Specialist Senior Social Worker (Duty And Assessment Team & Family Safeguarding)

About you….

Have you been practicing as a Social Worker for 2 and a half years? Do you want to progress in your career and develop an area of specialism? Are you passionate about and committed to a way of working that is about helping and empowering families to keep children safe? If you are looking for a change, and wish to further your development, take a look at this exciting opportunity that has opened in Walsall.

The role…

In Walsall we understand the need to invest in our Social Workers and we have an exciting opportunity for you to join the Local Authority as a Specialist Senior Social Worker. As a Specialist Senior Social Worker you will hold a manageable workload, and have the opportunity to specialise in an area of child and family social work that you are passionate about, including specialist training commissioned by the Practice Development Hub. 

About us…

Walsall is a stable local authority that has been judged as ‘good’ by Ofsted. Our Social Workers are positive about working here. Our overall staff satisfaction was most recently an average of 8.1/10, with the main thing being that Social Workers feel safe, and supported by their managers and colleagues.

Walsall has been running the Family Safeguarding model for over 3 years now. You will work alongside Adult Specialist Practitioners and have access to expertise knowledge, co-working and Group Supervision. If you join, you will receive training in the approaches used in the model, and in motivational interviewing and trauma informed practices, as well as in your individual specialisms and other areas relevant for experienced Social Workers such as the use of Parent Assess and Achieving Best Evidence interviewing.

We know and understand that being a Social Worker is hard work and challenging at times. We are committed to staff wellbeing, and to listening to you and doing the things that make social work a doable job.

This includes: 

• Retention Payments of 10% of your annual salary after 2 years, paid monthly, increasing at 4 and 6 years employment.
• The option of flexible working – we offer a 9-day fortnight, where you can compress your contracted hours. This is to offer families flexible and make sure your can take back time accrued.
• Access to 1:1 and/or group Clinical Supervision with the Child Psychology Service should you wish further support in your practice.
• A commitment to reducing bureaucracy and paperwork.
• Clear career progression route with access to development opportunities and specialist training to support you.
• Induction period which will introduce you to our practice framework, understanding of service areas and start key training.
• Significant contribution towards your LGPS pension scheme .
• Refund SWE registration fees

For a discussion about the role, please contact antony.schaffarczyk@walsall.gov.uk

Closing date for applications: 14 February 2024.

Walsall Council takes seriously the responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of all the children and young people entrusted to our care and it is our expectation that all staff will share this commitment. We will ensure continuous development and improvement of robust recruitment processes and procedures that promote a culture of safeguarding amongst our workforce. Completion of an enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check is a requirement for working with children and young people. Amend to ‘vulnerable adults’ if appropriate.

Note: Applicants appointed to posts that require an enhanced DBS clearance must declare any periods of time that they have lived, studied or worked abroad and be prepared to provide an Overseas Criminal Records Certificate (OCRC) or a Statement of Good Conduct (SOGC) relating to anytime they were overseas.

Important note: When completing your online application form, you will be asked to enter supporting information. You must enter a detailed supporting information statement describing how your skills, abilities and experience meet the specific criteria included in the employee specification. If you do not include a supporting information statement, you will not be shortlisted.

Please do not add a CV as we do not accept them. Please see our Information for Applicants leaflet for further information.