About the Role:
We are seeking a Social Worker to join our dedicated Children’s and Families Team at Devon County Council.
Contracted Hours – 37 hours per week (Full-Time) – £150 accommodation allowance offered for those living over 50 miles away from work base
Key Responsibilities:
- Provide professional leadership and supervision/appraisal of staff, working in partnership
with the manager, staff and others, contributing to an effective and efficient service - Support the Team Manager on day to day operational issues
- Provide a lead social work role in the team, supporting the development of good
evidenced based practice - Co-work complex cases with less experienced workers to ensure quality and consistency
and to develop professional practice. - Provide professional supervision and guidance on cases and professional matters to
unqualified or alternatively qualified staff, students and social workers. Where social
workers are line managed by non-social worker managers (and due to the requirements
relating to professional supervision), Advanced Social Workers may be asked to provide
individual or group ‘critically reflective’ supervision to social workers who are not within
their immediate team structure. - Provide on the job training, coaching and mentoring of all Social Care workers within
the team, which may include undertaking direct observations of practice as required by
the service and national standards. - Either be a Practice Educator or undertake the training in order to supervise students
and provide mentoring support to those wishing to undertake Practice Educator Training. - Co-work and coach less experienced social workers on cases so they can benefit from
the greater experience and expertise of an Advanced Social Worker. - Contribute to operational developments within Devon’s Social Care and partners.
- Provide oversight and guide Team Managers in:
- The allocation of cases and workloads
- Resolution of service delivery issues within the service area
- Ensuring case work is appropriately planned, critically evaluated and reviewed
- The achievement of expected performance according to standards, policies and
procedures - Audit activity across the service, with a particular emphasis on the quality of practice.
- Chair meetings and deputise for Team Managers at practice-based meetings as
required (e.g. core group, Best Interest). - Effectively use and manage appropriate financial resources within available budgets.
- Contribute to the induction of new starters under the direction of the Team Manager.
- To champion high standards of professional practice both within the team and across
the county by: - Encouraging and supporting opportunities for reflection and learning from practice
- Promoting practice which is evidence based and informed by relevant research
- Maintaining excellent and up-to-date knowledge of developments in the field
- Identifying and making plans to address areas of practice that require development,
both for individuals and the team. - Support the embedding of excellent practice through a variety of learning and
development opportunities. - Lead and participate in training and development activities as necessary to ensure up
to date knowledge and skills to meet national standards including encouraging and
supporting opportunities for critical analysis and learning from practice. - Make links with training/learning providers to maintain up to date knowledge which will
promote evidence-based practice and inform relevant research. - Develop an area or areas of expertise which supports good practice and take
responsibility for sharing learning across the Council. - Have a developed knowledge of social care policies and procedures, and make
themselves continually aware of new, and amended legislation and national guidance. - Co-work complex cases including undertaking complex case assessments.
- Support others in the management of complex casework including court work.
- Demonstrate high levels of autonomy and decision making within casework.
- Report to the Team Manager on case progress, risks and outcomes.
- Act in accordance with all relevant legislation and statutory guidelines and Devon’s
Social Care policies, standards and procedures. - Comply with the requirements of all Devon County Council policies, procedures and
staff instructions, including responsibilities under Health and Safety Policy and
Procedures. - Work collaboratively and flexibly in order to be responsive to the wider practice needs
of the service, including moving to different teams or having oversight of practicebased work of those outside your team when required. - Invest in continual professional development in order to properly fulfil the functions
within this role (professional capability framework/regulatory body). - Undertake other duties appropriate to the post as required by the Team Manager.
Requirements:
- Qualified Social Worker
- Registered with Social Work England
- Eligible to work in the UK
Interested?
For more information on this role or to apply, get in touch with our vendor department who will arrange for a specialist consultant to get in contact with you:
0203 906 8670