Job Description Social Worker – Kinship Team Dumfries and Galloway £41,702.50 - £44,712.50 Dumfries & Galloway Children and Families Social Work Service has an opening for a social worker to join and support our Kinship Team. This post is permanent and reflects almost fulltime hours (35 hours per week). The Kinship Team will provide a comprehensive service to kinship carers region-wide, delivering a high level of ongoing support and training, to ensure children and young people receive the best possible care. This is an exciting opportunity to join our Kinship Team and develop a service whilst working collaboratively across children’s services to achieve positive outcomes and support children and young people to remain living with their families. The nature of this role will require flexible working, which will include some mornings, evenings and weekends, however the person appointed will be involved in supporting the development of the service and planning any hours out-with core hours with the managers of the service. As a Social Worker in the team, your main role will be undertaking robust kinship care assessments and presenting these to the Kinship Panel, whilst providing excellent support to kinship families in their homes. You will play a critical part in developing and facilitating training and support groups alongside Senior Family Support Workers, whilst working with colleagues across children and families social work, as well as partner agencies, to ensure the best possible service. The ideal candidate would be an experienced social worker with children and families experience, be a proactive team player and have the ability to work flexibly, collaboratively and independently. You must have a good working knowledge of child protection, legislation and regulations in relation to looked after children, and young people, and an understanding of the challenges they, and their families face. The successful candidate will have excellent communication and assessment skills, and be able to work efficiently to meet timescales If you are enthusiastic, motivated, creative, innovative and committed to supporting a team to work with children and young people, their families and carers, and can manage the challenges this can pose, we would love to hear from you. We can offer you a commitment to your own learning and professional development, and ensure regular reflective one-to-one supervision, group supervision, peer support and regular team meetings and development sessions. Requirements A current driving licence is an essential requirement of this post. However, if you have a disability which precludes you from holding a driving licence consideration will be given if alternative transport can be arranged. This post is considered as Regulated Work with Vulnerable Children and Protected Adults, under the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007. From 28 February 2011, preferred candidates will be required to join the PVG Scheme or undergo a PVG scheme update check prior to formal offer of employment being made by Dumfries and Galloway Council. Applicants who have been resident outside the UK within the last 5 years, if offered a position, in addition to a Disclosure Scotland Check, will be required to provide a completed police record check from the police authority in the country or countries in which they were resident. Social Work qualification is essential. With an exciting benefits package, working for Dumfries and Galloway Council supports you to invest in your own health and wellbeing. Employees have access to our bespoke Vivup platform with over 800 discounts on everyday essentials from top UK retailers, restaurants, utility providers and more. Employees also get access to membership of The Local Government Pension Scheme (Scotland) exclusive discounts from local businesses, a Cycle-to-Work scheme, financial support from My Money Matters, and guidance from our trained Wellbeing Champions. Here at Dumfries and Galloway Council we are committed to equality, diversity and equal opportunity with our values, which include treating everyone with dignity, fairness and respect, driving us to tackle inequality. We are looking for people that can bring different perspectives and experiences and especially welcome applications from those who are underrepresented in our organisation. For further information please contact Sharon Fry Team Manager, Sharon.Fry@dumgal.gov.uk on 07775827460 or Leanne Young on 07917070516 Leanne.Young@dumgal.gov.uk