We are looking to recruit committed, resilient, and experienced Supervising Social Workers with a positive “can do” attitude, for the Mainstream Fostering Team.
This is an exciting opportunity to be involved in assessing potential foster carers, and supervising our foster carers, plus a chance to be innovative and creative in collaborating with other professionals within the service and closely collaborating with our Foster partners.
The Team undertake robust, analytical assessments which focus on the trauma children have experienced and offer high quality supervision and support to our fostering families. As a Supervising Social Worker, you will safeguard and promote the welfare of Cheshire West and Chester's children by delivering an exceptional service, keeping children's wellbeing and safety at the heart of your approach.
Cheshire West and Chester Council is a place where everyone can Thrive – through our core values of Teamwork, Honesty, Respect, Innovation, Value for Money and Empowerment.
The vacancy is for full-time, permanent Supervising Social Worker on the Mainstream Fostering Team based in one of our locations across Cheshire West and Chester (Chester, Ellesmere Port and Winsford).
Grade (PQ Award/experienced) SCP to SCP (£, to £, per annum)
The post requires a Social Work qualification, extensive knowledge of Fostering and Social Care legislation, and at least years post qualifying experience.
The post holder will:
1. require registration with Social Work England as a registered Social Worker.
2. be able to work across the Cheshire West and Chester Borough and beyond.
3. must demonstrate experience and a good understanding of working directly with children and families including working with connected carers/recruited foster carers
Our Children's Social Care workforce is enthusiastic and committed to improving outcomes for children in our Authority by providing a consistent, high-quality service to children, their families, and foster carers together with the support from a stable leadership and management team. We are committed to a culture of shared learning and development in which everyone has a part to play to ensure that our services to children, their families and carers focusses on positive outcomes.
We have developed and continue to embed ‘Our Way of Working’ with our multi-agency partners to ensure improved collaboration and one common approach to our work using Motivational Interviewing and Trauma Informed Practice. Social Workers are encouraged to work creatively in smart planning and decision-making with children, their families, and our partner agencies to achieve positive outcomes and with a focus on prevention at every level.
Cheshire West and Chester will be committed to supporting your development. Social workers have access to a comprehensive learning and development package and are supported to develop their skills, experience, and qualifications through a well-embedded ‘grow your own’ framework. Staff report opportunities to progress into more senior positions in the organisation and develop their skills through moving around different service areas. Social Workers receive regular and reflective supervision, and they are supported to learn and develop their skills through a comprehensive learning and development programme.
Our social workers will tell you: -
•I have always felt supported and part of a team.
•The training opportunities are excellent across all grades.
•Managers at Cheshire West and Chester strive to make Social Workers feel valued and recognised, they are approachable and compassionate
•Cheshire West is a great Local Authority to work for! Everyone genuinely has the needs of children at the heart of everything we do.
•Social Workers are both encouraged and supported to be creative and strive for excellence.
•Cheshire West is a cheerful, friendly, and caring place to work
• I feel valued; it is great to work somewhere that makes you feel like your contribution to the work we do actually counts.
•Social Workers are encouraged to collaborate with partner agencies to make plans that work with families and encourage and promote change.
•There are ample training opportunities to develop your Social Work practice and a clear progression pathway to underpin this.
•I feel well supported by my team, manager, and the senior managers in the authority.
Our commitment and investment in professional development means that most of our Senior Practice Leads, Team Managers and some Senior Managers have progressed within our own organisation.
As a local authority, we have developed an inspirational social work offer to support and develop our valued workforce, including.
high quality progression and developmental opportunities
up to date IT equipment, and a smart mobile phone for all employees
competitive working rewards
high quality supervision
strong reflective practice framework
free parking at all our office locations
As employers, we recognise that Cheshire West and Chester Council has a major role to play in improving the quality of life of its employees. We are committed to meeting the service needs with agile, flexible, and mobile working and helping employees to maintain an effective balance between their work and home life.
We have a strong senior leadership team with a wealth of experience and knowledge about children’s outcomes across the borough of Cheshire West and Chester. Children’s social care and the wider partnership use this understanding well to target areas for continued improvement.
If you have any queries about this vacancy, please do not hesitate to contact: