Social Worker

The Role: Family Operations delivers direct provision of services relating to vulnerable children, young people and complex families. These services will be delivered against specifications set by the People Commissioning function in line with the County Council’s overarching outcomes. The role reports directly to a Team Manager and will be a member of a small team of children, young people & families professionals focussed on delivering excellent social work practice within given area of service including, but not limited to: Assessment & Intervention, Family Support & Protection, Children in Care & Leaving Care, Fostering & Adoption. The post-holder is responsible for bringing to bear the highest possible standards in Social Work practice, ability and skills, working in accordance with defined legal frameworks, Policy and Procedures. Job Purpose Summary: Managing a defined caseload, the Social Worker is responsible for working effectively with children, young people & families/carers to achieve positive change and improved outcomes. This includes enquiry, assessment, purposeful intervention through direct work and review in relation to Child Protection, Child in Need and Children Looked After, achieving permanency through care for Children in Care Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities: Role Specific Accountabilities - Assess, plan, review and provide support to a child, family or carer with complex family or social care needs, taking full account of appropriate legal frameworks, policy and guidance Assess family functioning, providing help and support, when relationship breakdown threatens to impair the health or well-being of children at risk of abuse or neglect Work collaboratively, building effective working relationships with other professionals, internally and externally to help children, young people and families improve and gain control of their lives when safety or ability to participate in their community is restricted Carry out an assessment or enquiry and plan responses to safeguard a child from abuse, neglect or exploitation, building effective relationships with children, adults and families as appropriate, including intervention when information or circumstances suggest there may be a need to remove a child from their parents or carers Arrange appropriate alternative care (including, where appropriate a permanent home) in collaboration with children, young people and their parents/carers where the parents/carers cannot care for them Accountable for making recommendations about whether a case has reached the threshold for statutory intervention Promoting autonomy and development with individuals who have complex social needs and are more vulnerable as a result of disability, exclusion, or diminished capacity, for example, working with people with learning disabilities, physical disabilities or diminished capacity Carry out age and human rights assessments as appropriate Maintain up to date, accurate and high quality records of activity on cases. Participate in a range of planning and decision making forums including case discussions, Strategy Meetings, Legal Planning meetings, Child Protection Conferences, Statutory Reviews Make a report to support an application for a care, adoption or other order as relevant Write court reports and give evidence in relation to children at risk during legal proceedings Assess people’s suitability as foster carers, kinship carers (including Special Guardians), or adopters Act as Practice Educators for social work qualifying course students on practice placements (as appropriate) or Assessor for Newly Qualified Social Workers completing their ASYE Working with communities, families and individuals to maximise or promote their personal strengths, social networks and resources Hold a caseload of a level of complexity and provide case management, guidance, support and expert advice to social care staff, students and newly qualified social workers, as and when required