Salary: £42,489 - £44,524 (Inclusive of 10% market supplement)
Hours per week: 37 hours
Rolling advert: We're continuously reviewing and interviewing applicants weekly for this job posting. We will stop accepting applications when sufficient applications have been received.
We're seeking a dynamic, forward-thinking and experienced Social Worker to become an integral part of our Children in Care Team in the north of Wiltshire. Dedicated to improving the lives of looked-after children and meeting the unique needs of the most vulnerable, we received an 'Outstanding' rating from Ofsted in September 2023, with positive inspection feedback for our service.
Main duties of the job
As part of the Children in Care Team, we are proactively preparing to meet growing demands while maintaining manageable caseloads. To achieve this, we are investing significantly in new positions at the management, Social Worker, and Personal Advisor levels, all aimed at delivering the best possible outcomes for our Children and Families.
We have a local offer for care leavers and 'The Leaving Care Forum,' complementing the Children in Care service, as we strive to enhance inclusion and participation for all our looked-after and care-experienced young individuals.
We warmly invite qualified and experienced Social Workers registered with Social Work England to apply! We would value your understanding of related agendas, practices, policies, and your thorough knowledge of associated legislation. If you bring prior experience in children in care, safeguarding, or working with children and young people with disabilities, your application will be highly regarded.
Join our innovative local authority, where you can leverage your proven professional and personal development experience to further your career aspirations. Together, we can continue making a positive impact on the lives of the children and families in Wiltshire.
About us
Wiltshire Council is a friendly, welcoming place to work, with a 'One Council' ethos. That's why we focus on getting the things that matter to our people right.
This position comes with a 10% market supplement payment. All market supplement payments are subject to review on an annual basis.
Job responsibilities
Specific duties and responsibilities include:
* To manage and supervise a caseload of approved mainstream and family and friends foster carers across Wiltshire to ensure safe and high-quality foster placements are offered and provided to Wiltshire's looked-after children.
* 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, Every Child Matters and Care Matters agenda.
* 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.
* 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.
* 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. This will include the completion of S47 enquiries, single assessments and engaging service users and other relevant persons in the work base, homes or any other appropriate venue e.g. hospital, school etc.
* 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.
* 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.
* To carry out regular reviews of individual plans, record outcomes and formulate revised plans which are outcome focused.
* To convene meetings e.g. core groups to assist in the implementation and review of plans for vulnerable children.
* To write reports for child protection conferences, planning meetings, looked after children reviews, legal meetings and court hearings and attend these as appropriate.
* To have a creative approach to meeting need and to ensure local provision, wherever possible, in order to meet identified need within available resources.
* To have a clear understanding of and ability to manage within financial constraints in service delivery.
* To work proactively and in partnership with other agencies to plan and deliver coordinated services to children, young people and their families/carers which promotes and focuses on positive outcomes.
* To maintain accurate and effective electronic recording of information and action taken in the course of casework.
* To understand the need for and contribute to the achievement of team and departmental performance targets in order to achieve positive outcomes for children and young people.
* To maintain confidentiality of information acquired in the course of undertaking duties for the department whilst operating in the fullest cooperation with other agencies to ensure that children are appropriately safeguarded.
* To contribute to team processes in a positive and appropriate manner, by attending team meetings and undertaking any necessary and appropriate team duties.
* To make an active contribution to the development of service delivery through the sharing of knowledge, information and skills.
* To take responsibility for personal professional development through the utilisation of relevant practice research/developments, legislation, participative supervision and appraisal processes.
* To undertake further training which is consistent with the needs of the individual and the organisation, as agreed with the manager.
* To work within an equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory framework. Value diversity within the team and in contact with other professionals, children, young people and families.
Person Specification
Qualifications
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Experience
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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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