Request for Support Officer

The starting salary for this full-time, permanent position is 31,659 per annum based on 36 hours per week.

Are you passionate about delivering excellent customer service and supporting our goal for all children to be safe and seen? Do you have transferable skills from working with children and families?

We have an exciting opportunity for a new Request for Support Officer to join our fantastic Children's Request for Support Team that could be just what you're looking for!

This role is based within Surrey's award-winning Contact Centre at Dakota, 11 De Havilland Drive, Brooklands in Weybridge.

The role is open to hybrid working which means that, following your induction, you will spend two days working in our office and three days working from home, although flexibility is required to attend the office for training, meetings, and service needs.

Our Offer to You

• 26 days' holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years' service, plus bank holidays
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
• An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
• Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, and shopping
• A chance to make a real difference to the lives of our residents

About the Role

The Request for Support Team is embedded within Customer Services where you will find a supportive and innovative culture, along with the ethos of providing an excellent standard of service to our residents and partner agencies.

The Request for Support Team is one of the three teams that form Surrey Children's Services Single Point of Access (C- SPA), the 'front door' to Children's Services. You will be working in a fast-paced environment, where the diverse experience and backgrounds of children and families are recognised and respected.

As the public voice of the Council, you will have an extremely important role to play, which demands a positive and proactive attitude.

Your key responsibilities as a Request for Support Officer will include:

• Providing high quality and efficient support to enable the smooth running of the Request for Support Team
• Handling calls from members of public and professionals who are requesting support for children
• Taking accurate and relevant information in order to identify risk, to signpost where necessary, and to progress to the most appropriate services in a timely manner
• Triaging all incoming requests from partner agencies identifying appropriate pathways based on detailed operational guidance and Surrey's Continuum of Support Threshold
• Inputting referrals accurately onto databases and providing information to professional agencies where appropriate, adhering to internal data protection policies

In this role you will be operating in sometimes challenging and emotionally charged situations. Therefore, you must have the resilience to cope with sensitive and at times disturbing information and have the ability to remain calm and professional whilst working under pressure. Throughout, you'll have a responsibility to safeguard confidential information and respect the privacy of families.

Your Application

In order to be considered for shortlisting, your application will clearly evidence the following skills:

• Experience of providing high levels of customer care and professionalism
• An Understanding of safeguarding policies and procedures and an ability to follow the surrounding processes, procedures and identify the risks
• Excellent IT skills and ability to use databases to a high standard of accuracy and a strong eye for detail
• Ability to work effectively and flexibly and as part of a team
• Excellent spoken and written English with effective communication and interpersonal skills particularly with both families and professionals
• Ability to travel to Brooklands, Weybridge

A basic DBS 'Disclosure and Barring Service' check for regulated activity (formerly known as CRB) will be required for this role.

This advert closes on the 17th August 2026 with interviews to follow.

Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)

Surrey County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation, moving from a two-tier system to two new unitary councils in April 2027. If you are employed by Surrey on 1st April 2027, your role will transfer with current terms and conditions to one of the new organisations, supporting local devolution and greater powers for our communities.

Join our dynamic team and shape the future of local government. Make a lasting impact with innovative solutions and improved services for our community. Help us build a brighter future for our residents!

Our Commitment

We are a disability confident employer which means if you have shared a disability on your application form and have evidenced you meet the minimum shortlisting criteria as displayed on the advert, we guarantee you an interview.

Your skills and experience truly matter to us. From application to your first day, we're committed to supporting you with any adjustments you need, we value inclusion and warmly welcome you to join and help build a workplace where everyone belongs.