Participation Officer

About Us

North Somerset Council is committed to providing high-quality services to our community. We are committed to creating a fair, green, and more inclusive environment for all our residents. Join us and contribute to making a positive impact on our community.

The Role

We are seeking a dedicated and experienced Participation and Engagement Officer to join our Participation Team. The Participation Team are responsible for championing the voice of Children and Families in Children’s Social Care.

North Somerset is committed to the participation of children who receive a service from Children's Support and Safeguarding to improve service delivery and design.

The Children and Young People’s Engagement and Participation Officer will provide a crucial role within North Somerset in engaging with children and young people to ensure their voices are heard within North Somerset Council. The postholder will empower and support children and young people in improving the services they receive through ensuring their participation in service design and delivery. Including,

To provide specialist advice and support on consultation, engagement, and co-production activity, ensuring that the Directorate meets all applicable statutory duties and delivers sustainable, transparent change processes.

To ensure that all consultation, engagement, and co-production activity is conducted in line with current best practices, is open, inclusive and enhances the council’s reputation, and meets the needs of the sponsors of the project or service

To provide a link officer role with a range of service-user representative organisations and bodies

To be the lead for promoting and delivering co-production, supporting all services and functions to use these tools effectively and in line with statutory duties.

To lead specific consultation, engagement and co-production projects including designing material and delivering events.

Key Responsibilities:

• To advise and support specific projects and service areas across the directorate in devising inclusive and robust engagement, consultation and co-production activity which enables the smooth running of change processes arising from reviews, reorganisations, legislative or policy changes, etc.
• To liaise with partner organisations/colleagues/stakeholder groups to ensure that engagement, consultation, and co-production processes are joined up and shared where appropriate.
• To oversee and advise on the quality and content of materials, event and other activities provided to engage, consult or co-produce services in the directorate.
• To plan and deliver specific projects or sub-projects as part of the wider transformation activity within the directorate.
• To draft and present written reports on the outcomes of engagement, consultation and co-production activity to service managers, the directorate leadership ream or council committees as required.
• To support the development and delivery of policies and strategies around engagement, consultation, and co-production, ensuring they reflect best practice and statutory responsibilities at all times.
• Provide professional advice, support and guidance to a team of mentors.
• Undertake surveys with children and young people, analyse the data and produce reports on the outcomes of these processes. Make recommendations for how co-production can be further developed.
• Communicate effectively with service users, representative groups, multi-agency partners and colleagues, both verbally and in writing.
• Produce reports for specific stakeholders regarding the planning, delivery and outcomes of engagement, consultation, and co-production processes. Observe information sharing protocols and record keeping policies.
• Support the wider work of the Quality Assurance and Safeguarding Team, undertaking other project-related duties commensurate with the grade of the post.
• To organise and facilitate the children in care council Ambitious Voice. To promote and increase the membership of the children in care council and with the Head of Service Corporate Parenting and Children in Care team manager
• To organise and facilitate the care leavers forum Unite. To promote and increase the membership of the care leavers forum and with the Head of Service Corporate Parenting and Care Leavers Team Manager.
• To represent North Somerset at National Events such as the Care Leavers Bench Marking Forum and to Support young people to attend these forums and have their say.
• To meet with Senior Managers and the Director for Children Services to represent the views of children and young people
• To represent the views of children and young people to Elected Members and Senior Managers in decision making forums. To support children and young people to attend decision making forums and share their views.
• To lead in organising and facilitating one off activity events for children and young people
• To organise and facilitate the young person’s interviewing panel for positions such as social workers, team managers etc within Children’s Services
• To support and empower young people to take part in training events where appropriate for social workers, family support workers, foster carers and others where young people wish to influence and shape the practice of others through contributing to these events
• Advocate with and behalf of young people so that the services they receive meet their needs and are designed in partnership with them.

This position is exempt under the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions) Order 1975 and is subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.

Valid driving licence and own transport, or be able to provide alternative, suitable method of travel is an essential condition for this role.

