Make an impact where it matters the most. Children's Social Work in Devon.
About the Service
We're on an exciting and ambitious journey of cultural change. We are continuing to embed and relational ways of working. We believe that for most families, the best place for children to live is within their family and our role is to provide high support alongside high challenge to achieve this.
Our Disabled Children’s Service is responsible for managing a wide range of statutory duties working passionately to improve the life chances of disabled children and young people. We work with families who need extra help or specialist support to look after their children and keep them safe. We are able to support children throughout their journey because we work across the full range of statutory work, including assessment, child in need, child protection, children in care and transition to adulthood planning. We work closely with agencies across health, education, care and community to promote great joined up planning in partnership with children, young people and their families to promote the best possible outcomes.
About the Role
As an Advanced Social Worker, you will work closely with your Team Manager to provide professional leadership and supervision to colleagues within the team, supporting your manager with the day-to-day team operations and contributing to an effective and efficient service to children and families.
This is a hands-on role, where you have a smaller but more complex caseload, working with children and young people with a complexity of needs, including undertaking in depth assessments, and through supervision and mentoring, you will share your knowledge and experience with colleagues to continually improve practice standards within the team.
You will model social work practice that is of a high standard and in line with statutory obligations as well as championing restorative practice, by encouraging a collaborative culture and supporting opportunities for reflection and learning. You will deliver on the job training, coaching, and mentoring to students, unqualified staff, and less experienced colleagues to develop their skills. You will evidence how pausing and reflecting can enable us to achieve the best possible outcomes for our children, young people, and their families.
About You
Advanced Social Workers provide a lead Social Work role within each team, supporting the development of good evidence-based practice. You will have substantial post qualifying experience with children and families and the expertise and approach to effectively support your colleagues.
You will need to be working in line with the BASW PCF framework, and can demonstrate the following:
1. The ability to work with families with complex needs within a multi-agency environment.
2. The knowledge and experience of social work mentoring, coaching, and training professional colleagues.
3. Evidence of significant post qualifying training and development.
4. Lead improvement and challenge the quality of social care practice in a constructive manner.
You will also need to either be a Practice Educator, or willing to undertake the relevant training at the earliest opportunity.
What you’ll get in return
In return for the vital contribution that you make, we have some fantastic employee benefits available, including:
5. Up to £2,000 annual retention payment (£1,000 paid every six months).
6. Generous annual leave, & the ability to purchase additional annual leave.
7. Free onsite parking.
8. Employee Assistance for the times you may need some support and a variety of employee well-being services.
9. We promote a healthy work-life balance and offer flexible working arrangements wherever possible, including working from home.
10. Membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme.
11. Discounts at over 900 national & local high street retailers through our benefits platform.
12. Electric Vehicle salary sacrifice scheme.
If you are looking to move to Devon, subject to qualifying conditions, we offer a generous relocation allowance. There has never been a better time to make the move!