where a resident’s child is subject to a plan.
Purpose of the role
To provide planned, person centred keywork support to young adults aged 18 and over living in Pinbrooks accommodation, enabling them to build the practical skills, confidence and stability required for independent adult life, while ensuring their safety and wellbeing and meeting the recording and reporting standards expected by placing authorities.
This is a floating support role. You will travel between properties and hold a caseload of residents with varying levels of need. You will be the main point of contact for the residents allocated to you.
Key responsibilitiesDirect support
- Deliver structured keywork sessions with allocated residents in line with their pathway plan and support plan.
- Support residents to develop independent living skills, including budgeting, food shopping and cooking, cleaning and maintaining their accommodation, managing correspondence and attending appointments.
- Support access to education, employment and training, including applications, enrolment, interview preparation and sustained engagement.
- Support registration with and access to healthcare services, including GP, dentist, mental health services and sexual health services.
- Support residents to access benefits, banking, identification documents and community services.
- Build trusting professional relationships while maintaining clear boundaries at all times.
Mother and Baby provision
Some residents are young mothers aged 18 and over living with their child. The commissioned support is for the mother, and she remains the focus of the keywork relationship. Where allocated to these residents you will:
- Support the mother to manage the practical and emotional demands of parenting alongside her own development, education, employment and independence goals.
- Support her engagement with health visitors, midwifery, GP services and children’s centres.
- Support her preparation for and attendance at child in need meetings, child protection conferences, core groups and family court proceedings where these apply, and contribute written records where requested.
- Record observations in neutral, factual, evidence based language, without assumption or judgement.
- Recognise that although Pinbrooks is commissioned to support the mother, all contractors carry a responsibility toward the welfare of any child living in the accommodation. Any concern that a child may be at risk of harm must be escalated immediately and, where the threshold is met, referred to the relevant children’s social care service.
Experience of this work is welcomed but is not essential. Training and support will be provided.
Safeguarding
- Recognise, respond to and report safeguarding concerns relating to residents and to any child living in the accommodation, following Pinbrooks policy and local safeguarding arrangements.
- Complete incident reports accurately and within required timescales.
- Recognise and respond to indicators of exploitation, county lines involvement, domestic abuse, self neglect and deterioration in mental health.
- Follow lone working and personal safety procedures.
Recording and reporting
- Maintain accurate, contemporaneous case records on Pinbrooks systems.
- Produce monthly progress reports for allocated social workers and Personal Advisers to a professional standard suitable for submission to a local authority.
- Prepare written contributions to pathway plan reviews and placement reviews.
- Handle personal data in line with UK GDPR and Pinbrooks confidentiality and data protection policies.
Multi agency working
- Liaise with social workers, Personal Advisers, health professionals, education providers and other agencies involved in a resident’s support network.
- Attend and contribute to professional meetings, pathway plan reviews, placement reviews and safeguarding meetings as required.
- Represent Pinbrooks professionally in all contact with external agencies.
Accommodation and practical matters
- Complete property and room checks and report repairs, hazards and health and safety concerns promptly.
- Support residents to understand and comply with their Licence to Occupy Agreement.
Location, travel and chargeable time
Most of our accommodation is located in London and the majority of contact will take place there. However, residents are placed by a range of local authorities and some are accommodated outside their placing borough, and on occasion outside London.
Contractors are expected to accept allocations across this wider area as part of the role. Allocations are discussed and agreed with the Service Manager in advance. The geographical reach of the caseload is a core feature of the engagement rather than an occasional exception. Candidates who are only able to work within a limited area of London are unlikely to find this role suitable.
Access to a vehicle is an advantage but is not essential.
Person specification
Essential
- Experience of working with young people, care leavers or vulnerable adults in supported accommodation, youth work, social care or a related setting.
- Sound working understanding of safeguarding principles and of how and when to escalate a concern.
- Demonstrable written communication skills, with the ability to produce clear, factual, professional reports for local authority readers.
- Ability to work autonomously across multiple sites and manage a caseload without close supervision.
- Ability to maintain professional boundaries with residents.
- Competent IT skills, including Microsoft 365, and confidence maintaining digital case records.
- Willingness and practical ability to travel to accommodation sites across London and, where required, outside London.
- Right to work in the United Kingdom.
Desirable
- Experience of supporting young parents, or of working within a mother and baby or parent and child provision.
- Understanding of the statutory framework for care leavers, including pathway plans and the role of the Personal Adviser.
- Understanding of child protection processes, including child in need and child protection procedures.
- Relevant qualification in health and social care, youth work or a related field.
- Experience of contributing to reports for court or for formal review meetings.
Pre engagement checks
The following are required before any engagement begins:
- A satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service check at the level appropriate to the role. Pinbrooks will confirm the required level and arrange the check.
- Two satisfactory professional references, one of which must be from the most recent relevant engagement or employment.
- Verification of right to work in the United Kingdom.
- Verification of identity and address.
- Confirmation of any relevant qualifications.
Pinbrooks applies safer recruitment principles to all engagements. Any gaps in work history will be explored at interview.
How to apply
Please send a CV and a short covering note setting out your relevant experience to [email protected].
Pinbrooks Ltd is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the young adults and children who use our services, and expects all contractors to share that commitment. Applications are welcome from all suitably experienced candidates.
Job Type: Freelance
Pay: £18.00 per hour
Benefits:
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Tower Hamlets
