Job responsibilities
Care job family overview
Support and assist the well-being of individuals and groups to assure their protection, security and
development
Safeguarding, protection and care
Community, residential, day or field settings
Ongoing risk/needs assessment of and advice for individuals/groups
Specification of any non-council provision
Individual or small group emphasis
May involve personal care activities
Likely to involve immediate response to client
Service and Function Context
The overall responsibilities of the Family & Children's Support and Safeguarding Service are -
To prevent family breakdown
To prevent children and families needing more intensive statutory services
To deliver an effective family-based and relationship-based approach to enable children
and families to achieve positive outcomes
To meet all relevant statutory responsibilities
The Family & Children's Support and Safeguarding Service has social workers senior keyworkers, keyworkers and local partnership advisors delivering or supporting evidence-based direct work with
vulnerable children and families (working complex level 2b [CAF] cases, Child in Need and Child
Protection cases).
Social workers, senior keyworkers, keyworkers and local partnership advisors work together in
pods within existing geographical hubs with appropriate supervision, management oversight and
clear local referral pathways.
A relationship-based model of practice is followed by all staff in the service. Training reflects this
model of practice and include skill-stretching for staff to be able to do more without referring on for
specialist support.
All staff in the service provide advice, consultation and guidance to other local professionals who
are supporting children and families with lower level needs/risks.
The service runs Local Allocation Groups (or similarly named group) in each hub attended by key
partner agencies. These discuss and agree resource/case allocation in each locality and facilitate
the sharing of expertise and advice.
The service supports the Troubled Families programme including in relation to identifying eligible
families and assisting with tracking outcomes.
All staff in the service work constructively, collaboratively and effectively with a broad range of key
agencies delivering, for example, housing, domestic abuse, substance misuse, mental health,
education, finance, employment and/or emotional wellbeing support.
Job Purpose
Specific duties and responsibilities include:
To be the primary worker with case responsibility for children in need, children in need of
protection and children looked after - depending upon the function of the dedicated team.
To operate within the council policy and keep up to date with social work methods, practice
developments, new legislation and procedures, including the Childrens Act 2004.
To be responsible for the day to day interpretation of and implementation of statutory duties and
departmental policy and procedures in the provision of services to children and young people.
To be allocated work from the team manager or any person delegated to act on their behalf based
on eligibility criteria and to hold case management responsibility for this work.
To complete enquiries and assess, the needs of and risks to vulnerable children and young
people in a timely manner giving due consideration to the wishes and views of the child and the
childs family. This will include the completion of S47 enquiries, single assessments and engaging
service users and other relevant persons in the work base, homes or any other appropriate venue
e.g. hospital, school etc.
To take appropriate action to assess and minimise any identified concern or risk to children/young
people in accordance with the requirements and timescales of assessment frameworks, child
protection procedures and looked after children legislation and procedures.
To draw up and implement, with the child/young person and their family/carers, an appropriate
plan to address identified issues and to maximise the participation of service users and carers in
this process ensuring that social work intervention is ongoing only when necessary in peoples
lives.
To carry out regular reviews of individual plans, record outcomes and formulate revised plans
which are outcome focused.
To convene meetings e.g. core groups to assist in the implementation and review of plans for
vulnerable children.
To write reports for child protection conferences, planning meetings, looked after children reviews,
legal meetings and court hearings and attend these as appropriate.
To work collaboratively and effectively with Keyworkers, Senior Keyworkers and Local
Partnership Advisors on achieving shared family goals.
- To have a creative approach to meeting need and to ensure local provision, wherever possible, in
order to meet identified need within available resources.
To have a clear understanding of and ability to manage within financial constraints in service
delivery.
To work proactively and in partnership with other agencies to plan and deliver coordinated
services to children, young people and their families/carers which promotes and focuses on
positive outcomes.
Actively engage and contribute, when necessary, to Local Allocation Group case discussions (or
other similarly named mechanisms/panels)
To maintain accurate and effective electronic recording of information and action taken in the
course of casework.
To understand the need for and contribute to the achievement of team and departmental
performance targets in order to achieve positive outcomes for children and young people
To maintain confidentiality of information acquired in the course of undertaking duties for the
department whilst operating in the fullest cooperation with other agencies to ensure that children
are appropriately safeguarded.
To contribute to team processes in a positive and appropriate manner, by attending team
meetings and undertaking any necessary and appropriate team duties.
To make an active contribution to the development of service delivery through the sharing of
knowledge, information and skills.
To take responsibility for personal professional development through the utilisation of relevant
practice research/developments, legislation, participative supervision and appraisal processes.
To undertake further training which is consistent with the needs of the individual
and the organisation, as agreed with the manager.
To work within an equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory framework. Value diversity within
the team and in contact with other professionals, children, young people and families.
Working within a legislative framework
Operating within relevant policy, legal, ethical and professional boundaries when working with
children and families.
Effectively delivering all statutory requirements.
Following local practice standards and protocols.
Supervision and continual development
Actively engaging in individual and group supervision and embed learning in practice.
Maintaining up to date knowledge and skills as required by the role.
Participating in appraisal and team meetings and contribute to individual and team development.
Essential skills and qualifications:
Professional social work qualification.
Social Work England registered
Evidence of professional and personal development following achievement of professional
qualification, at least 2 with children and families.
Have up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation and guidance in relation to working with, and
the protection of, children and young people.
Experience of effective work within the legal time framework, including court proceedings
Up to date knowledge of key child care legislation, policies and practices central to the
implementation of a professional social work service on behalf of the council.
Proven experience to demonstrate the knowledge and ability to put into practice a range of
theories, models and interventions and to assess impact for the service user.
Knowledge of assessment processes including the contribution provided by other agencies,
timescales and their impact on council and Government performance targets and indicators.
Experience of direct work with children, young people and families
Knowledge of child development
Understanding of the needs of vulnerable children, those affected by trauma and children in care
Experience of working with children in care, their families and foster carers.
Experience of completing assessments, reports and plans for children identified as vulnerable and
in need.
Experience of mentoring colleagues
Experience of supervising student placements
Ability to professionally challenge i.e. strategy discussions, case conferences
Sharing research within team
Facilitating team training sessions
Involvement on practice/service developments/quality assurance activity i.e. audit
Raise professional issues within and external to the service in a positive and proactive manner.
Identify as part of the leadership of the organisation in dealing with issues raised transparent,
open and proactive.
Ability to give objective timely advice.
Knowledge and evidence of assessment skills, including engaging with users of services, other
professionals and agencies to achieve a holistic assessment.
Excellent report writing skills.
Proven organisational skills, including the ability to prioritise work, manage own time effectively
and meet deadlines.
Ability to keep accurate electronic records.
Takes responsibility for own professional development and commitment to evidenced based
practice.
Good IT skills
Ability to manage competing demands of a caseload.
Effective communication skills, both verbal and written with colleagues, outside agencies and
service users.
Ability to develop and maintain effective professional relationships within and outside the
department.
