Location: Northallerton, North Yorkshire.
Salary: From £38,220 to £42,839 per annum + relocation support Grade: JK
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full time hours. Flexible working can be discussed
Flexible work bases and hybrid working available
North Yorkshire Councils Family Assessment and Support Team in Northallerton is looking for dedicated and enthusiastic Social Workers to join our forward-thinking and supportive service.
In our Family Assessment and Support Teams, you will work with a range of children and their families, carers and networks. This will include:
Children subject to child protection plans
Those who are undergoing public law proceedings
A good understanding of all these aspects of the legislation, practice and court process will be needed. In NYC we have an extensive training and learning offer and will support you in your continual professional development. This includes all aspects of our defined practice model, Systemic, signs of safety and family seeing network training.
We have high aspirations for our young people and always strive to work collaboratively with children, young people and their families, working strongly with the belief that each child and young person has a network around them which it is essential to work with.
Main duties of the job
The team is creative in the ways we work with families and no two plans look the same. The Social Workers are supported by new technology which means that more time can be spent with young people and their families. Last year, our childrens services rolled out the use of an AI Policy Buddy which enables staff to find information, check sources and generate summaries of new material. Key features of our AI Policy buddy include
Ability to provide comprehensive, cross-referenced answers tailored to specific queries.
Ability to create bespoke guides for staff and the children and families they work with.
The team consists of a Team Manager and Practice Supervisors to support all our Social Workers in the team. The team have a dedicated business support team to enable Social Workers to spend more time with Children, Young People and their families. We have a well-defined supervision policy which includes regular group supervisions, individual supervisions and opportunities to participate in County Wide practice model sessions and engage in appreciative enquiry and conversation cafes about practice with our Principal Social Worker.
We welcome applications from both experienced professionals and newly qualified social workers. We are looking for those who are:
* Child-focused and creative in your approach
* A team player with a can-do attitude
* Passionate about making a difference in childrens lives
About us
Why Join us?
* Generous Annual Leave: 28 days of holiday (pro-rata), increasing to 34 days after 5 years service plus public holidays.
* Pension Scheme: Save for your future with our generous Local Government Pension Scheme.
* Fitness Discounts: Discounted Gym memberships at various gyms across the county.
* Lifestyle Savings: Enjoy a wide range of discounts at hundreds of popular high-street and online retailers.
* And more: Additional wellbeing support, employee assistance, and development opportunities.
If you are committed to delivering a high standard of practice, we would love to hear from you.
Be the change you trained to be.
We welcome individuals looking to relocate, for further information please see ourRelocation Policy.
Job responsibilities
Job context
Childrens Social Care provide services which follow fromspecific legislation, including the Children Act 1989 and the Children Act 2004as well as other Government guidance and policy. We are committed to providing good qualityservices to support children young people and their families. To work at all times in line with the Healthand Care Professions Councils Code of Practice. Enhanced DBS check and Health and CareProfessions Council registration required. This role involves spokencommunications, so a confident use of English language is required
Job Purpose:
Hold and manage a caseload including Children in Need, ChildProtection and Looked After Children as allocated by the Team Manager orAssistant Team Manager. The post holder will do this by undertakingassessments, formulating, monitoring and managing plans for children with multiagency partners to ensure good, timely outcomes for children.
Operational management:
Manage and prioritise cases as allocated by the line manager
Assess children and their familys needs and makeappropriate recommendations for services to achieve agreed outcomes
Participate in the allocation of cases and accept casesallocated by the Team Manager commensurate with your level of experience.
Liaise with other agency professionals as necessary tofulfil the Directorates statutory duties and achieve best outcomes forchildren.
Fully engage in supervision andperformance appraisal
Maintain good case records, writereports as required in line with departmental standards. Give evidence in courtin relation to care or other proceedings.
Partnerships:
Have a commitment to shared values and the common purpose ofdeveloping a culture of interagency working; including statutory bodies, thirdand private sector organisations
Ensure multi agency engagement in all assessment andplanning processes
Plan and commission services and support for children, youngpeople and their families.
Liaise with colleagues in own and other departments andexternal agencies in order to gather information relevant to assessment andcare planning activities: organise and chair meetings as required.
Work with individuals or groups to develop individualpotential.
Understand and support the role and value of families andcarers as partners in supporting their children to achieve positive outcomes
Ensure all interventions serve to improve outcomes forchildren
Make key decisions in terms of case management based onobservation and professional judgement: understanding their context in relationto behaviour, listen actively and respond to concerns
Evaluate situations, analyse and record them appropriately.
