Early Support Key Worker

We value diverse perspectives and experiences and are striving to create a workplace culture that is inclusive, is accepting of all and is free from discrimination and bias.

In Coventry, we are working hard to build something special. Children and families are at the heart of everything we do, and we believe they deserve the best outcomes.  Children’s Services provides a wide range of statutory and non-statutory duties, from Early Help Services, through to children who are looked after.  

The service reflects and responds to the changing needs of children and their families.  It works to enable a reflective and flexible approach, with a strong Early Help offer and a real focus on Relationship Based Practice and Signs of Safety, which focuses on intervention and keeping families together. 

Children’s Services is proud of its achievements to date and is continuing to ensure children and families remain at the heart of all it does.  We will provide you with an environment where social work can flourish, with high support, high challenge and manageable caseloads.  Children’s Services is proud of its workforce, who are committed, dedicated, and work to a high standard. We are seeking other like minded practitioners who would like to join us.  We pride ourselves on building relationships with families and partners and hold respectful practice at the centre of all we do.

Coventry Children’s Services has a specialist Children Disability Team (CDT) which provides support to children and young people up to the age of 18 who have a lifelong learning/physical disability. 

The CDT is passionate about working with children, families and other professionals to achieve the best outcomes for vulnerable children.  The team undertake children and family assessments and works with children in need, children subject to child protection plans and looked after children.  A multi-disciplinary approach is modelled in the team in partnership with both universal and mainstream services to support children, young people and their families.
Our ValuesIn line with our One Coventry Values we strive to have a workforce that reflects our local communities and welcome applicants from all sections of the community. We particularly welcome applicants from minority ethnic backgrounds, applicants who have a disability and applicants who are from the LGBTQ+ community to apply for our senior leadership roles. 

Our Values are:

Open and fair: We are fair, open, and transparent.
Nurture and develop: We help and encourage everyone to be their best and do their best.
Engage and empower: We talk and listen to others, working together as one.
Create and innovate: We embrace new ways of working to continuously improve.
Own and be accountable: We work together to deliver the best services for our residents.
Value and respect: We put diversity and inclusion at the heart of all we do.

What is the job role?  

We have an opportunity for an enthusiastic and committed Early Support Key Worker to join our team. Our exciting, innovative and caring service supports children and their families aged 0-5 years (with complex Health Needs/SEND) who need information, advice and direct support.  Your role will include helping them to mobilise their resources, supporting them with the coordination and access to services, and enabling children to achieve good outcomes.  

As an Early Support Key Worker, you will be responsible for managing a caseload and taking the lead in co-ordinating plans and undertaking multi-agency family service meetings in line with the Early Help and/or Early Support procedures. 

You will believe in providing a high-quality service that ensures that the child is at the heart of everything we do. You will need to have a positive attitude and the ability to work in a solution-focused way with families.

This position is 32.5 hours per week, permanent.

This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
 
Who are we looking for?We seek an enthusiastic, nurturing and open-minded person committed to providing a person-centred service to children with complex health or special educational needs and supporting their families.  

You will require some knowledge and understanding in working in a multi-agency team, responding to referrals and gathering information to enable threshold decisions regarding the support a child and their family require.

The ideal candidate will:

Hold an NVQ Level 3 in childcare (or equivalent)
Have great observational and reporting skills with excellent communication skills including written, verbal and the ability to advocate for children and their families as required 
Have experience working with children with disabilities or SEN/D and families
Have a calm, welcoming and non-judgmental attitude 

For full details on the application process please read the attached document on our jobs page labelled 'Coventry City Council Application Process'

If you need help or support to complete your application, please visit our accessibility page to see how we can assist you.

Interview dates: 18th and 22nd April 2024
About CoventryCoventry has a proud, innovative and creative spirit that throughout its history has seen communities come together to tackle problems and bring about real social change.

We are cutting-edge, challenging, youthful, vibrant and diverse.

At Coventry we are committed to excellence in everything we do. With around 5100 staff from a range of different backgrounds, our aim is to recruit and develop talented people who will focus on our customers, take responsibility, work together and find better ways of doing things.

To deliver the best services to our residents, we need the best people working for us to make a difference to our communities.

If you join us, we will provide a fantastic rewards and benefits package - to find out more please visit https://www.coventry.gov.uk/council-vacancies