Cafcass Cymru – Family Court Advisor – Mid & West Wales
Purpose of the post
Cafcass Cymru is operational – advising the court on cases where a child’s welfare is at stake – and is also part of Welsh Government. The role of Cafcass Cymru’s Family Court Advisers is to represent the wishes, feelings and best interests of children and young people involved in family court proceedings in Wales, providing high quality, independent social work advice that protects and promotes their welfare.
Goals
* Provide the best quality service to support improved outcomes for every child, young person and family we work with.
* Create an environment and learning culture where staff feel valued, and their well‑being is supported.
* Share our knowledge, learn from partners and use our collective influence to improve the family justice system and children’s social care in Wales.
Key responsibilities
* Carry a case load of private and/or public law cases.
* Provide professional social work advice and assistance to Courts to achieve a timely conclusion to proceedings and secure the best possible outcome for the child based on their individual needs and best interests.
* Provide high quality evidence (orally and in writing) to the Court.
* Ensure that the child’s welfare is paramount throughout proceedings, including ensuring the child is safeguarded in line with organisational requirements and the All-Wales Safeguarding Procedures.
* Ensure appointment and instruction of legal representation for the child as required and in line with statutory and organisational requirements.
* Ensure the child’s wishes and feelings are appropriately considered and reported upon in a timely and high‑quality fashion as part of family proceedings.
* Advise and assist parents and other relevant parties in dispute, aiming to reduce conflict and minimise the need for court intervention.
* Work effectively with partner organisations, stakeholders and people who use our service, whilst maintaining the required independence as part of proceedings.
* Keep up to date with changes in legislation, guidance, court rules, policies, procedures, and best practice developments.
* Comply with organisational policies, procedures, statutory requirements, and court rules in the delivery of services to children and families involved in family proceedings.
* Be responsible for personal learning and development in accordance with the registration requirements of Social Care Wales and the Welsh Government’s performance management process.
* Work as a team member, attend relevant meetings and contribute to the effectiveness and wider planning of Cafcass Cymru as required.
* Provide management information on workloads, practice and performance as required.
* Use ICT effectively for case planning and recording and to support service delivery.
* Represent Cafcass Cymru and the Welsh Government in a professional manner conducive to always promoting a positive image.
Qualifications and experience
To be a Family Court Adviser you must hold a recognised social work qualification and be registered with, or eligible to be registered with, Social Care Wales. You must have knowledge and experience of safeguarding children and young people within a statutory sector. The role requires resilience, organisational skills, the ability to work proportionately, strong IT skills and excellent verbal and written communication skills. You will also be asked about your nationality and whether you are legally allowed to work in the United Kingdom.
Eligibility – Nationality requirements
* UK nationals
* Nationals of the Republic of Ireland
* Nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
* Nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre‑settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
* Nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre‑settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
* Individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
* Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Commitment to diversity
We are actively committed to becoming an increasingly diverse organisation with a workforce that reflects the diversity of the children and families we work with. We particularly welcome applications from individuals from diverse backgrounds with a range of lived and professional social work experiences. This is supported by our dynamic approach to learning and development and there are several diversity networks which staff can participate in, which include The Minority Ethnic Staff Network, PRISM LGBTI+ Network, and the Women Together Network.
Benefits
* Pay progression based on annual incremental advance.
* Full‑time holiday entitlement of 31 days annual leave, plus 10 public and privilege days’ leave.
* Access to numerous training opportunities.
* A civil service pension.
* Reimbursement of Social Care Wales Fees.
* Flexible working arrangements.
* An allowance of £1,000 per year is available if you use your own car for all official business travel and cover in excess of 2,000 statutory miles per year. A valid driving licence and motor insurance is required.
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