Work Style

At North Somerset Council, we offer a hybrid working environment based on four distinct work styles. Depending on the role and personal circumstances, you will fall into one of these categories. However, please note that during the induction period, it may be necessary to spend more time in the office to support your learning and development. We are flexible and open to discussions about your preferred working style, and if you wish to be in the office more frequently, this can be negotiated.

This role falls into the category of Flexible Worker which means you can expect to work in the following way:

• 2-3 days in the office
• Works both from home and the office, depending on the task at hand.
• Training is provided to help balance work-life and manage time effectively, with an emphasis on communication for team touchpoints and planning in-office days for collaboration.

About You

We are looking for an individual who is passionate about the voice of Children and Families, and who possesses the following skills and experience:

Essential Criteria:

• NVQ Level 3 Child Care/ Youth Work Award or equivalent
• Considerable experience in working with children, young people and families
• Participation in post qualifying/education training is essential.
• Experience in representing the views of children and young people or advocacy for children and young people
• A knowledge of Children’s Act and Every Child Matters
• Awareness and commitment to good practice in Equal Opportunities
• Knowledge of Child Protection Policy and Procedures
• Knowledge of health and safety requirements
• Advocacy for children and young people.
• Good standard of written English.
• The ability to keep accurate, evidence based records in accordance with departmental policy.
• I.T. Skills
• Skills in advocacy for children and young people
• Direct Work Methods with children and young people
• The ability to think and practice creativity
• Ability to work positively with others
• Ability to work positively with children and young people
• Ability to advocate for children and young people and empower children and young people to participate in decision making forums
• Patient
• Flexible
• Person centred and child focused
• Able to build warm, positive and professional relationships with children and young people
• Ability to engage professionally with representatives from Children’s Services to represent the views of children and young people
• Able to work on own initiative and as part of a team
• Effective communication and organisational skills
• Ability to cope with conflicting demands
• Commitment to personal and professional development
• Ability to model good practice
• Good time and diary management
• Will be required to work all through school holidays
• Will be required to work out of hours

Desirable Criteria:

• Direct experience in working with children in care and/or young people leaving care
• Experience of building relationships with hard to each children and young people
• Experience of organising, facilitating and running groups including group work activity such as cookery
• Past experience of public speaking / presentations
• Experience of supporting and empowering young people to participate in meetings, training events or similar.

What We Offer

At North Somerset Council, we value our employees and provide a supportive and inclusive work environment. We offer:

• Competitive salary and benefits
• Flexible working arrangements
• Local Government Pension
• Opportunities for professional development
• Inclusive Staff groups including Carers, Disabled, LGBTQ+, REACH (Race, Ethnicity, and Cultural Heritage), and Young Staff Forums
• Opportunity to purchase up to an additional 10 days annual leave each year
• Dedicated in house Wellbeing Team
• Salary sacrifice Cycle to Work and Electric Vehicle schemes

Further details of our excellent rewards package can be found in our Benefits booklet.

How to Apply

If you share our vision and valuesand are ready to make an impact to North Somerset, please select the apply online button below. If you are interested in this exciting opportunity, please submit your application by 11.59pm on the application closing date. When completing our online application form, please detail how you meet the essential criteria for the role.

Contact Information

For further information about the role, please contact Yarri Chi, Practice Development Manager and Participation Lead , at Yarong.chi@n-somerset.gov.uk or 07353131457.

Important Information

As a Disability Confident Leader, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the job role.

Interview Date: Wednesday 18 March 2026.

Please note: We are currently only able to accept applications from candidates who have full permission to work in the UK and are unable to provide Sponsorship for this role.

Equal Opportunities

At North Somerset Council we want all our employees to feel valued and appreciated. We aim to ensure equality of opportunity and prevent discrimination irrespective of your sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or belief, race, age, disability, including neurodiversity, if you are married or in a civil partnership or are pregnant or currently on maternity leave. We strive to create a workplace that reflects the communities we serve and where everyone feels empowered to bring their full, authentic selves to work.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

We reserve the right to close this advertisement early or extend the closing date depending on the number of applications received.