Principal Social Worker - Care & Support
Job description
About the role:
The Care and Support Team works with children, young people, and their families following a Social Work Assessment, where ongoing support and oversight from Children’s Services has been identified. This includes cases involving children who require protection, care and support, as well as families engaged in the Public Law Outline (PLO) process or involved in court proceedings. The team brings together a diverse range of skills, with experienced Social Workers and Wellbeing Workers working collaboratively. Day-to-day operations are effectively supported by Team Coordinators, who assist with tasks such as organising and minuting meetings, preparing chronologies, and providing general business support. We are committed to fostering the professional growth and career development of every team member.
About you:
• You will provide effective support to children and families, drawing on your enthusiasm and motivation to help achieve positive outcomes.
• You will demonstrate confident and skilled communication, maintaining
engagement with families even in challenging or high-risk situations, including those involving hostility.
• You will take a creative approach when working with children, using a variety of tools to help them express their wishes and feelings.
• Be competent in maintaining up to date records and report writing.
• You will need a broad and in-depth understanding of the risks children may face, along with the skills to assess and manage those risks, ensuring timely and proportionate interventions. You will also support the development of family relationships and help identify support networks.
• You will adopt a strengths-based approach to intervention, and experience in applying this model is desirable.
What you will do:
• Demonstrate a strong commitment to high-quality social work practice, ensuring statutory responsibilities are met and organisational policies and procedures are followed.
• Hold a small caseload, focusing on complex cases where risk assessment and management are key. Support colleagues in developing their own risk management capabilities.
• Undertake delegated responsibilities from the Team Manager, including staff supervision and quality assurance of assessments and care plans.
• Lead on professional development within the team by facilitating reflective practice sessions and sharing knowledge in areas of identified need or interest.