Social Worker - Leaving Care Team

Brighter Futures for Children

Part time, 18.5 hours per weeks

12-month Fixed term post

Salary: £26,324 - £28,709 pa (includes £8,000 Annual Market Supplement)

About us

Brighter Futures for Children is a not-for-profit company, owned by, but independent of, Reading Borough Council. Although we are independent, we are very much part of the Reading Family. Our people enjoy all of benefits as other Council employees including membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme and continuous service.

We work closely with partners in the local community and key organisations including Reading Borough Council, policy, public health and voluntary groups. We are responsible for the delivery of children’s social care, early help & prevention, education services (including SEND). This also includes fostering and adoption, the Youth Offending Service and traded services with schools.

Our main aim is to protect and enhance the lives of the children of Reading. We help families find long-term solutions to ensure children lead happy, healthy and successful lives.

The Team/Role

Are you passionate about children? Do you have the desire to improve and provide quality services for our children?

If yes, then come join Brighter Futures for Children on our improvement journey.

We currently have a vacancy for qualified Social Workers in our Leaving Care Team.

Role Responsibilities:

• Undertake assessments and, where appropriate, arrange accommodation for children and young people.
• To work with children, young people, families, carers and communities to help them make informed decisions and engender change, enabling them to clarify and express their needs and contribute to service planning.
• To develop and maintain positive working relationships with service users and other professionals.
• To keep up to date with contemporary issues in children’s social work including legislation and evidence-based practice, and to attend relevant training and development opportunities.
• To work with children, young people, families, carers and communities to help them make informed decisions and engender change, enabling them to clarify and express their needs and contribute to service planning.
• To liaise with colleagues in own, other directorates, and external agencies in order to gather information relevant to assessment and care planning activities and jointly plan and deliver interventions.
• Maintain and update case notes and other records and write reports as necessary. If required, prepare statement in relation to Secure Order and Dols application.
• Participate in planning and/or reviewing the cases of children in care and supervise fostering/adoption arrangements.

Our offer

We offer a supportive environment to grow and develop your career with the opportunity to put your ideas across. Innovation and ambition are strongly encouraged, and you’ll get a great feel for that working in our friendly and collaborative environment.

A competitive salary alongside a range of benefits including:

• A competitive salary alongside a range of benefits including:
• Local Government Pension Scheme with generous employer contribution
• Incremental holidays starting with 26 days plus public holidays (rising to 33 after 10 years’ service)
• Discounted Child Care (on site nursery)
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Season train ticket loans
• Salary Sacrifice Car Lease Scheme
• A range of local shopping discounts
• Remote/Agile working

For more information and a confidential discussion please contact Kayon.Morris-Johnson@brighterfuturesforchildren.org

Inclusion and Diversity

We want Brighter Futures for Children to be a great place to work and to ensure that our children, young people and families are represented in leadership roles and positions of power. A vital part of this is ensuring we are a truly inclusive organisation that encourages diversity in all respects, including diversity of thinking.

We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and those of Other Ethnicities, LGBT+, disabled and neurodiverse communities to make a real difference to our children, young people and families so that equalities and justice remains at the heart of everything we do.

Asking for Adjustments

Brighter Futures for Children is committed to making our recruitment practices barrier-free and as accessible as possible for everyone. This includes making adjustments or changes for disabled people, neurodiverse people or people with long-term health conditions.

If you would like us to do anything differently during the application, interview or assessment process, including providing information in an alternative format, please let us know.

Closing date: 31 March 2024

Interview date: To be confirmed.

We look forward to hearing from you!