Children's qualified social worker - assessment & duty teams

Our family are usually the people closest to us, those we care most about. Family life is not just about legal ties – it goes far deeper than that. It concerns our most important biological, social and emotional relationships. We hold the value that children and young people are best cared for by their birth families and extended networks and this underpins our 'family first' ethos. Where this cannot be achieved, we seek to ensure that children and young people’s relationships are maintained in line with their best interests. Birth parents and extended networks are included within the decision‑making processes and we provide alternative care which is nurturing and which fosters a sense of belonging. There has never been a more exciting time to join our service: alongside making a difference to the lives of individuals and families, we have adopted exciting new strengths‑based approaches and are passionate about delivering continuous service improvement. In this role, you will be a part of three dynamic Duty and Assessment social work teams, delivering a high‑quality service to the children and their families of Telford and Wrekin through case‑managing Child in Need, Child Protection and initial PLO planning. Our Duty and Assessment Service has excellent partnership relationships that we continue to build upon as well as building our links with community‑based resources. We work closely with our Strengthening Families Service and a range of Targeted Services in the borough. You will work collaboratively with our families, partners and colleagues within the Long‑Term teams, bringing together and coordinating the team around the child to ensure a multi‑disciplinary approach to safeguarding, as well as Assessment, Planning, Implementation and Review.

• Children and families in Telford and Wrekin continue to experience exceptional social work practice when they are in care and as care leavers.
• Participation is a real strength and children’s and families’ involvement is threaded throughout service developments.
• Social workers know their children well and have developed effective relationships with parents.
• Children and young people are at the heart of all we do. The qualities that are important to them:
  • Understanding that there are layers to a person, a practitioner’s ability to see the person as a 'whole'
  • The ability to practice care and kindness
  • Being able to really listen to children and young people – what are their views, hopes, aspirations and worries?
  • The ability to communicate well
• The virtual school is a significant strength in Telford and Wrekin.
• Care leavers benefit from an extremely comprehensive and generous local offer.
• Corporate parenting is a strength in Telford and Wrekin.
• The stability of the experienced workforce creates the perfect environment to benefit children and care leavers. As a result, social workers maintain relationships with children who know them over many years, which contributes to children’s feeling of belonging.
• Staff enjoy working in an environment where senior leaders are visible, and they feel valued.
• There has never been a more exciting time to join our service after the recent publication of our Ofsted Inspection! This is an exciting opportunity to join us in our assessment & duty team for a 12 month fixed‑term contract with the potential for this post to become a permanent post after the 12‑month period.

We value our employees and offer staff rewards and plenty of opportunities for personal development and career progression including:

• Competitive rates of pay
• Automatic access to a secure, flexible and tax efficient Local Government Pension Scheme
• Staff benefits and discounts including salary sacrifice schemes

At Telford & Wrekin Council, we know that having a diverse workforce is key to providing the best possible services to our community. We celebrate having a diverse and inclusive culture where people are able to be themselves at work, and everyone has a voice.

Posts working with children or vulnerable groups will be subject to an appropriate criminal records check.

If you think you can meet the challenge and would like to find out more about this role, please see our recruitment web pages or contact Team Manager, Gemma Westwood on 01952 385796 or Group Manager, Emma Lane on 01952 384231 or by emailing emma.