The primary role of a Children's Rights Advocate is to ensure that the child is central to the plans that are being made with them, that their wishes and feelings are paramount, and that their rights under the United Nations Convention for the Rights of the Child are fully respected. They ensure that all options for family life are considered and actively explored, and that if the child is not able to live safely within their family, the plan for them reduces the risk of harm and secures emotional, physical and legal permanence. Children's Rights Advocates have an oversight and challenge role in respect of multi‑agency plans for children, which extend to the quality and impact of practice and the contribution of professionals in partner agencies across the Safeguarding Children Partnership. They also have a quality assurance role in monitoring practice quality standards, providing feedback to practitioners and their managers/supervisors. Under the leadership and management of the Principal/ Service Manager, Children's Rights Advocates...
The Children's Rights and Safeguarding Standards Service (CRSSS) sits within Children and Family Services and is part of the Together for Families Directorate. Within the CRSS Service there are three service areas:
* The Children's Rights Advocacy Service works to ensure that children's rights are central to the development and review of Child Protection and Child in Care Plans, and that all professionals work together to improve their outcomes.
* The LADO Service supports and challenges agencies to work together effectively to safeguard children from the risk of neglect and abuse by professionals, volunteers and those in public office who have direct contact or responsibility for children and young people.
* Our Safeguarding Children Partnership is supported by the Service in its role of coordinating multi‑agency work to safeguard and promote the welfare of children across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, and to ensure the effectiveness of what membership organisations do individually and together.
Key Responsibilities
* Ensure that the focus of multi‑disciplinary work to help and protect children is focused on the lived experience of the child and the progress they are making to the agreed outcomes.
* Ensure the child's wishes and feelings are at the centre of all involvement with them, and that they are given every opportunity to be heard, and to be part of the decisions that affect them.
* Ensure that family members and other people who know the child and those who are important to them are involved in the plans for children unless it is unsafe for them to be involved.
* Support professionals and agencies to work together effectively to safeguard children and young people.
* Facilitate the meetings where important decisions are made about children such as child protection conferences, children in care/care leaver and adoption reviews.
* Have an overview of how children and young people are doing between meetings to ensure progress is being made towards positive outcomes.
* Make sure there is not drift and delay in planning for children.
* Have a quality assurance role over the quality and impact of social work and multi‑agency practice in relation to the protection of children and progress in achieving good outcomes through stability and permanence.
Leadership / Development
* Developing social work practice in a specific area of expertise by extending knowledge, skills and learning across the Service.
* Developing wider learning across the partnership by providing practice and/or professional leadership, through the development of research‑informed practice, monitoring and quality assurance, and staff development through coaching and mentoring.
* Developing their own and wider service knowledge with a view to influence and contribute to the development and review of strategies, policies and practice guidance within the Service and wider partnership.
* Provide consultation either directly or indirectly to staff working with children who are highly vulnerable and experiencing complex situations to provide better outcomes for children.
* Developing clear specialisms which link to the overall service objectives.
* Providing coaching, mentoring and supervision as required to colleagues throughout the service.
Working Hours & Schedule
* 37 hours a week with an option for compressed hours i.e. 10 days worked over 9 days; work will be carried both in an office and at home depending on the needs of the service.
Conditions of Employment
* This position will be subject to an enhanced criminal record disclosure check.
* This is a public/customer-facing role, where the statutory English language requirement for public sector workers applies.
* The normal duties of the role may involve travel on a regular or occasional basis. It is a condition of employment that the role holder can exercise satisfactory travel mobility in order to fulfil the obligations of the role. If an alternative form of transport is unavailable or impracticable the role holder will be required to provide a suitable vehicle.
Qualifications
* Recognised social work qualification equivalent to a minimum of Diploma in Social Work.
* Registered as a social work practitioner with Social Work England.
* Applied knowledge of relevant legislation, regulations and statutory guidance and national standards relevant to children in need of protection and children in care. Applies in-depth understanding of the role of all agencies in keeping children safe in line with Working Together (2023), Care Act (2014) and the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010.
* Ability to critically analyse complex cases and appropriately challenge decisions at all levels.
* Provide constructive criticism, negotiate joint approaches to problems and resolve professional differences.
* Contributes to the development of policy, procedure and practice guidance.
* Applied understanding of Ofsted judgement criteria in respect of all aspects of safeguarding.
* Applied understanding of contemporary research and models of practice, evidenced through attending relevant and recent training.
* Excellent group facilitation and chairing skills, managing underlying tensions and overt conflict.
* Experience of providing professional supervision and support and knowledge of the evidence about what makes for good quality practice in working with children and families.
* Significant working experience in frontline child protection social work services including significant practice in child and/or adult protection/safeguarding.
* Collaboratively works with all disciplines and agencies to deliver child and outcome focused service.
* A proven ability to communicate with children and young people and families.
* Evidence of post‑qualification study/training within their relevant profession to evidence of commitment to continuing professional development.
* Ability to provide mentoring and professional consultation to all disciplines within the multi‑agency children's workforce.
Remuneration & Benefits
* A competitive salary.
* A defined benefit pension scheme, based on your career average earnings. This includes the option for extra voluntary contributions.
* A generous annual leave entitlement with the potential to purchase additional leave.
* A national award‑winning employee health and wellbeing programme.
* Employee benefits scheme giving employees access to a wide range of discounts to local and national goods and services.
* We commit to providing a reward and benefits package to attract, motivate and reward our employees. We offer a range of flexible working options to our staff. This helps provide our employees with a greater work/life balance while still ensuring that service needs are met.
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