Social Worker - Supported Lodgings

As a Supported LodgingsSocial Worker you will be able to support Dorset's Supported Lodging Host's and help them achieve great outcomes for the children and young people they care for.

By supporting our hosts, you will make a difference to young people who are leaving care, enabling them to be the best possible version of themselves into adulthood and beyond.

• You will be well supported by the Fostering & Supported Lodgings team and feel a strong team ethos of collaborative working, passion and creativity.
• You will have the opportunity to support the Team Manager in shaping the service, to introduce creativity and a dynamic approach to the exciting changes being implemented.
• You will receive monthly, reflective supervision, to develop your skills and support our hosts to have a therapeutic approach to the young people that they are caring for.
• You will also be supported to ensure that hosts are maintaining the safety of our children and young people, as well as supporting them to build on their life skills i.e. budgeting, cooking, household duties, education and employment.
• You will have access to full and dynamic training opportunities, Dorset Council’s Social Work academy, as well as a bespoke induction programme.
• You will have access to 1:1 support from advanced practitioners within the team.
• You will have access to Dorset's staff wellbeing service.
• You will be supported with your career progression within Dorset Council.

What you can expect to be doing:

• We are looking for a dedicated and dependable Supported LodgingsSocial Worker, with a history of working with children and young people.
• The successful applicant will be supporting Hosts and looked after children/ young people across Dorset.
• You will be expected to undertake thorough and reflective assessments of new Supported Lodgings Hosts and assist with recruitment, retention, assessment and training.
• You will be completing six weekly statutory visits and recording these promptly.
• To co-ordinate support groups for our Supported Lodgings Hosts.
• To be involved with service development as required.
• Ensuring that young people are at the heart of practice, included in their planning, have fair opportunities, that their sense of identity is promoted and advocated where necessary.
• You will liaise closely with the Leaving Care Team to create the most appropriate pathway, stepping stone to independence for young people, making sure that 'positive endings' and their move on is young person focused.
• The Supported Lodgings team are based in Dorchester, you will be responsible for supporting hosts living across the county.
• You will provide reliable support, supervision, and undertake reviews for Supported Lodgings Hosts. You will also be required to present at the Fostering/ Supported Lodgings Panel as part of your role.
• You must have a passion for children and young people, excellent organisational skills, be able to meet deadlines, have excellent communication skills and the ability to analyse situations accurately and produce detailed, meaningful written reports.
• This role will include safeguarding our children and young people, and participating in training for our hosts to continue to progress their development.

About you:

• You will be a qualified Social Worker who is registered with Social Work England.
• Have a clear enhanced DBS check for children and adults.
• Have a clean, full driving licence, enabling you to fulfil travel requirements of the post, able to work flexibly, including some evenings and weekends.
• Have experience of working with children/ young people and adults in a statutory social care environment.
• Have a strong working knowledge of child care legislation, statutory guidance and practice, including Fostering standards, Supported lodgings standards etc Housing and Benefit entitlement for Young People leaving care.
• Have ability to create an environment for social work practice to flourish.

This post requires significant travel. You must have a vehicle (or transport we deem suitable) available for use as needed.

This post involves working with children and/or vulnerable adults and/or having access to significant information about them. It will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check. See our policy on the employment of ex-offenders.

See our policy on safeguarding children and young people.

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You must:

• have a degree in Social Work
• be registered with Social Work England
• be able to fulfil the travel requirements of the post

See the children’s Social Worker framework.