QSW Children in Care & Placements

Role Purpose:

• To deliver a high quality social work service to children and families working in partnership with other statutory and third sector organisations.
• To work with Children in Care and their families to secure stable, safe permanent care arrangements.
• To undertake child protection enquiries, assessments (initial and core), work with children subject to a child protection plan, respond to requests to accommodate children, initiated care proceedings,
• To participate in team and other service meetings and activities as appropriate.

Main Responsibilities:

• To undertake Assessments within the required timescales in accordance with the Framework.
• To assess, and identify levels of risk and need and deliver protective or supportive service for children with a child protection plan.
• To implement care plans by working in partnership with parents and colleagues from other agencies to effect better outcomes for children with Child Protection plans
• To accommodate children and young people and initiate care proceedings when appropriate
• To formulate care plans in partnerships with children and young people, their families and other providers of care and assistance based on these assessments.
• To produced courts statements and when required, give evidence in court on behalf of the Local Authority
• To promote the welfare of Children in need with particular regard to their age, sex, health, race, religion, culture and life experience as appropriate.
• To provide verbal and written reports to child protection conferences, strategy meetings, planning meetings and reviews
• To maintain and develop up to date relevant skills and knowledge of current legislation, policy and social work practice.
• To use information technology systems to carry out duties.
• To take responsibility for managing an individual caseload, having regard to the relative needs of all service users and ensuring an effective use of time and resources.
• To attend and actively make use of supervision and performance appraisal
• To contribute through team meetings and organizational events to the development of the service.
• To maintain accurate and up to date electronic case records in line with policies and procedures
• To ensure that all expenditure on cases is properly authorized and recorded, and that cases with financial packages are regularly monitored and reviewed.
• To act as duty office on a rota basis and as required by line management
• To report any concerns about abuse or malpractice by colleagues in line with the Council's Whistle Blowing Policy
• To ensure that all legislation and local council polices regarding Health and Safety are adhered to.

These activities may be varied from time to time to meet the changing needs of the service.

Knowledge:

1. Experience of working directly with children and young people and their families form a linguistically and culturally diverse community

2. Experience of working in the Statutory, Voluntary or Independent sector

3. Knowledge and experience of using a range of IT applications including Microsoft office and computer based social care record keeping systems