Grade K only: Act as supervisor to Social Work students onplacement, including support, guidance, challenge and assessment
Strategic management:
Contribute to the planning and development of theDirectorates services
Understand your own role, and the importance of providingcare or support through transitional periods.
Identify transition points
Provide appropriate support and interventions
Communications:
Advise clients on the Directorates charging policies
Comply with Data Protection Legislation and the AccessRequest to Files Policy
Demonstrate good recording skills with the availabletechnology
Liaise with staff of the Directorate and other agencies toeffect decisions reached, and to participate in all necessary placement orreview panels to ensure that service provision continues to be appropriate toservice user needs and wishes.
Promote children, young people and their familysparticipation in decision making.
Ensure all work with children and families remains focusedand meets the need of children
Use high level communication skills, including listening,building empathy, consultation and negotiation to ensure positive outcomes forchildren
Undertake preventative work with families in order to reducethe need for care or accommodation: support and assist families and extendedfamilies, to care for their children
Work with children and young people, families, carers andcommunities to help them make informed choices and decisions, enabling them toclarify and express their needs and contribute to service planning.
Develop and maintain effective relationships with childrenand young people, their families and carers: provide advice and support: helpresolve conflict.
Systems and information:
Maintain case records, including computerised systems, inline with Directorate procedures.
Adhere to professional and organisational procedures onconfidentiality and maintaining appropriate boundaries with service users andtheir families.
Safeguarding:
Complete assessments within timescales with children andtheir families, develop care plans and provide support for children and theirfamilies
Provide support and advice to carers and encourage thedevelopment and maintenance of appropriate support networks and services withinindividual homes or in the community
Take necessary statutory or other action in relation to thesafety of children, including emergency situations, and liaison with otheragencies as required in such cases.
Be responsible for promoting and safeguarding the welfare ofchildren and young people that you are responsible for and come into contactwith.
Investigate allegations of neglect, abuse or ill-treatmentof children, in accordance with legislative requirements and child protectionprocedures; undertake assessments of risk and need; where appropriate, arrangeaccommodation for children and young people.
Apply for Child Assessment Orders and Emergency ProtectionOrders.
Prepare appropriate plans for children and young people,including arrangements for obtaining and implementing Court orders.
Person Specification
Qualifications
* Fully qualified, accredited social work professional status (CQSW, DipSW, CSS, PQCCA)
* Current registration with the Health and Care Professions Council
* Grade K:
* Fully qualified, accredited social work professional status (CQSW, DipSW, CSS, PQCCA)
* Current registration with the Health and Care Professions Council
* Successfully passing Level 3 (competence based) Assessment
* Other Requirements
* Availability to work as necessary outside normal office hours when necessary and by agreement
* Ability to meet the travel needs of the post across the geographical area
Occupational Skills
* Ability to communicate with children and young people at all levels of ability
* Undertake negotiation with families
* Ability to assess family circumstances and need and identify necessary resources to meeting that need
* Multi-disciplinary working intervention with Families
* Presentation skills (written and oral)
* The ability to converse at ease with customers and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.
* Advocacy
* Care Planning and implementation
* Ability to engage with service users
* Effective written and verbal communication skills including report writing
* IT skills to include competency in word processing, manipulating spreadsheets, accessing information from databases and electronic communication.
* Ability to engage with service users
* Ability to recognise risk and take appropriate actions
* Grade K
* In addition to the skills detailed above at Grade J
* Undertake negotiation with families and in the partnership arena
* Self-management skills and ability to use initiative
* Care Planning and implementation and review
* Ability to engage service users in planning and decision making
* Ability to identify risk and initiate child protection intervention
* Ability to effectively supervise Social Worker students
* Ability to write a range of reports and plans to a high professional standard
* Ability to organize and prioritise workloads to meet required timescales behaviours
Experience
* Knowledge of current good practice in child care
* Knowledge of the principles of the Children Act 1989, the Children Act 2004, the Every Child Matters agenda and Care Planning Regulations 2010
* Some background experience in a social care or similar setting
* Work placement in a child care setting (degree course)
* Grade K
* In addition to the skills and knowledge detailed above at Grade J
* Knowledge of the judicial processes
* Knowledge of theory and practice of care assessment, planning, child protection/safeguarding procedures; detailed knowledge of relevant legislation acquired through professional qualification in social work plus minimum 2 year post-qualification experience in relevant field.
* The eligibility criterion for progression beyond (Grade J) will be as above for Grade J plus 2 years relevant post-qualification experience in accordance with designated performance standards.
* Instances may occur where the post-qualification experience is not in a post specifically designated as Social Worker. In such cases the appropriate Service Manager must be satisfied as to the quality and relevance of that experience
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
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