Salary: Grade J
Location: Office Base, Magdalen House, Bootle
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full Time
Hours: 36 hours per week
DBS Check: Enhanced
Closing date: 02.03.25
Interview date: 12.03.25
Newly Qualified Support Officer & Development Lead
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a suitably skilled and qualified Social Worker to join the Quality Assurance & Practice Improvement/Academy service as a Newly Qualified Support Officer & Development Lead.
The successful candidate will work alongside the existing post holders, together with the ASYE Co-Ordinator, Practice Development Manager, and teams to ensure that our NQSWs have the very best start to their social work career. In Sefton, we invest time in our NQSW as we know this makes a difference to them and outcomes for children and families. All our NQSWs have the opportunity for protected learning, group supervision, and receive support and guidance to complete their ASYE portfolio in a timely way. Within this role, you will be involved in quality assurance activity and development work to support the wider Children’s Services improvement journey.
We need you to have a sound understanding of safeguarding, assessment, plans and planning, and experience of child-centred decision making and relational practice. You will have high standards, adopt strengths-based approaches, and have an understanding of different learning styles and models of supervision. If this post excites you and you feel you have the right skills, knowledge, and experience, we look forward to hearing from you.
What we need from you:
* You will hold a professionally recognised Social Work qualification and be registered with Social Work England.
* You will have experience of mentoring/supervising others; practice educator experience is desirable but not essential.
* You will be passionate about supporting NQSW in line with Skills for Care expectations and demonstrate good organisational skills.
* You will have the ability to communicate with children, young people, their families, and partner agencies and have excellent analytical and written communication skills.
* You will be able to work within a quality assurance and performance management framework which focuses on impact and outcomes.
* You will have sound knowledge of childcare legislation, statutory guidance, and best practice research and the capacity to share and embed knowledge with others.
* You will understand and demonstrate a commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion.
* You will be capable of using your own initiative as well as working as part of a team and show commitment to your own individual development and professional growth as well as others.
What we will offer you:
* A warm Sefton welcome.
* A comprehensive induction programme.
* Support from Line Manager and Service Manager.
* Good quality, regular, reflective supervision.
* Manageable number of families for NQSW you are supporting.
* Support from dedicated ASYE Co-Ordinator and Learning and Development colleagues.
* Excellent training and development opportunities including a wide-ranging offer from our in-house workforce training and development unit as well as access to several external accredited opportunities.
* Partnership with Research in Practice providing access to online webinars, podcasts, and materials linked to the latest research and policy updates to support your CPD and inform evidence-based reports and practice.
* A wide variety of career progression routes bespoke to individual training and development needs as identified in annual PDRs.
* 28 days annual leave rising to 33 days with 5 years continuous service and 8 bank holidays.
* Enhanced sick pay scheme and maternity/adoption leave pay and maternity support leave.
* Opportunities for agile/flexible working.
* Access to free eye tests and, where appropriate, contribution towards spectacles.
* Occupational Health Service available to advise on work-related health issues.
* Commitment to supporting staff’s emotional and mental health with access to a free and confidential employee counselling service.
* Discounted gym membership with all Active Sefton gyms.
* Cycle to work scheme.
* Salary sacrifice schemes including childcare vouchers.
* Access to local benefits and discounts on products and services.
* Relocation package as appropriate.
Please contact Hannah Connor, Practice Development Manager at Hannah.connor@sefton.gov.uk if you would like an informal conversation about the role.
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