About The Service
Cardiff are seeking to recruit principal social workers in both our locality teams and the Child Health and Disability service.
The successful candidate will have the passion and drive to delivering only the ‘very best’ service to our children and their families and carers within the constraints of the legislation and budgetary framework. The successful candidate will model best practice, coach and support our allocated workers enabling them to grow and develop to be the best practitioners that they can be. In pursuit of this we have increased the number of principal social workers and are seeking to recruit permanent workers to these roles.
Cardiff as the capital of Wales offers not only the experience of working in a vibrant, and successful city but also offers easy access to the fabulous South Wales region’s coastline and countryside with worldwide standing. Whether you choose to live in the city or within commuting distance, you have plenty of choice in accommodation, with excellent transport routes. For those practitioners seeking to broaden their experience working with Children and their families, Cardiff has so much to offer, through exciting opportunities to develop practice knowledge in areas that can only be found in the capital city, working with children and families from a diversity of backgrounds and experiences.
Cardiff is a forward-thinking organisation that is looking at remote and innovative ways of working with flexibility to work at home, in the office and supporting safe face-to-face contact with families and children.
The proverb ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ is as relevant to a major city such as Cardiff as it is anywhere – the challenge is to identify, engage and work collaboratively with our communities to achieve this. Cardiff’s locality model allows social workers and support staff to work within the local communities and get to know the specific needs of the communities we support. Working in partnership with other statutory and non-statutory agencies and the rd sector we provide the right level of assistance to our families at the right time, empowering families to reach out to these support networks in order to reduce the long term needs of individuals and the communities they live in.
Cardiff Children’s services are leaders in practice and have been chosen as the location for key pilot projects including Family Drug and Alcohol Courts. We are forward thinking and seeking to embrace new models of working to ensure success in supporting children and young people experiencing mental health crisis and children involved with criminal exploitation. Our new ways of working have led us to develop multi-disciplinary teams.
Cardiff supports the learning and development of individuals through leadership and management development opportunities whilst actively involving staff in the auditing and review of proactive learning that enables continuous development of the service and individuals within a nurturing and supportive culture.
There is a key focus on shifting the balance of care ensuring that only those children for whom risks cannot be mitigated are placed outside their family network. This is being achieved through clear analysis of the presenting issues and seeking to tailor support to meet the needs of family which might include daily support in the home and or the use of short breaks. Cardiff is committed to working with families through statutory intervention and sharing parental responsibility only where the risks dictate and not as a result of access to resources/services.
About the job
Benefits offered
Cardiff is frequently found at the top of lists of best cities in the UK to live in so come join us and see what we can offer.
1. A generous annual leave entitlement starting at days per year to a maximum of days per year after years, with the option to purchase additional annual leave to a maximum of days.
2. Our working culture is flexible, with a flexi scheme allowing you to work to a schedule that suits you
3. Hybrid working – supporting you to flexibly deliver your role whether on visits, from an office or your home
4. Access to the Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan Pension Fundwhich is part of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), offering a reputable, secure and flexible pension plan for peace of mind.
This is just some of what Cardiff has to offer, take a look at our Social Work website for more information about all our benefits and hear from some of our social workers, talking about why cardiff is the place to be.
5. Home - Social Work Cardiff : Social Work Cardiff
Cardiff Safeguarding and Children looked after teams are now based in localities across the city at St Mellons in the East, Fairwater in the North and Cardiff Bay in the South enabling staff to be based within the communities that they serve. Within the team's geographical area you will support children and young people through robust assessment, outcome focused planning and effective intervention to support them in achieving positive outcomes within their families and communities. Working within a restorative practice approach, you will work in partnership with families and multi-agency colleagues in intervening to address both the presenting concerns and underlying difficulties.
This is an exciting opportunity to join the service which puts the individual at the heart of our work. The teams work from a strengths-based (Signs of Safety) approach to meet the needs of young people and their families.
As the Principal Social Worker you will have the opportunity to develop the practice of others within the team through joint working and supervision whilst also leading by example as case-holder for those children with more complex needs who require the expertise of an experienced and skilled practitioner.
What We Are Looking For From You
You will have an offer of direct access to a senior manager as mentor, if required. You will form a critical key part of the locality management team: shaping its practice and development alongside the other PSWs, Team Managers and your Operational Manager.
Within the team you will take the role of Practice Leader, working with the Team Manager, supporting and encouraging the culture within the services as well as leading, teaching and modelling strength base and trauma informed practice. You will work alongside the Team Manager to help in managing the performance and development of Social Workers as well as contributing to the development and maintenance of effective systems to ensure quality services to children and their families.
The successful candidate must have robust safeguarding experience and experience of working with Children looked after and be confident with court proceedings. You must be flexible and able to work under pressure and have front line post qualifying experience in child protection services.
A degree in Social Work is essential for this role, as well as excellent skills in assessment and the ability to write concise records and reports. You will be a good team player, have excellent communication, organisation skills and IT skills.