Overview
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 outcomes. The LADO Service supports and challenges agencies to safeguard children from 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 co-ordinating 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.
The Role: The primary role of a Children's Rights Advocate is to ensure that the child is central to the plans being made with them, that their wishes and feelings are paramount, and that their rights under the United Nations Convention on 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 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, extending to the quality and impact of practice and the contribution of professionals in partner agencies across Our 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
* Ensure that the focus of multi-disciplinary work to help and protect children is aligned with the lived experience of the child and the progress towards agreed outcomes.
* Ensure the child\'s wishes and feelings are at the centre of all involvement and that they are given every opportunity to be heard and to participate in decisions that affect them.
* Ensure that family members and other people who know the child and are important to them are involved in the plans for children unless it is unsafe to be involved.
* Support professionals and agencies to work together effectively to safeguard children and young people.
* Facilitate meetings where important decisions are made about children, such as child protection conferences, children in care/care leaver and adoption reviews.
* Maintain an overview of how children and young people are doing between meetings to ensure progress towards positive outcomes.
* Prevent drift and delay in planning for children.
* Maintain a quality assurance role over the quality and impact of social work and multi-agency practice regarding child protection and progression towards stable and permanent outcomes.
In addition, lead on:
* 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 research-informed practice, monitoring and quality assurance, and staff development through coaching and mentoring.
* Developing own and wider service knowledge to influence and contribute to the development and review of strategies, policies and practice guidance within the Service and wider partnership.
* Providing consultation to staff working with highly vulnerable children in complex situations to achieve better outcomes for children.
* Developing clear specialisms linked to the overall service objectives.
What you\'ll get in return: Cornwall Council aims to be an employer of choice, a high-performing Council and a learning organisation. We offer a rewards and benefits package to attract, motivate and reward employees, including flexible working options to support work/life balance while meeting service needs. Core rewards and benefits include a competitive salary, a defined benefit pension scheme (with option for extra voluntary contributions), generous annual leave with option to purchase additional leave, a national award-winning health and wellbeing programme, and employee benefits with access to discounts on local and national goods and services.
Additional Information
Cornwall Council is unable to offer visa sponsorship or transfer existing sponsorship for this role. The full role profiles are attached: Role Profile (Grade 4 Children\'s Rights Advocate) and Role Profile (Grade 5 Senior Children\'s Rights Advocate). We recommend saving a copy for reference if invited to an interview. For more information or an informal chat, please contact sarah.thayne@cornwall.gov.uk.
Application Process
Please attach a supporting statement to your application. You can add your Education & Qualifications details manually in the application form timeline or upload your CV. Demonstrate why you are suitable against each of the points marked as \"Application\" on the Role Profile using examples from your experience or transferable skills. Guidance on completing your application can be found here. Applications cannot be edited after submission; please contact us if you require assistance. Existing employees must apply using their Cornwall Council email address through the Opportunity Marketplace on Oracle.
* Providing coaching, mentoring, and supervision as required to colleagues throughout the service. This is a public/customer-facing role with a statutory English language requirement for public sector workers. This position will be subject to an enhanced criminal record disclosure check. Working Pattern: 37 hours a week with an option for compressed hours (10 days over 9), with work in office and at home depending on service needs.
What\'ll you need to succeed
* Recognised social work qualification equivalent to a minimum of Diploma in Social Work
* Registered as a social worker with Social Work England
* Applied knowledge of relevant legislation, regulations, statutory guidance and national standards relating to children in need of protection and in care, including Working Together (2023), Care Act (2014) and Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010
* Ability to critically analyse complex cases and challenge decisions appropriately at all levels
* Provide constructive criticism, negotiate joint approaches to problems and resolve professional differences; contribute to policy, procedure and practice guidance
* Applied understanding of Ofsted judgement criteria in safeguarding and knowledge of contemporary research and models of practice; strong group facilitation and chairing skills
* Experience in providing professional supervision and support with evidence of good quality practice with children and families
* Significant frontline child protection experience including safeguarding work
* Collaboratively works with all disciplines and agencies to deliver child- and outcome-focused service
* Proven ability to communicate with children, young people and families
* Post-qualification study/training demonstrating commitment to continuing professional development
* Ability to provide mentoring and professional consultation across multi-agency children\'s workforce
* Travel may be required; applicant must be able to travel or provide suitable alternative transport
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