UASC Peripatetic Principal Social Worker – Grade 9
Based in our UASC Team with a peripatetic function across Intake & Assessment and Pre-Birth
Cardiff are seeking to build upon the success of recruiting social workers by ensuring that we have the very best principal social workers to coach and support our workers, enabling them to grow and develop. In pursuit of this we have increased the number of principal social workers and are seeking to recruit permanent workers with a passion and drive to delivery only the ‘very best’ service to our children and their families and carers.
There is a key focus on shifting the balance of care ensuring that only those children for whom risks cannot be mitigated are placed outside their family network. This is being achieved through clear analysis of the presenting issues and seeking to tailor support to meet the needs of family which might include daily support in the home and or the use of respite. Cardiff are committed to working with families through statutory intervention and sharing parental responsibility only where the risks dictate and not as a result of access to resources/services.
Cardiff Children’s services are leaders in practice and have been chosen as the location for key pilot projects including Family Drug and Alcohol Courts. We are forward thinking and seeking to embrace new models of working to ensure success in supporting children and young people experiencing mental health crisis and children involved with criminal exploitation. Our new ways of working have led us to develop multi-disciplinary teams.
Cardiff is a forward thinking organisation that is looking at remote and innovative ways of working with flexibility to work at home, in the office and supporting safe face-to-face contact with families and children.
About the job
The peripatetic Principal Social Worker will be leading the UASC team but may support at different times other additional service areas (Intake & Assessment and Pre-Birth).
The UASC team undertakes effective assessments of Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children including those in Age Assessment/Dispute. This also encompasses care planning, intervention and review for UASC cases including children in need of being children looked after and/or protection, including circumstances where it is necessary for the local authority to initiate legal proceedings to safeguard children and to further consider their immigration status and rights.
Intake and Assessment Teams:
Intake and Assessment is a fast paced and exciting team. Due to Cardiff’s demography the work is diverse and progressive.Practitioners undertake Well-being and S47 assessments and provide short term interventions to support families to increase safety within the home.
Practitioners hold cases for a short period of time; long term work is generally transferred at the first planning meeting. The Team are on a duty rota for one week in every three, creating the opportunity to plan and record work in a structured and organised way.
Pre-Birth (Unborn) Team:
This team provides intensive planned intervention, assessment, and support during pregnancy to parents where support needs and/ or risks have been identified, the key requirement for a referral to the team, being that there are no children in the care of parents. The aim of the team is to support parents to provide safe appropriate parenting to their baby.
What We Are Looking For From You
As PSW you will be leading the UASC team as well as supporting at different times our Intake & Assessment and Pre-Birth Teams.
We are looking for candidates who have and can demonstrate:
* Experience of working at a Senior Social Worker level with children and their families including child protection work within interagency RSB procedures
* Have robust safeguarding experience and excellent skills in assessment and the ability to write concise records and reports
* Experience in working with UASC, including demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the needs of this cohort of young people, their experiences and the impact of trauma.
* Play a key role in promoting strength-based, trauma informed practice and in shaping the team’s approach to assessments, planning and intervention, ensuring that the child’s voice is central to all decision making.
* Liaise regularly with services who support UASC and coordinate and review a multi-agency approach to ensure best practice in working with UASC and young people to ensure best outcomes.
* Coordinate responses in working with victims of human trafficking, modern slavery and the processes involved in safeguarding such cases
* Coordinate and oversee the age assessment process as well as partaking in some age assessments and Human Rights Assessments.
* Be flexible and able to work under pressure.
* Be able to undertake effective supervision and appraisal
A degree in Social Work is essential for this role as well as being registered with Social Care Wales.
Due to the nature of the role candidates must have front line post qualifying experience in child protection services.
The right candidate also would need to be able to travel in connection with the role.
What we can offer you:
You will have an offer of direct access to a senior manager as mentor, if required. You will form a critical key part of the management team: shaping its practice and development alongside the other PSWs, Team Managers and your Operational Manager.
Cardiff supports the learning and development of individuals through leadership and management development opportunities whilst actively involving staff in the auditing and review of proactive learning that enables continuous development of the service and individuals within a nurturing and supportive culture.
Please refer to job description and person specification when applying for the above posts.
For further benefits and our policies supporting employees and their families please have a look:
With effect from 1st April 2025, this role attracts a market supplement of £5,000 per annum full time equivalent.
This payment is reviewed on a 12 monthly basis.
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.
If you would like an informal conversation about this role prior to application, please contact Laura.white3@cardiff.gov.uk for a discussion.
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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