Grade: JK
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full and part time hours available
Location: Selby area, flexible work bases and hybrid working available
Closing Date: 12th January 2025
In our Family Assessment and Support Teams, you will work with a range of children and their families, carers, and networks. This will include children in need, children subject to child protection plans, and those where public law proceedings are needed.
A good understanding of all these aspects of the legislation, practice, and court process will be needed. In NYC, we have an extensive training and learning offer and will support you in your continual professional development. This includes all aspects of our defined practice model, Systemic, signs of safety, and family seeing/network training.
Main duties of the job
We have high aspirations for our young people and always strive to work collaboratively with children, young people, and their families, working strongly with the belief that each child and young person has a network around them which is essential to work alongside and tap into.
The role is very varied; no two days look the same for workers. One day you may be completing words and pictures with a family, or the next supporting a young person with complex needs and family circumstances. We work with all young people from birth to the age of 18, having strong links with other agencies externally and teams in North Yorkshire.
About us
The team consists of a Team Manager and Practice Supervisors to support all our Social Workers in the team. The team has dedicated business support to enable Social Workers to spend more time with Children, Young People, and their families. We have a well-defined supervision policy which includes regular group supervisions, individual supervisions, and opportunities to participate in County Wide practice model sessions and engage in appreciative enquiry and conversation cafes about practice with our Principal Social Worker.
The team is creative in the ways we work with families, and no two plans look the same. The Social Workers are supported by new technology which means that time is freed up to spend it away from the computer and with young people.
We are looking for Social Workers with at least two years post-qualifying experience and a can-do attitude who are child-focused, like to think outside the box, and are creative in their planning with children. We will still welcome and like to hear from those who are newly qualified or soon to be.
Be the change you trained to be.
Job responsibilities
Childrens Social Care provides services which follow from specific legislation, including the Children Act 1989 and the Children Act 2004 as well as other Government guidance and policy. We are committed to providing good quality services to support children, young people, and their families. To work at all times in line with the Health and Care Professions Councils Code of Practice. Enhanced DBS check and Health and Care Professions Council registration required. This role involves spoken communications, so a confident use of the English language is required.
Job Purpose:
1. Hold and manage a caseload including Children in Need, Child Protection, and Looked After Children as allocated by the Team Manager or Assistant Team Manager.
2. Manage and prioritise cases as allocated by the line manager.
3. Assess children and their family's needs and make appropriate recommendations for services to achieve agreed outcomes.
4. Participate in the allocation of cases and accept cases allocated by the Team Manager commensurate with your level of experience.
5. Liaise with other agency professionals as necessary to fulfil the Directorate's statutory duties and achieve the best outcomes for children.
6. Fully engage in supervision and performance appraisal.
7. Maintain good case records, write reports as required in line with departmental standards. Give evidence in court in relation to care or other proceedings.
8. Have a commitment to shared values and the common purpose of developing a culture of interagency working; including statutory bodies, third and private sector organisations.
9. Ensure multi-agency engagement in all assessment and planning processes.
10. Plan and commission services and support for children, young people, and their families.
11. Liaise with colleagues in own and other departments and external agencies in order to gather information relevant to assessment and care planning activities: organise and chair meetings as required.
12. Work with individuals or groups to develop individual potential.
13. Understand and support the role and value of families and carers as partners in supporting their children to achieve positive outcomes.
14. Ensure all interventions serve to improve outcomes for children.
15. Make key decisions in terms of case management based on observation and professional judgement: understanding their context in relation to behaviour, listen actively and respond to concerns.
16. Evaluate situations, analyse and record them appropriately.
17. Grade K only: Act as supervisor to Social Work students on placement, including support, guidance, challenge, and assessment.
Person Specification
Occupational Skills
* Ability to communicate with children and young people at all levels of ability.
* Undertake negotiation with families.
* Ability to assess family circumstances and need and identify necessary resources to meet that need.
* Multi-disciplinary working intervention with Families.
* Presentation skills (written and oral).
* The ability to converse at ease with customers and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.
* Advocacy.
* Care Planning and implementation.
* Ability to engage with service users.
* Effective written and verbal communication skills including report writing.
* IT skills to include competency in word processing, manipulating spreadsheets, accessing information from databases, and electronic communication.
* Ability to recognise risk and take appropriate actions.
* Grade K: In addition to the skills detailed above at Grade J.
* Undertake negotiation with families and in the partnership arena.
* Self-management skills and ability to use initiative.
* Care Planning and implementation and review.
* Ability to engage service users in planning and decision making.
* Ability to identify risk and initiate child protection intervention.
* Ability to effectively supervise Social Worker students.
* Ability to write a range of reports and plans to a high professional standard.
* Ability to organize and prioritise workloads to meet required timescales.
Qualifications
* Fully qualified, accredited social work professional status (CQSW, DipSW, CSS, PQCCA).
* Current registration with the Health and Care Professions Council.
* Grade K: Fully qualified, accredited social work professional status (CQSW, DipSW, CSS, PQCCA).
* Current registration with the Health and Care Professions Council.
* Successfully passing Level 3 (competence-based) Assessment.
* Other Requirements: Availability to work as necessary outside normal office hours when necessary and by agreement.
* Ability to meet the travel needs of the post across the geographical area.
Experience
* Knowledge of current good practice in child care.
* Knowledge of the principles of the Children Act 1989, the Children Act 2004, the Every Child Matters agenda, and Care Planning Regulations 2010.
* Some background experience in a social care or similar setting.
* Work placement in a child care setting (degree course).
* Grade K: In addition to the skills and knowledge detailed above at Grade J.
* Knowledge of the judicial processes.
* Knowledge of theory and practice of care assessment, planning, child protection/safeguarding procedures; detailed knowledge of relevant legislation acquired through professional qualification in social work plus a minimum of 2 years post-qualification experience in the relevant field.
* The eligibility criterion for progression beyond (Grade J) will be as above for Grade J plus 2 years relevant post-qualification experience in accordance with designated performance standards.
* Instances may occur where the post-qualification experience is not in a post specifically designated as Social Worker. In such cases, the appropriate Service Manager must be satisfied as to the quality and relevance of that experience.
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.
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