About the Role:
Stoke on Trent City Council are looking for an Advanced/Senior Practitioner to join the Duty and Assessment Team.
Contracted Hours: 37 hours per week (Full-Time)
We are seeking experienced and visionary Senior Children and Families Social Workers to join our Duty and Assessment Teams.
If you are passionate about social work and making a difference to the lives of children and families in Stoke and are driven to lead by example, we want to hear from you.
In this role, you will be a part of four dynamic Duty and Assessment social work teams, delivering a high-quality assessment service to the children and their families of Stoke through the completion of Child and Family Assessments and co production of Initial Child in Need and Chid Protection Plans alongside families and partner agencies.
Our Duty and Assessment Service has excellent partnership relationships that we continue to build upon and within the role you will work closely with our Supporting Families Service and a range of community based services and agencies within the City. You will work collaboratively using a restorative approach with our families, partners and colleagues within the Long-Term teams, bringing together and coordinating the team around the child to ensure a multi-disciplinary approach to safeguarding, as well as Assessment, Planning, Implementation and Review
Main Responsibilities
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To ensure that children, young people and their families are fully involved in the process of assessment and care planning.
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Work to the agreed practice standards for the service.
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Meet Social Work England registration and re-registration requirements and professional practice standards.
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Help families to keep their children safe and where this is not possible, take appropriate action to safeguard them.
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To safeguard and promote the health and well-being of children and young people and support families and carers across Stoke-on-Trent by working with children and young people and their families appropriate to their experience, skills and knowledge.
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Ensure that the department’s and authority’s resources are deployed efficiently and effectively at all times.
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To undertake more complex casework with Children, Young People and their Families and Carers.
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To be responsible for effective time management and responding flexibly to the needs of the service.
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To ensure that departmental health and safety procedures and standards are followed in the performance of all duties.
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Ensure that the welfare of the child or young person is paramount at all times.
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To provide support and cover to the Principal Manager.
Performance
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To be responsible for contributing to information management processes in the department.
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To actively participate in the performance management system including supervision, team meetings, section and divisional briefings and reviews of service.
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To carry out assessments and manage child care plans within government and departmental prescribed timescales and standards, as required by the Principal Manager.
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To take personal responsibility for continuing professional development during, and maintaining the required level of performance for the post.
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To undertake a wide range of complex assessments which effectively analyse unmet needs, risks and protective factors.
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To devise support plans that meet identified outcomes, working in partnership with children, their families, agencies and other networks.
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Ensure that all work is completed within the stated timescales in accordance with both national and local policy.
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To provide focused and purposeful social work interventions with explicit aims and objectives about desired outcomes within the context of managing risk to children.
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To provide professional expertise at meetings and represent the local authority as required in Court and other statutory settings.
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Co-working cases with less experienced/non-social work qualified members of the team and to take responsibility as part of that process for sharing knowledge and developing their learning.
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Undertaking a supporting role within the team for the coordination of individual and team performance to ensure that services are delivered in accordance with statutory duties and quality standards, performance measures and indicators.
Resource Management
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To take responsibility under the direction of the Principal Manager in the support of social work students on placement and act as workplace supervisor or Practice Educator if appropriately trained.
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To ensure that the department’s and authority’s resources are deployed efficiently and effectively at all times.
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To be responsible for the allocation of appropriate tasks to ASYEs, Apprentices and Social Work Assistants and to provide the necessary support and guidance necessary for the completion of those tasks.
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Responsibility for chairing meetings such as Strategy Meetings, Children in Need and Child Protection Core Groups, Placement Planning Meetings and PLO Meetings where deemed appropriately by the Principal Manager.
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To participate in the wider development of the service and contribute to service improvement as required.
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To provide mentoring and support to others.
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To support group reflective supervision as required by the Principal Manager.
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Support the Principal Manager in the supervision of Social Work Assistants.
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Provide cover as part of the team’s established duty system and/or as required by your line manager.
Communications
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Ensure that children’s records are maintained in accordance with Departmental procedures and that information required for management purposes is recorded and inputted appropriately.
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Ensure that children, young people and their families are fully involved in assessments and plans to support them and these are shared with parents, carers in a timely manner.
Culture
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Take personal responsibility for continuing professional development and progression in line with the Professional Capabilities Framework and Children and Families Post Qualifying Standards and for achieving and maintaining the required level of performance for the post.
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To commit to developing skills through work experience in a range of divisional situations i.e. routine secondments, job rotation, shadowing and observations of practice.
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Attend and contribute to team meetings with the ability to facilitate if required.
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Any other duties appropriate to the post.
Requirements:
- Qualified Social Worker
- 3 years+ experience plus additional supervisory/practice development role/contributing to learning of others
- 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