👨👩👧👦 Qualified Children's Social Worker - Family Social Work Team (Wigan)
Rate of Pay: Up to £38 per hour (Agency/Locum) Location: Wigan Council, Children's Social Care (Family Social Work Team / Integrated Locality Team) Contract: Temporary/Locum
🌟 Job Summary
A dedicated and experienced Qualified Children's Social Worker is required to join a supportive and high-performing Family Social Work Team in Wigan. This role is focused on managing complex caseloads across the spectrum of Children in Need (CIN), Child Protection (CP), and Looked After Children (LAC). The core focus is on robust safeguarding, effective permanency planning, and improving outcomes for vulnerable children and their families within the Wigan area.
📝 Key Responsibilities
* Case Management: Manage a varied and complex caseload involving statutory work from initial referral through to closure, including CIN, CP, and LAC cases.
* Statutory Assessments: Undertake high-quality, comprehensive single assessments, risk assessments, and assessments of parental capacity, ensuring timely completion in line with statutory guidance.
* Child Protection (CP) Work: Lead on Section 47 Enquiries, attend and prepare reports for Child Protection Conferences, and implement and review robust Child Protection Plans.
* Looked After Children (LAC) Work: Initiate and manage care proceedings, prepare all necessary reports (e.g., statements, evidence, court directions), and attend court hearings. Develop, implement, and review personalised LAC Care Plans to secure permanence and stability.
* Direct Work: Engage directly with children and young people to ascertain their wishes and feelings (using the relevant tools and models) and ensure their voices are central to the planning process.
* Multi-Agency Working: Collaborate effectively with partner agencies such as Health, Education, Police, and the Voluntary Sector to ensure a coordinated and holistic approach to service delivery.
* Documentation: Maintain accurate, defensible, and contemporaneous case records on the electronic case management system, complying with statutory timescales and departmental procedures.
* Supervision & Development: Attend regular supervision and demonstrate a commitment to continuous professional development and reflective practice.
✅ Essential Requirements
* Social Work Qualification: A Degree/Diploma in Social Work or equivalent.
* Professional Registration: Current and valid registration with Social Work England (SWE).
* Experience: Significant post-qualifying experience (typically 2+ years is preferred for locum rates) within a statutory Children's Social Work setting (e.g., R&A, Long-Term, Court Team).
* Legislation Knowledge: Expert working knowledge and practical application of the Children Act 1989/2004, relevant safeguarding procedures (e.g., Working Together 2018), and care planning regulations.
* Skills: Excellent analytical, assessment, report-writing, and communication skills. Proven ability to work autonomously, manage high levels of risk, and prioritise a demanding workload.
* Travel: Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle for work purposes to cover the Wigan area (essential for home visits and meetings).
Randstad Care acts as an employment business when supplying temporary staff and as an employment agency when introducing candidates for permanent employment with a client. Randstad Care is an equal opportunities employer and decisions are made on merits alone.
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