Haven Adolescent Advocate

Job overview

The Havens, London’s specialist Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), is recruiting a compassionate and dedicated Adolescent Advocate to join our trauma-informed multidisciplinary CYP 0-19 team.

This role provides specialist support to young people aged 13–19 who have experienced sexual violence, either following a forensic medical examination (FME)

The Adolescent Advocate will manage a varied caseload, working directly with young people, their families, caregivers, and wider networks—including education, health, criminal justice sector, police, and social care professionals—to ensure their needs are understood, coordinated, and met.

The role focuses on early intervention, safeguarding, care planning, and onward referral, supporting recovery through a tailored, trauma-informed approach.

PREVIOUS APPLICANTS DO NOT NEED TO APPLY

Main duties of the job

Provide short to medium term trauma-informed support to adolescents aged 13–19 following an FME or professional referral.

Conduct timely post-FME welfare contact with clients.

Manage a varied caseload, including welfare checks, risk and needs assessments, and development of tailored care plans.

Coordinate follow-up care, including medical and sexual health aftercare.

Identify and escalate safeguarding concerns, making timely referrals to external agencies and the Trust’s safeguarding team.

Collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams across health, social care, education, and criminal justice sectors.

Maintain and update CYP databases to ensure accurate case management.

Attend internal and external multidisciplinary and interagency meetings to advocate for young people’s needs.

Maintain accurate clinical documentation in line with Trust and medico-legal standards.

Support service delivery by maintaining databases, processing referrals, and managing enquiries.

Uphold client privacy, dignity, and respect for cultural, religious, and social diversity.

Consider complex needs—including mental health, substance misuse, and learning difficulties—when assessing and planning care.

Working for our organisation

King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK’s largest and busiest teaching Trusts with a turnover of c£1.8 billion, 1.5 million patient contacts a year and more than 15,000 staff based across South East London. The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites. The trust-wide strategy of Strong Roots, Global Reach is our Vision to be BOLD, Brilliant people, Outstanding care, Leaders in Research, Innovation and Education, Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at the heart of everything we do. By being person-centred, digitally-enabled, and focused on sustainability, we aim to take Team King’s to another level.

We are at a pivotal point in our history and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.

King’s is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone’s contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust’s carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Provide early support and referrals to adolescent clients and their families, supporting them to navigate systems related to the recent sexual assault.
• Short-medium-term case work and onward referrals, welfare calls Attend in-house MDT and interagency meetings
• Undertake risk and needs assessments and develop plans of support
• Identify contraception issues and sexual health risks in children and young people and refer them on to appropriate services
• Proactively identify children and young people who may have safeguarding concerns and ensure these concerns are escalated promptly in line with organizational policies.
• Liaise with relevant organisations such as social care, education, CAMHS, GP’s to ensure that a young person at risk is safeguarded effectively
• Work closely with in-house and external nursing and medical teams to ensure timely and coordinated care, including scheduling medical assessments, STI screenings, and follow-up appointments after forensic medical examinations
• Provide advice, support and signposting to help clients access appropriate and convenient services in the community for ongoing support as needed
• Support with the development of information resources for children and young people

Person specification

Education and Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Additional training in adolescent mental health / therapeutic work with young people
• Additional training in child protection and safeguarding practices

Desirable criteria

• Membership of a professional body
• Qualified in counselling, psychotherapy, youth work, or social work
• Additional training in the field of sexual violence and trauma

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

Essential criteria

• Experience of working with adolescent survivors of sexual violence
• Experience in providing trauma-informed psychological support to clients with complex and multiple needs
• Knowledge and experience of safeguarding children and young people, including current legislation. This includes being able to identify vulnerabilities and risk factors and escalate to relevant external agencies
• Experience in conducting risk and needs assessments, care planning, case management and co-ordination
• Experience of working with a multidisciplinary team within a complex environment
• Experience of interagency working
• Knowledge of confidentiality and information sharing protocols.

Desirable criteria

• Relevant experience of working with young people in a healthcare, social work or counselling setting
• Ability to provide an additional area of speciality knowledge relevant to the role
• Experience of working in an NHS service
• Knowledge of sexual health
• Knowledge/sensitivity to the influence of culture and belief systems on sexual health values

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

Essential criteria

• Excellent written & oral communication skills
• Ability to make decisions under pressure
• Ability to prioritise own work load
• Excellent IT literacy including knowledge of/ability to learn new platforms and applications that facilitate remote working
• Time management skills
• Ability to reflect on one’s own practice

Desirable criteria

• Ability to resolve conflict
• Ability to plan, deliver & evaluate educational programmes for internal/external stakeholders, e.g. schools, organisations

IMPORTANT

• Check your email account regularly as this is how we will communicate with you
• If you delete the job from any of your accounts, you may be prevented from accessing further communications
• To enquire about your application or inform us of any changes in your circumstances, please contact the named person on this advert
• Please provide email addresses for referees where possible
• Please review the documentation on our recruitment microsite, particularly the Trust’s criminal records checking policy
• All staff have a responsibility for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and for ensuring they are aware of the specific duties relating to their role.
• Please note that the closing date is given as a guide. On occasion, we might close a vacancy early due to a high number of applications being received. You are advised to submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

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King's College Hospital is part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC), a pioneering collaboration between King's College London, and Guy's and St Thomas', King's College Hospital and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trusts.