This is a great time to join our teams as we work to develop new and innovate ways to ensure children and young people are safe in our city.
Cardiff is the first city in Wales to participate in UNICEF UK’s national Child Friendly Cities and Communities initiative and has been declared as a UNICEF Child Friendly City that places the rights of children and young people at the head of our policies and strategies - a city with children and young people at its heart, where the rights of children and young people are respected by all, a great place to grow up. We recognise the importance of embedding a children’s rights approach across public services to deliver lasting solutions to complex problems.
A children’s rights approach can help to deliver better outcomes for children and their families as well as giving a supportive and coherent framework to practitioners in what can be a challenging area of work.
Removing the barriers that prevent some of our young people from making a successful transition into the world of work, delivering the best outcomes for children in our care and helping young people to live independently must be a priority for all.
Established in March 2022, the practice lead programme was set up to address gaps in practical experience that Newly Qualified Social Workers and Social Work Assistants may have.
The practice leads support practitioners across the service to provide high quality, consistent practice to support good outcomes to be achieved for children and families. They hold lead roles for practice specialisms and work collaboratively to deliver half-day monthly workshops to support knowledge, skill, and practice development. The practice leads also support Newly Qualified Social Workers to be able to undertake the social worker role with confidence and competence in line with practice standards and the CPEL first 3 years in practice framework.
Cardiff’s Practice Leads lead in the induction process and secondments, providing social work expertise and bringing the vision and strategic direction of practice improvement to frontline teams
About the job
Key elements of this important role will include:
* Lead and model expert social work practice aligned to Cardiff’s Children’s Services vision within our Strategy, our developing Model of Practice and in line with the Wales Safeguarding Procedures 2019.
* Influence and develop practice across Children’s Services, ensuring that the vision, values, and principles of Cardiff Children’s Services are promoted and sustained in practice delivery.
* Delivering and supporting the delivery of innovative mixed method learning and development opportunities, seeking to maximise financial and human resource and cost-effective savings in line with staff development, learning and training needs.
* To develop and deliver coaching, bespoke learning and practical support to enhance individuals, teams and service areas to develop the quality of practice and performance, informed by key performance indicators and improvement targets.
* Production of analytical and outcome-focused data to support improvements in service delivery.
* To deliver 1:1, peer and group support to social work assistants and newly qualified social workers to promote and develop their competence, confidence, and capability
* Supporting the effective delivery of the CPEL programme and the enhanced first year in practice support across the Service so NQSWs meet the required practice standards.
* To work alongside the management team and Service Improvement and Strategy colleagues to identify gaps in knowledge and develop and deliver bespoke learning opportunities to overcome these.
What We Are Looking For From You
* Significant experience of working with children, young people and their networks at a Senior Practitioner or Team Manager level, as well as a demonstrable commitment to the values of family involvement, relational approaches and empowerment.
* A sound understanding of social work processes including key legislation, and the ability to work within policies, procedures and practice guidance as it relates to children and families in Wales.
* Excellent written and oral communication skills, to a range of audiences, including professional colleagues and senior managers - at an advanced level - which will enable you to support team managers and practitioners to embed ‘best practice’ in their day-to-day work.
* Ability to provide mentoring, coaching, teaching and role modelling on a 1:1 and group basis for less experienced workers to help develop their skills, knowledge and experience.
* Ability to challenge where practice falls below minimum standards or where there are competency and/or safeguarding issues
Would you like to know more about this role? Please contact Joanna Stroud (joanna.stroud@cardiff.gov.uk ) to arrange a mutually convenient time for an informal discussion.
Please refer to job description and person specification when applying for the above posts.
Additional information
This post has a requirement for registration with Social Care Wales.
This post is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service Enhanced check.
Safeguarding and Child Protection are key priorities for the Council. We aim to support children and vulnerable adults to ensure they are as safe as they can possibly be. Our services and schools are committed to ensuring the safety and protection of all children and vulnerable adults, and will take action to safeguard their well-being, and acknowledge that children and vulnerable adults have a right to protection. This is supported in the general ethos of the Council and all schools.
This vacancy is suitable for post share.
We welcome applications in both English and Welsh. Applications received in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than English applications.
We understand you might use AI and other resources for your application; however, please ensure all information you provide is factually accurate, truthful, original and does not include ideas or work that is not your own.
Please note the Council does not accept CV’s. When completing the supporting information section of your application, please ensure you refer to the below located on our website :
Important information you need read in order to complete your application:-
Job Category Social Services - Childrens
Working Pattern/Contract Type Full Time Permanent
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