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Kent County Council’s Strengthening Independence Service is recognised by Ofsted in their most recent 2022 inspection; “Disabled children and young people are provided with exceptional support from their Social Workers, whose care and commitment shines through their work. Written notes of visits show lovely rich communication with children using a wide range of styles, including some as basic as touch and reading facial expressions. This communication helps build strong trusting relationships. Their needs are championed to ensure that they get the best care and support.”
We have an exciting opportunity for a full-time and permanent Senior Practitioner in the Strengthening Independence Service’s Disabled Young People's Team covering East Kent. The team covers Thanet, Whitstable, Herne Bay, Canterbury and surrounding villages. We have various bases across the whole of Kent and you can choose any of them to be your contractual base. We promote hybrid working but do encourage working in an office at least twice per week so the team can get together and share ideas and knowledge whilst supporting each other. There is an expectation that you are able to work flexibly across the whole area covered by the team.
We work predominantly with young people aged 18-25 with a range of care and support needs and we place the individual at the centre of their support. You will be involved in assessing the needs of Disabled Young people as they are transitioning into adulthood and planning with them to support the development of their skills and independence. You will undertake work of varying levels of complexity which includes; person centred assessments and developing SMART plans, undertaking Mental Capacity Assessments, Court of Protection applications and Section 42 safeguarding enquiries.
We offer an attractive benefits package and a commitment to ensuring that you achieve a healthy work life balance and opportunities for flexible working arrangements that meet business need. We also offer generous market premium payments (subject to eligibility), and you will also be entitled to a generous annual leave allowance and the local government pension scheme.
You will receive regular personal and professional supervision and will have the opportunity to critically reflect on your practice. You will be supported to develop your practice and progress your career.
Role and Responsibilities:
You will have a small and protected caseload (up to 15) that will allow you to role model good practice whilst also supporting the Team Manager to set performance expectations. You will supervise, motivate and mentor a small group of Social Workers and Social Work Assistants. You will assist the Team Manager to facilitate monthly reflective group supervision, bi-weekly team meetings and weekly performance meetings. You will also be expected to oversee the work of the team in the Team Manager’s absence.
We are looking for somebody who has a positive, forward-thinking attitude who will be able to use their strengths-based practice with individuals which is built around their desired outcomes and goals. Our team is creative and imaginative, and we are looking for a qualified Social Worker with a like-minded approach who will be able to work collaboratively as part of the team.
You will have excellent opportunities for professional development, and you will be supported to consolidate your skills and knowledge and assisted to develop areas of specialist practice development such as Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) Training, Best Interest Assessor (BIA) Training and Practice Educator (PE) training.
About You:
You will need to be registered with Social Work England and possess substantial and varied experience of working with either children, young people or adults.
This post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure Application to the Disclosure and Barring Service and registration as a qualified Social Worker with Social Work England.
This post is considered by KCC to be a customer-facing position. The Council therefore has a statutory duty under Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) to ensure that post holders have a command of spoken English/Welsh sufficient for the effective performance of the job requirements. The appropriate standards are set out in the Job Description/Person Specification.
KCC is committed to building a workforce which reflects the diversity of the county’s working residents, encouraging applications from people of all ages, abilities, genders, sexual orientations, ethnic backgrounds, faiths and those with caring responsibilities, and aspires to create an inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves at work.
Please note: If you are interested in this role, please do apply as soon as possible as the closing date for this advert may be earlier than stated should a number of suitably qualified candidates apply.
