Childrens Senior SW – (Family Support & Safeguarding)

Job Category: Social Care Qualified

Job location: 1 Catford Road, Catford, London, Greater London, SE6 4RU, Lewisham Council

Hours per week: 35

Start date: Immediate start

Salary: £28.93 per hour

Main Purpose of the job:

To provide an accountable statutory social work service to children, young people and their families/carers, to include assessment, intervention, case planning and review, appropriate to the work of the team and service unit.

Summary of Responsibilities and Personal Duties:

To be responsible for undertaking all social work on allocated cases, or those worked with on a short term assessment basis.

To maintain accurate records of all work undertaken on behalf of the Directorate, and to ensure that service users are aware of their right to see such records.

To ensure that service users are aware of their right to complain about the service they receive.

To produce case reports and correspondence for a variety of readership, including meetings, conferences, court, other agencies and service users

To ensure that all work is undertaken in compliance with policies, procedures, guidance and legislation.

To ensure that the needs of service users/carers from all communities are addressed, and that close attention is paid to equalities issues in all aspects of work.

To participate in duty systems for the service unit, as appropriate.

Knowledge

Knowledge of the Children Act 1989 and other relevant legislation S2

Knowledge of child protection policy, procedures and practice S3

Knowledge of theory regarding best practice in child and family assessment and planning, and the ability to reference research and theory within own work S4

Knowledge of issues faced by children and families from ethnic minority communities and other minority groups S5

Aptitude

Ability to analyse data and formulate plans for intervention and service provision for children and their families

Ability to work in partnership with parents, carers, and other agencies

Ability to undertake direct work with children, young people, parents and carers

Ability to produce clear, literate and appropriate records, reports and correspondence for a wide range of readership electronically

Ability to organise own work

Ability to recognise the limits of own accountability and responsibility, and to seek appropriate support, advice and supervision

Ability to provide supervision and consultation to social workers students or social work assistants

An ability to use Information Technology, for recording and reporting on cases

Ability to lead on complex and difficult cases independently

Skills

In communicating effectively with members of the public, other agencies, children and their parents/carers.

In forming relationships with children, young people and parents/carers

In assessing and planning in a wide range of child care situations

In represent the Authority in court independently

In giving advice and making decisions on cases allocated to SWA’s and SW’s and progressing these decisions

Experience

Experience of assessment and planning for children and young people S6

Demonstrable post qualifying experience of at least two years of working with children and families or be able to demonstrate expertise at a senior level S7

Professional Qualification(s)

Good general education with good standard of literacy and numeracy S8

Social Worker Degree or equivalent

(Please note qualifications are an essential requirement and ORIGINAL certificates only will be accepted; these will be verified before start of appointment). S9

Demonstrate continuous professional development and evidence based practice S10

Registered with Social Work England