Overview
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.
Here in Telford & Wrekin, we implemented a new approach to Child Protection services developed by Hertfordshire County Council, and began to deliver their innovative and pioneering practice model of Family Safeguarding. Family Safeguarding is a model of system change where specialist adult practitioners are embedded within Family Safeguarding teams of Social Workers. The intervention supports a whole-system change to a local authority's child protection approach for children up to adolescence, focusing on supporting the needs of children and adults in order that children can safely remain within their families.
Responsibilities
* Establishing multi-disciplinary teams where specialist adult practitioners in domestic abuse, mental health and substance misuse are co-located with Social Workers under a unified management structure. This enables a multi-disciplinary whole family response through direct assessment and support from specialist adult practitioners as well as multi-professional group case discussions and sharing of knowledge and skills across disciplines.
* Use of Motivational Interviewing (MI) as a framework for practice for all staff. Staff undergo training and ongoing skills development workshops and follow a structured solution-focussed intervention programme with families which aims to work collaboratively with families and increase engagement.
* Using an electronic assessment workbook which provides a single data tool for all professionals and links to the work programme. This increases ease of information sharing between professionals and reduces social worker time spent recording and sharing information.
Our brilliant practitioners are at the heart of our ambitious approach to improve outcomes for children and families in Telford and Wrekin: from tailored in-house training to the West Midlands Teaching Partnership, we ensure that our workforce have access to the best development opportunities.
Children and young people are at the heart of all we do. The qualities that are important to them are: understanding that there are layers to a person, the ability to practice care and kindness, listening to children and young people — their views, hopes, aspirations and worries, and the ability to communicate well.
Achievements and culture
Here at Telford and Wrekin Council, we have been judged outstanding overall in terms of effectiveness for the second time. Ofsted feedback from April 2024 highlights the strength of our services. We are proud to be the LGC Local Authority of the Year 2025. Our teams are trusted, supported, and empowered to make a real impact.
Requirements and benefits
* £50,142 - £53,282 per annum (Salaries include market factor where applicable)
* Full reimbursement of Social Work England registration fee
* Essential Car User Allowance
* 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
* Free on-site parking
* Generous leave entitlement (24 days rising to 32 days) plus 8 bank holidays and an additional concessionary day
* Free access to our employee assistance programme and confidential counselling
* Flexible and mobile working policy - hybrid model of working to support personal and family commitments
* Private lettings available from Nuplace with priority for social work professionals
Posts working with children or vulnerable groups will be subject to an appropriate criminal records check. It is an offence to apply for a role that involves engaging in regulated activity with children and adults in vulnerable circumstances if you are barred from working with one or both of these groups. A CV template is available if you do not already have a CV. We value our employees and offer opportunities for personal development and career progression.
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