ROYAL BOROUGH OF KINGSTON UPON THAMES
JOB DESCRIPTION
Directorate:
Community Services
Division:
Housing Resources
Section:
Homelessness
Assessment Service
Job Title:
Housing Officer (Young
Persons Homelessness)
Grade:
G
Post No:
RELATIONSHIPS
1.
Responsible To:
Senior Assessments Officer
2.
Supervisory Responsibility:
None
3.
Important Internal
Relationships:
Head of Housing, Divisional Manager
(Housing Resources), Resources
Management Team, Legal Services, Children
Services, Young People Services and Family
Teams, Community Mental Health Teams
and all other managers and staff within
Community Services and the Council.
4.
Important External
Relationships:
Service Users, Benefits Agency, Health
Authorities, Probation Service, Solicitors,
Landlords and other Local Authorities.
MAIN PURPOSE OF JOB
To interview homeless and potentially homeless 16 and 17 year old clients and
assess the Authority’s duties towards them in accordance with legislation and the
Council’s policies. To provide advice and assistance, according to the circumstances
of each case, in order to prevent homelessness whenever this can be achieved.
Prepared By:
Updated By:
G. Beuschel
Jason Carey
Date:
29.11.06
Allocs/Jobdes/Hsg Off Homelessness/1
Agreed by:
ROYAL BOROUGH OF KINGSTON UPON THAMES
JOB DESCRIPTION
MAIN ACTIVITIES
1.
Departmental Management
1. To contribute to the overall development of the Homelessness Assessment
Service as a member of the Assessment Team.
2.
Strategic Planning
1. To contribute to the preparation of a draft annual Team-Plan for the
Homelessness Assessment Service.
2. To assist in collating and maintaining statistical records for submission to
Managers, Members and external agencies such as the Government Office for
London and The Audit Commission.
3.
Operational Service
1.
To be responsible to the Homelessness Manager and the Senior Assessments
Officer for the implementation of the following legislation:


The Housing Act 1996, Part VII
The Habitual Residence Test with regard to eligibility for assistance under
the above Act
The Asylum and Immigration Act 1996
The Housing Act 1988
The Protection from Eviction Act 1977
The Matrimonial Homes Act 1983
The Family Law Act 1996
The Rent Act 1977






2.
To interview homeless applicants, with particular regard to 16 and 17 year old
applicants, to determine homelessness, priority-need intentional homelessness,
local connection and eligibility for assistance under homelessness legislation,
many of whom may be vulnerable and/or distressed and aggressive.
3.
To assist applicants to complete application forms and to carry out home and
hospital visits as appropriate.
4.
To assess homelessness applications from asylum seekers and other
potentially ineligible persons and make appropriate referrals under the National
Assistance Act 1948, the Children Act 1989 and the Asylum and Immigration
Act 1996.
5.
To arrange for interpreters and conduct interviews with their assistance as and
when necessary.
6.
To make enquiries into applicants’ housing circumstances and the validity of
applications, and, where appropriate, agree the provision of accommodation in
accordance with the requirements of the Housing Act 1996.
Allocs/Jobdes/Hsg Off Homelessness/2
7.
To reach a decision and notify the applicant where they are ineligible, do not
have a local connection or priority need.
8.
To refer fraudulent applications to the Senior Assessment Officer and undertake
further enquiries where appropriate.
9.
To identify applicants who may be considered to be intentionally homeless and
make recommendations to that effect to the Senior Assessments Officer or the
Homelessness Manager.
10. To identify cases where applicants have no local connection and make
appropriate referrals under the Housing Act 1996, Sct. 198.
11. To notify applicants of decisions taken in respect of their application in
accordance with the requirements of the Housing Act 1996, Part VII.
12.
To liaise with the Admissions Team with respect to the provision of temporary
accommodation, in accordance with Council policies and the Council’s
obligations under the Housing Act 1996, Part VII, Scts. 188 and 193.
13.
To assess whether the Council has a duty to remove and/or store an applicant’s
property and in appropriate cases to liaise with the Admissions Team, who will
make the necessary arrangements.
14.
To provide advice and assistance to unintentionally homeless households
regarding the Council’s temporary accommodation duties and procedures, and
Council policies and procedures concerning the Common Housing Register and
the Choice Based Letting scheme.
15.
To explore all possibilities for preventing homelessness, directing
applicants to suitable alternative accommodation and/or making referrals to the
Housing Advice Service and other advice/support agencies as appropriate.
16.
To submit applications and other relevant information to the Admissions and
Allocations Teams, and ensure that they are up-dated with regards to any
change of circumstances affecting the applicant’s temporary accommodation or
longer term housing circumstances, liaising with the applicant where necessary.
17.
To make recommendations to the Admissions Team, based on medical or other
information, concerning the suitability of various forms of temporary
accommodation for individual homeless households.
18.
To deal with refusals of temporary or permanent accommodation and liaise
with the relevant Section as appropriate.
19.
To maintain an awareness of arrears problems arising with respect to
individual households within temporary accommodation. To liaise with, and
where appropriate, make referrals to relevant staff within the Finance Section
and Temporary Accommodation Unit for detailed advice and assistance in
respect of the provision of benefits advice and/or the recovery of possession.
Allocs/Jobdes/Hsg Off Homelessness/3
20.
To obtain all appropriate medical and other information concerning an
applicants’ housing needs, providing information, making referrals and liaising
closely with Social Services Teams, the Council’s Medical Adviser, health
practitioners, Probation Services, legal representatives and other relevant
agencies where necessary.
21.
