If you’ve got excellent interpersonal communication skills and can build positive relationships with foster parents and children’s social workers, we can offer you a rewarding role. Park Foster Care is looking for a dedicated, proactive and forward thinking Supervising Social Worker to join our team!
You will be part of the team that is based out of the Hanley office, offering direct support to our families with a realistic caseload (10-12 families). Working closely with key internal and external stakeholders, to enable foster parents to be informed, accept, understand and operate within the regulations and national minimum standards.
An integral member of the Park Foster Care social work team, the post holder is expected to provide Training support and supervision of foster carers and social work team members at Park Foster Care in accordance with statutory requirements and good professional practice.
Principal Responsibilities
The post holder will carry out the responsibilities of the post with due regard to Park Foster Care policies and procedures, relevant statutory guidelines and legislative requirements while helping promote the highest standards of professional social work practice and foster care.
The duties include, but are not limited to:
* Some involvement in the recruitment, initial visits and comprehensive assessment of fostering applicants ensuring preparedness for presentation to the Fostering Panel.
* Undertake the necessary pre-approval preparation and training of foster carers’ support persons to assist in the provision of post approval training.
* Act as supervising social worker to a caseload of the agency’s foster carers, and work within the Park Parenting Approach providing them with support, guidance and supervision to help them to support the children for whom they provide a foster placement.
* Assist in identifying and addressing the training and developmental needs of the foster carers and, as required, deliver training to the agency’s applicants, foster carers and foster carer support persons
* Supervise foster care placements, helping to ensure that the welfare of the children and young people placed in the agency’s foster care placements is safeguarded, and their well-being and development is promoted.
* Work in partnership with the responsible local authority in the planning and review of arrangements for children/young people where children are either placed in the agency’s foster carer homes or are being considered for placement by participation in placement planning meetings, PEP’s, statutory reviews and any required meeting where children are either in placement or being considered for placement.
* Respond to requests from the Referral & Placement Co-ordinators for the provision of foster placements by helping identify appropriate placements matched with a carer who can meet his/her assessed needs and working to facilitate those placements.
* Work with local authority social workers, CareTech staff and other professionals in line with Park Foster Care policy, practice and procedures, and encourage the maintenance of good professional standards in respect of foster care services.
* Liaise with other agencies on matters of partnership working.
* Maintain up-to-date knowledge of foster care and child care legislation, regulations and practice guidance. Keep up to date with professional developments in children and family services.
* Undertake regular monthly supervision with the Practice Manager which is formally recorded.
* Identify professional training and personal development needs and undertake appropriate training courses, including attendance at training on the Park Parenting Approach
* Liaise with the responsible authority to ensure that there is full compliance with the guidance and regulations relating to the placement of children, and monitor the welfare of the child or young person in placement.
* Record accurate and adequate information about work undertaken, highlighting decisions made, and the aims and desired outcomes; compile reports and statistical information in accordance with statutory and organisational requirements.
* Comply with Park Foster Care’s safeguarding and child protection procedures.
* Be responsible for the organisation and planning of work as designated by line managers.
* Be responsible for the organisation and planning of work within agreed priorities.
* Undertake out-of-hours duties on a rota basis (evenings, weekends and public holidays).
* Contribute to the development and evaluation of services provided by Park Foster Care.
* Participate in regular professional supervision and staff appraisal.
* Comply with equal opportunities and anti-discrimination policies and ensure that duties are carried out in accordance with all agency policies and procedures at all times.
* Meet the requirements of The Data Protection Act 1998 regarding the use of recording, use and safekeeping of personal information and data.
* Comply with health and safety requirements (HASAWA 1974) concerning safe systems at work.
* Undertake any other duties appropriate to the post as may from time to time be required by members of the management team.