Social Worker- Children in Care team

Hybrid, according to caseload. 2/3 days office based per week in accordance with requirements/duty. Flexibility with this.

Job Introduction:

Team supports children and young people aged between 0 and 16 years who have care plans of Adoption, Special Guardianship or Long-Term Foster Care. The team consists of a Team Manager, Deputy Team Manager, Senior Practitioners, Social Workers and two Social Work Assistants who specialise in Life Story Work. The team also work very closely with colleagues across the Council, as well as in different partner agencies (e.g Education and Health.)

Social Workers in the team undertake Direct work, Life Story Work and wishes and Feelings Work, all as part of supporting children and young people to recover from the adversity they have suffered; and to understand why they are unable to live with their family or primary care givers. The nature of the work does mean travelling both locally and to places at a distance. The team has a very child-centred way of working and all statutory visits are written in a letter-type format to children and young people. This approach was praised in the authorities last Ofsted inspection.

Main Responsibilities:

• Chairing multi-disciplinary meetings and working closely with other agencies/professionals to complete assessments and formulate child centred care plans.

• Completing annual Children and Family Assessments on each case to ensure that the care plan for the child/young person is reviewed.? 

• Ensuring that children have all of their day-to-day care needs met and fully understand their care story. This will be through the provision of direct work/life story work and multi-agency working with other professionals.? 

• Managing a caseload of up to 20 children with children subject to Care Orders, Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children, Placed with Parents and if sufficiently experienced children subject to Placement Orders.? 

• Working as part of a team to share knowledge, develop team skills and contribute to the overall development of the team.

The Ideal Candidate:

• Social Work qualification.

• Able to demonstrate previous experience.

• Experience of supporting looked after children acquired through their professional experience.

• Any therapeutic training/life story training would greatly assist applicants within this area.

• Child centred and tenacious individual who strives to achieve the best outcomes for children and young people. 

• It is essential that you have a driving licence and a car available for work purposes, with business insurance.