To refer applicants to the Community Mental Health, Child and Adolescent
Mental Health, Children Services, Young Persons Services and Families Teams
for assessment as appropriate, and liaise closely with the relevant teams to
monitor the ongoing needs of the household.
22.
To advise applicants about the advice and support available to them
when moving into or between forms of Council accommodation, and make
referrals of vulnerable households to the Resettlement Team and other
support agencies.
23.
To attend Child Protection Conferences, Case Conferences, Professional
Meetings, the Accommodation Panel and all other meetings and panels as
appropriate, and contribute to the decision making process at these meetings.
24.
To regularly review applications in circumstances where the Council accepted a
temporary duty towards an asylum seeker household.
25.
To assist the Senior Assessments Officer and the Homelessness Manager in
reviewing applications and to notify applicants of the outcome of the review.
26.
To provide detailed written records of all interviews and contacts with clients
and maintain client files to ensure that all appropriate information relevant to
the assessment of applications is available to Housing Services colleagues and
managers, Legal Services and other Council departments.
27.
To maintain and regularly update casework monitoring sheets and maintain
regular contact with applicants until the Council’s duty under homelessness
legislation has been discharged.
28.
To ensure the provision of appropriate information concerning applications to
applicants and their representatives, consulting where necessary with the
Senior Assessment Officer.
29.
To prepare cases and present information to the Reviewing Officer, where
applicants have requested review of a decision under the Housing Act 1996,
Part VII.
30.
To liaise with Legal Services with respect to the preparation of evidence where
decisions made under the Housing Act Part VII or statements made by
applicants are being challenged in court.
31.
Where appropriate, to appear as a witness in court hearings concerning
decisions made under Housing Act 1996 Part VII.
32.
To assist in the preparation of case statements where the Council is in dispute
with another Local Authority concerning referrals under Housing Act, Sct. 198.
33.
To assist the Senior Assessment Officer in responding to complaints and
enquiries from applicants, Members and MPs, and to respond to
correspondence with outside agencies.
Allocs/Jobdes/Hsg Off Homelessness/4
34.
4.
To work towards meeting all performance targets relating to the assessment of
homelessness applications set by the Council and relevant external housing
agencies.
Housing Contracts
1. None
5.
Financial Management
1. To submit expenditure requests to the Homelessness Manager in line with budget
management procedures.
6.
Staff Management
1. To participate in the staff appraisal system, individual casework management
sessions and team/section meetings.
2. To assist in the training of new staff.
7.
Other duties
1. To attend necessary internal/external training courses and seminars in order to
maintain an up-date knowledge of legislation, policies, practices and procedures.
2. To ensure customer care and equality of opportunity in all aspects of service
provision.
3. To comply with the Council’s Health and Safety Policies and encourage best
practice within the Homelessness Assessment Service.
4. To work effectively with Members and implement Housing Services’
‘Strategic Objectives’.
5. To participate in the emergency duty rota for Reception cover.
8.
General
1. To carry out any other duties commensurate with the grade of the post.
9.
Additional duties for progression to S02 grade
1. To provide guidance to less experienced members of staff.
2. To undertake appropriate duties and responsibilities of the Senior Assessments
Officer in his/her absence or during busy periods.
3. To undertake tasks of a complex nature and carry out his/her duties with minimal
supervision.
Allocs/Jobdes/Hsg Off Homelessness/5
ROYAL BOROUGH OF KINGSTON UPON THAMES an equal opportunities employer
PERSON SPECIFICATION
DIRECTORATE: Community Services (Housing Services)
SECTION:
Homelessness
Assessments Service
DIRECTORATE: Housing Resources
GRADE:
G
JOB TITLE: Housing Officer (Young Persons Homelessness) POST NO:
1.
EXPERIENCE
What experience is necessary to carry out the job effectively?
a)
2.
3.
At least one year’s experience of carrying out homelessness assessments under the
Housing Act 1996, Part VII.
EDUCATION/KNOWLEDGE
What are the standards that must be met?
a)
Detailed knowledge of the Housing Act 1996, Part VII, the Code of Guidance and all
related legislation.
b)
Knowledge of the law and issues affecting landlords and tenants in the private housing
sector, particularly with regards to the prevention of homelessness
c)
Awareness of the housing and support needs of homeless households entering
temporary accommodation.
d)
Basic knowledge of welfare and housing benefits.
SKILLS
What level and type of skills are necessary?
Ability to:
(a)
Work effectively and efficiently within a busy team.
(b)
Provide a service on the basis of equal opportunities and customer care.
(c)
Communicate effectively with colleagues, Councillors, the public and a wide range of
professionals both verbally and in writing
(d)
Interview and advise clients, including those who may at times be distressed or
aggressive.
(e)
Liaise with landlords, solicitors and other external agencies to achieve successful
outcomes.
(f)
Manage a personal caseload to ensure that performance targets and priority objectives
are consistently met.
(g)
Record information accurately and maintain case files to a high standard.
(h)
Understand and assimilate complex information and apply it effectively to individual
circumstances.
Allocs/Jobdes/Hsg Off Homelessness/6
(I)
Additional criteria for progression to SO2.
Ability to:
undertake complex tasks and carry out their duties with minimal supervision;
provide guidance to less experienced members of staff;
deputise for the Senior Assessments Officer.
It is likely that the postholder would require a minimum of 2 years direct experience of
homelessness casework before being able to fully undertake the additional
responsibilities of the SO2 profile.
4.
PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES AND HEALTH
Are there any particular physical demands to be met which will be relevant in
considering candidates
(a)
Ability to travel to and from properties throughout the borough and to conduct Home
Visits.
Completed by:
Jason Carey
Allocs/Jobdes/Hsg Off Homelessness/7
Date: 29/11/2006