Senior Social Worker - Children's Support and Safeguarding

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Purpose

To ensure that eligible children receive assessments, plans and service packages appropriate to meet their needs and improve their life chances. To support peers by sharing knowledge and experience that can enhance their learning. To support, assess and mentor Newly Qualified Social Workers and Social Work Students as directed by the Principal Manager. To deputise for the Principal Manager as required.

Strategic Management

1. To ensure that children, young people and their families are fully involved in the process of assessment and care planning.

2. Work to the agreed practice standards for the service

3. Meet Social Work England registration and re-registration requirements and professional practice standards

4.Help families to keep their children safe and where this is not possible, take appropriate action to safeguard them.

5. To safeguard and promote the health and well-being of children and young people and support families and carers across Stoke-on-Trent by working with children and young people and their families appropriate to their experience, skills and knowledge.

6. Ensure that the departments and authoritys resources are deployed efficiently and effectively at all times.

7. To undertake more complex casework with Children, Young People and their Families and Carers.

8. To be responsible for effective time management and responding flexibly to the needs of the service.

9. To ensure that departmental health and safety procedures and standards are followed in the performance of all duties.

10. Ensure that the welfare of the child or young person is paramount at all times.

11. To provide support and cover to the Principal Manager

Performance

1. To be responsible for contributing to information management processes in the department.

2. To actively participate in the performance management system including supervision, team meetings, section and divisional briefings and reviews of service.

3. To carry out assessments and manage child care plans within government and departmental prescribed timescales and standards, as required by the Principal Manager.

4. To take personal responsibility for continuing professional development during, and maintaining the required level of performance for the post.

5. To undertake a wide range of complex assessments which effectively analyse unmet needs, risks and protective factors

6. To devise support plans that meet identified outcomes, working in partnership with children, their families, agencies and other networks.

7. Ensure that all work is completed within the stated timescales in accordance with both national and local policy.

8. To provide focused and purposeful social work interventions with explicit aims and objectives about desired outcomes within the context of managing risk to children.

9. To provide professional expertise at meetings and represent the local authority as required in Court and other statutory settings.

10. Co-working cases with less experienced/non-social work qualified members of the team and to take responsibility as part of that process for sharing knowledge and developing their learning.

11. Undertaking a supporting role within the team for the coordination of individual and team performance to ensure that services are delivered in accordance with statutory duties and quality standards, performance measures and indicators.

Resource Management

1. To take responsibility under the direction of the Principal Manager in the support of social work students on placement and act as workplace supervisor or Practice Educator if appropriately trained.

2. To ensure that the departments and authoritys resources are deployed efficiently and effectively at all times.

3. To be responsible for the allocation of appropriate tasks to ASYEs, Apprentices and Social Work Assistants and to provide the necessary support and guidance necessary for the completion of those tasks.

4. Responsibility for chairing meetings such as Strategy Meetings, Children in Need and Child Protection Core Groups, Placement Planning Meetings and PLO Meetings where deemed appropriately by the Principal Manager.

5. To participate in the wider development of the service and contribute to service improvement as required

6. To provide mentoring and support to others

7. To support group reflective supervision as required by the Principal Manager

8. Support the Principal Manager in the supervision of Social Work Assistants.

9. Provide cover as part of the team's established duty system and /or as required by your line manager.

Communications

1. Ensure that childrens records are maintained in accordance with Departmental procedures and that information required for management purposes is recorded and inputted appropriately.

2. Ensure that children, young people and their families are fully involved in assessments and plans to support them and these are shared with parents, carers in a timely manner.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Experience of restorative practice and its application in childrens social care
• Experience of complex social work with children and families
• Significant post qualification experience in a social work setting

Qualifications

Essential

• Professional Social Work qualification or BA Social Work Qualification where certified by Social Work England
• Meet Social Work England registration and re-registration requirements and standards
• Must read, understand and agree to comply with the Social Work England Code of Practice for Social Workers and meet the Social Work Professional Capabilities Framework and Post-Qualifying Standards
• Thorough knowledge of current childrens social care legislation and safeguarding guidance
• Extensive Knowledge of related legislation i.e. education and housing
• Comprehensive knowledge of child development and disabilities.
• Knowledge of assessment and intervention methods, case management and casework methods
• Knowledge of Childrens Social Care provision and statutory duties.
• Thorough Knowledge of Equal Opportunities issues and a willingness to challenge discrimination.
• Comprehensive knowledge of strategic thinking and central/local policy affecting service provision.
• Widespread understanding of assessment and child care planning techniques.

Skills and Abilities

Essential

• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Ability to build relationships and relate effectively to children and their parents and carers.
• Ability to foster good inter/intra agency communication and to listen sensitively to different perspectives.
• Able to interpret and use management information, including financial management information.
• Able to use IT as an effective resource.
• Demonstrate the ability to work effectively as part of a team.
• An ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence through the medium of English.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Stoke-on-Trent City Council

Address

Civic Centre

Glebe Street

Stoke

Staffordshire

ST4 1HH

Employer's website

https://www.stoke.gov.uk/jobs (Opens in a new tab)