Job: Supervising Social Worker / Senior Supervising Social Worker
Office Location: Worcester
Reports To: Operations Manager
Hours of Work: 37.5
Supervisory Responsibilities: No
Travel Required: Yes
MAIN PURPOSE OF ROLE:
To recruit, support and develop the skills of our foster carers to ensure that we provide outstanding care and the best possible outcomes for our children and young people in our care.
* To work in collaboration with all stakeholders and strive to ensure that the children and young people in our care reach their full potential.
* To provide a comprehensive, flexible and high quality service to carers, children and young people in our care using legal, regulatory and statutory guidance to inform practice decisions and to safeguard and protect against harm.
* To understand and contribute to the growth and continued development of the Fostering service.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
* To recruit, assess, and monitor the skills of our foster carers to ensure that they provide a safe, healthy, nurturing and learning environment for our children and young people ensuring that they have up to date foster care agreement in place that meets regulatory requirements.
* To work with carers to ensure that they fully understand their role, identify, and capture their development needs on a personal development plan (PDP) and provide appropriate organisational, professional and personal support to ensure that the carers have the right skills and competency to support our children and young people.
* Provide a safe, calm and well-ordered environment for all carers, and ensure that systems, processes, and methods of recording are well established, fit for purpose and efficient and of a high quality, addressing early signs of difficulties with carers.
* Provide and record regular supervision to allocated foster carers in line with the agency's operational and quality standards and undertake such additional support visits/telephone contact as required taking into account the needs of all family members.
* Develop and forge strong relationships with local authorities to maximise placements and achieve the best outcomes for children.
* Work in partnership with children, young people and foster carers and other professionals, local authorities and stakeholders, enabling full participation in assessment, planning, review and decision making including those issues relating to safeguarding and child protection.
* Provide support based on evidence and best practice, which is tailored to meet individual child and the foster family and appropriate to the situation.
* Provide written case notes and reports in line with our policy, which are analytical, focused, and jargon free. Present a clear analysis and a sound rationale for actions as well as any conclusions reached.
* Understand and recognise that children's safeguarding needs change, report concerns appropriately to your line manager in line with safeguarding policy and procedures of the local authority and compass fostering.
* Lead the investigation of allegations of significant harm to children in consultation with other professionals and line manager.
* Carry out in-depth assessment of applicants including undertaking initial visits and carer assessments.
* Adopt a culture of constant reflective practice, remain inquisitive and challenge thinking and decision making with the best outcomes for children at the centre.
* To ensure that foster carers are fully versed in the fostering services policies and procedures and the support available to them including wider support systems e.g. Fostering Network and Fostertalk.
* To contribute to Foster Carer Annual Reviews, within required timescales, providing written evidence of competence and presenting annual review reports to panel as required.
* Ensure compliance with Social Work England to retain job title and registration.
* Participate in the out of hour's duty system on a rota basis.
PERSONAL SPECIFICATION - ROLE SPECIFIC:
* Degree or equivalent social work qualification.
* Post graduate experience preferable.
* Membership of relevant professional body.
* Proven track record of delivering successful outcomes for children.
* Excellent knowledge of childcare legislation; specifically the Regulations and Standards for Fostering.
* Enthusiasm for developing and improving the groups services to Good/Outstanding Ofsted rating.
* Successful management of competing priorities.
* Understanding responsibilities in protecting their own health, safety and wellbeing and that of their colleagues and others.
PERSONAL SPECIFICATION:
Leadership:
* Is visible, approachable and earns respect; inspires and motivates others, building effective working relationships.
* Demonstrates the high standards of integrity, honesty and fairness expected.
Delivery of Results:
* Defines results, taking into account the needs of the carers and children's care plans and placement agreements delivering the best outcomes for children.
* Encourages feedback on performance and makes improvements and / or changes to practice based on them.
Personal Effectiveness:
* Is aware of personal strengths and weaknesses and their impact on others.
* Pursues adopted strategies with energy and commitment, managing own time well and being resilient when responding to competing priorities.
Expertise:
* Has in-depth knowledge and experience related to the service and knows when and how to find and use sources of expertise, within and outside the group.
* Understands the environment within which the group evolves, including regulatory frameworks.
Emotional Intelligence:
* Able to sense what other people are feeling and able to express own feelings.
* Being able to support other people through emotional difficulties.
Managing Change:
* Generates ideas for change to make improvements to services.
* Effectively communicates the reason / need for change, involving others in the process.
The details contained in this Job Description are not an exhaustive list of duties and you will be expected to perform different duties commensurate with the level of the post as required by the organisation and the overall objectives of the group. The nature of the agency business means that tasks and responsibilities are sometimes unpredictable; therefore, colleagues are expected to work flexibly when the occasion arises. Travel is expected as part of this role including travel to other Compass Community offices.
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