Bradford has created a new Children and Families Trust, commissioned by Bradford Council to deliver a wide range of services for children, families, and young people. The Trust is accountable for determining how outcomes of these services are achieved and for the day-to-day running of commissioned children’s services.
This is an important opportunity to renew our approach to delivering support for Bradford’s children, young people, and families in need by renewing services and creating a new organisation. We are bringing the mindset, dynamism, and energy of a start-up together with the national expertise and determination of the Trust’s Board and senior leadership.
Our vision is for all children and young people in Bradford to be safe and able to realise their full potential. Our purpose is to provide high-quality services with partners that help safeguard, support, and promote the welfare of children, young people, and families across the Bradford District.
Within the Placement Coordination Service, we have a dedicated Placement and Family Finding team. This team works in collaboration with each child’s social worker to ensure that the referral for placement is accurate, up to date, and captures the voice of the child while clearly defining the requirements.
This is a specialist role for skilled and experienced social workers who understand children in the context of their life story and attachment history, identifying placements that meet their needs. You will need to understand and apply commissioning principles to ensure that any placements are procured in line.
Role Title: Social Worker L3
Salary: PO3
Location: Bradford – Placement Coordination
Report to: Placement Coordination Team Manager
Job Overview
As a Social Worker in the Placement Coordination Service, your responsibilities will include:
1. Identifying suitable placements for children, considering their ethnicity, language, religion, disability, identity, education, health, family and social relationships, and safeguarding concerns.
2. Working with professionals involved in the care and planning for children to optimize available resources based on the child’s best interests.
3. Ensuring excellent collaboration with key professionals to maintain a consistent team approach to decision-making and planning.
4. Consulting with providers and prospective carers to build profiles of their skills and abilities to meet the assessed needs of children.
5. Participating in training for staff and providers.
6. Involving children, young people, parents, foster carers, providers, and other professionals in the ongoing development of the service.
7. Collating and analyzing information to identify trends and contribute to the development of the service.
8. Supervising and supporting placement arrangements, including matching residential homes and foster carers.
9. Investigating complaints about placement providers and making recommendations.
10. Liaising with other departments to provide specialist information on policy, legislation, and resources.
11. Undertaking preventative work to diminish safeguarding concerns.
12. Providing a social work service by assessing and identifying needs through direct work and care planning.
13. Managing a caseload and exercising complex decision-making in line with professional criteria.
14. Engaging effectively with complex situations involving multi-agency input and significant risk factors.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
We are looking for applicants who can demonstrate that they meet the following requirements:
Education
* MA in Social Work, Degree in Social Work, DIPSW/ CSS /CQSW (social work qualification)
* Registered with Social Work England
Experience
* Experience of working in a social work setting through practice placements, volunteering, and employment.
* Professional or personal experience in placement/adoption/fostering contexts.
* Experience working with children and young people.
* Experience in a multi-agency environment and forging productive relationships with partners.
* Ability to meet the PCF requirements of an experienced social worker.
Skills
* Apply critical reflection and analysis to inform professional decision-making.
* Use judgment to intervene with individuals, families, and communities to promote independence and prevent harm.
* Operate effectively within multi-agency partnerships.
* Understand the impact of developmental trauma on children and apply it to practice.
* Have a robust understanding of attachment theory and its application.
* Recognize diversity and apply anti-discriminatory principles in practice.
* Record accurate information and write reports using electronic systems.
* Engage in effective supervision and manage workloads independently.
* Understand professional accountability and information sharing.
* Demonstrate planning, prioritization, and management of a changing workload.
About You
Bradford Children and Families Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children who use our services, expecting all staff to share this commitment. Successful applicants will be required to complete relevant safeguarding checks. A DBS check will be requested.
We are an equal opportunities employer.
Safeguarding Responsibilities
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