Exploitation Youth Worker

Overview

Are you passionate about making a real difference to the lives of children and young people? We are looking for an empathetic, resilient and motivated Exploitation Youth Worker to join our Missing and Exploitation Hub, supporting children and young people who are at risk of, or experiencing, exploitation and extra-familial harm.

This is a varied and rewarding role where relationship-based, trauma-informed practice sits at the heart of everything you do. You will work directly with young people in schools, youth centres, community settings and through outreach, helping them to feel safer, build trusted relationships and access the right support at the right time.

Take a look at our Childrens Social Care Candidate Pack to learn more about working in Children's Services at Buckinghamshire Council

About us

Buckinghamshire Council is a relatively new organisation that combines the strengths and expertise of the previous five councils in the county to create positive change for local people, communities, and businesses. We are firmly focused on the future and have made a clear commitment to serve residents better and to provide stronger representation for Buckinghamshire, both locally and nationally.

About the role

As an Exploitation Youth Worker, you will deliver targeted youth work interventions for children and young people who may be vulnerable to exploitation, serious violence or harm outside the family home. You will manage a caseload, build meaningful relationships with young people, undertake assessments and help develop practical plans that improve safety and promote positive engagement.

You will work closely with social workers, youth offending colleagues, schools, police, community safety partners, voluntary sector organisations and local community stakeholders. Together, you will help create safer spaces, strengthen protective networks and support young people to make informed choices about their future.

The role will also involve providing advice, training and consultation to other professionals, promoting contextual safeguarding approaches and contributing to a coordinated multi-agency response. Your work will be varied, responsive and meaningful, with the opportunity to influence practice and directly support better outcomes for children and young people across Buckinghamshire.

About you

We are looking for someone who can engage with young people in a compassionate, confident and non-judgemental way. You will understand the importance of building trust, listening carefully and working at a young person’s pace, while maintaining a clear focus on safeguarding and risk.

You will bring significant experience of working with young people and families, alongside knowledge of exploitation, extra-familial harm and the wider safeguarding landscape. Strong communication, assessment, planning and recording skills are essential, as is the ability to work collaboratively with a wide range of professionals and partners.

You do not need to have lived experience of exploitation, the criminal justice system or the care system, but this may be an asset. What matters most is your commitment to improving outcomes for young people, your ability to respond calmly to complexity, and your motivation to help create safer communities where children and young people can thrive.

For more information on the criteria, please refer to the job description.

Other information

Interview date - 11th September 2026

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

Buckinghamshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

• All unspent convictions and conditional cautions
• All spent convictions and adult cautions that are not protected (i.e. that are not filtered out) as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2020 and 2023).

For further information on filtering, please refer to Nacro guidance and the guidance published by the Ministry of Justice (see, in particular, the section titled ‘Exceptions Order’).

Our values

We have a set of values, which our employees have chosen, that represent what we are – Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.

By joining Buckinghamshire Council, you can expect:

• a fair and inclusive culture
• the chance to really make a difference to those around you
• health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
• a unified voice through our Employee Representative Group
• ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
• opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events

At Buckinghamshire Council, we know that our biggest strength comes from the people that work for us, and that’s why we’re working hard to ensure we continue to be an accessible and inclusive organisation.

From dedicated staff networks overseen by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, to proudly standing as a Disability Confident employer, it’s important to us that all our colleagues feel engaged, listened to, and valued. Our offer of flexible working empowers a productive and happy workforce and allows employees to combine work with other responsibilities and commitments.

We believe our workforce should reflect the diverse communities we service in Buckinghamshire, and are looking for like-minded individuals to join us in promoting equality, fairness, and inclusion for everyone.

About the Service Area

Hard work and success deserves recognition. That’s why we pride ourselves on the benefits we give our people. We actively encourage a good work-life balance and promote flexible and agile working arrangements.

We provide discounts on various Cafés, restaurants and shops, a generous employer pension contribution in line with the Local Government Pension Scheme, discounts on gym memberships and more - https://jobs.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/working-buckinghamshire-council/