Homeless Assessment Officer

JOB DESCRIPTION

DIRECTORATE:

Adult Services and Health

DIVISION:

Commissioning, Safeguarding & Governance

JOB TITLE:

Prevention & Assessment Officer

GRADE:

5

SALARY RANGE:

£23,111 - £27,358

LOCATION:

Wavertree One Stop Shop

PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE JOB:

To deliver a high quality customer focused comprehensive re-housing and homelessness service.

DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE TO:

Prevention & Assessment Team Leader

DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE

FOR:

N/A

MAIN AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY:

Generic Duties

• To deputise for the Team Leaders as required.

• To work with people in housing need and those who are potentially homeless to identify and address their housing and support needs. To identify problems causing their potential homelessness and provide them with tailored advice and assistance to secure alternative settled accommodation and prevent their becoming homeless.

• To work proactively with relevant Council departments, partners and private and registered social landlords to ensure that effective support is identified and implemented to prevent homelessness, ensure timely assessments and support clients into settled accommodation.

• To identify the support needs of service users and make appropriate referrals to other Council teams and external agencies.

• To ensure performance targets are met maintaining full and accurate records of all contact on the appropriate IT or manual systems.
  
  
• To ensure manual and computerised records are updated in an accurate and timely manner, and that data relevant to the future development of homelessness prevention and assessment services is written up and reported in an appropriate format.

• Assisting clients to access and signposting to other statutory, non statutory and voluntary agencies where relevant.

• To highlight any concerns about service users where appropriate to the appropriate agency (e.g. concerns about child protection or adult abuse).

• Completion of risk assessments in respect of service users and for communicating these appropriately and confidentially to other staff in the City Council or to other agencies.

• To participate with colleagues in any out-of-hours rota and to deal with emergency situations occurring outside normal office hours.

Specific Duties

• To investigate and determine the status of those presenting as homeless as referred to the team.

• To undertake direct work with clients via home visits where appropriate to provide potentially homeless applicants with a full appraisal of their situation identifying and discussing a range of options for them to consider.

• To work in a flexible manner across the Housing Options Service and to cover for other posts of the same grade as necessary.

• Availability / requirement to work from (or into) any location within the city boundary and to conform to the standards and working practices of each location utilised by the service.

• To provide a range of assistance and support to prevent homelessness including work relating to asylum seekers, mortgage rescue scheme and when necessary representing clients at court hearings in regards to possession proceedings.

• Post holder will be expected to staff and work from a duty / reception desk from time to time as directed by the Service Manager.

• Post holder will be expected to use the electronic calendar and input into the E-Rota system.

• Post holder will participate in the services out of hours on call rota and undertake some other out of hours work.

• To carry out any other tasks reasonably required of the post holder.

• To ensure compliance with the Councils policies on diversity, equal opportunities and health and safety.

• To carry out the duties and responsibilities of the post with full regard to the Councils Equal Opportunities Policy and any other policies and good practise guides, and undergo such training as may be required in relation to these policies and guidelines.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

Qualifications and Training

1. Evidence of and commitment to continuous professional development.

1. Substantial experience of interviewing and negotiation skills including direct experience of working to prevent homelessness.*
2. Experience of homelessness and housing advice work.*
3. Experience in working with vulnerable client groups.
4. Knowledge of the social and financial costs of homelessness to individuals, the local authority and other relevant bodies.
5. Knowledge of Landlord and Tenant, Immigration, Welfare Benefits and relevant Social Services legislation.
6. Experience of effective interviewing skills.

Skills and abilities:

1. Ability to think creatively in finding solutions to preventing homelessness.
2. Effective communication skills both verbal and written.
3. Confident user of information technology applications to include database input, word processing, and email.
4. Ability to negotiate and work assertively, yet in a sensitive manner, with those who are potentially homeless to ensure that they achieve a realistic understanding of their situation and to discuss the options available to them.
5. Ability to investigate issues in a sensitive manner.
6. Ability to accurately record statements and findings.*
7. Ability to discuss and negotiate effective outcomes with accommodation providers and landlords options to prevent homelessness.*

Commitment:

1. An understanding of and a personal commitment to the Vision and Values of Liverpool City Council.
2. An understanding of and a personal commitment to the Vision and Values of commitment to excellent customer service and to continuing service improvements.
3. Commitment to assisting the council in the continued development of their services to ensure the best possible outcome for our service users.
4. Commitment to assisting the council to implement a range of options and initiatives to help prevent homelessness

1. Establishes a culture of continuous improvement, initiating ideas, responding to change opportunities and maintaining momentum.*
2. Develops services which meet genuine customer needs, promoting a culture of involvement, listening and responsiveness.
3. Sets and achieves or exceeds, challenging targets at both personal and organisational levels, demanding and delivering excellence.
4. Analysing & Evaluating - Reaches sound judgements after careful and systematic evaluation of relevant facts.
5. Making Decisions - Resolves problems effectively after exploring the options and considering the implications.
6. Creating Positive Change - Promotes and manages change as a means to secure continuous improvement.
7. Building Effective Partnerships - Develops productive working relationships with staff groups, colleagues and all potential partners in service delivery.
8. Being Financially Aware - Fully considers the financial dimension to own activities, monitoring expenditure and ensuring true value for money is delivered to both.