Support and Safeguarding Service - Empowering Families, Protecting Futures
Nestled in the charming rural market town of Devizes, our East team invites qualified social workers to embark on a rewarding journey where you'll make a meaningful impact on the lives of vulnerable children and families.
Main duties of the job
Our Social Workers are pivotal in supporting Wiltshire's vulnerable children, from pre-birth to age 18. We operate on a patch-based model, matching families with your expertise and chosen patch, encompassing areas like Tidworth and Ludgershall, Devizes and Pewsey, as well as Marlborough and Calne.
We prioritise flexibility, offering various work locations and hotdesking opportunities to facilitate collaboration with safeguarding teams and services.
At our core, we believe in a 'one journey, one worker' approach, providing consistent support through dedicated relationships. Our diverse team includes ASYEs, experienced social workers, Family Keyworkers, and an Assistant Team Manager. In the East team, we are also fortunate to have a specialist domestic abuse worker dedicated to supporting families affected by domestic abuse.
Collaboration is central to our work, as you'll partner with professionals and multi-agency teams. We care about your well-being, offering flexible work arrangements such as a 9-day fortnight, compressed hours, full or part-time positions, and job shares. A full driving license and access to a car are essential due to Wiltshire's rural nature.
Job responsibilities
Specific duties and responsibilities include:
1. 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.
2. To operate within the council policy and keep up to date with social work methods, practice developments, new legislation, and procedures, including the Children’s Act 2004.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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 child’s family.
6. 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.
7. 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 people’s lives.
8. To carry out regular reviews of individual plans, record outcomes, and formulate revised plans which are outcome-focused.
9. To convene meetings e.g. core groups to assist in the implementation and review of plans for vulnerable children.
10. To write reports for child protection conferences, planning meetings, looked after children reviews, legal meetings, and court hearings and attend these as appropriate.
Person Specification
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 the team.
* Facilitating team training sessions.
* Involvement in 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 transparently, openly, and proactively.
* 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.
* 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.
* 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.
* A post qualifying award in Social Work.
* Experience of delivering training.
* A Practice lead.
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.
£46,254 to £48,763 a year (including a 15% market supplement)
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