Children's Social Workers and Senior Social Workers - Child in Need Team

The Role Grade PO1 - PO3 COLLABORATION TO PROTECT WE GIVE YOU WHAT THEY NEED At Wandsworth we believe that if we invest in new ways of thinking and working, you'll have everything you need to do the job you trained for. In turn, that means we're able to deliver the best possible support for children and young people. We are currently recruiting Social Workers and Senior Social Workers for our Children in Need Team. The Children in Need Service is a specialist social work service providing intensive intervention and support to children who have been assessed as being "likely to suffer significant harm or lasting impairment to their health and development without the provision of services, including children in need of care and protection" The Service: * Acts as the lead agency (with the Police) for Child Protection; * Carries out in-depth assessments of need and risk; * Supports and helps families in the short term in caring for their children; * Works with families and other agencies to reduce risk of harm; * Co-ordinates packages of support for children with complex needs; * Goes to court when needed to safeguard children * Makes plans for the care of children who cannot live at home Service priorities are families with very young children; children with complex emotional and behavioural needs; families where there are chronic parenting problems - including drug, alcohol and mental health issues; families where there is domestic violence. The service works with children of all ages, from unborn children to age 18 (where appropriate) and their families. A social worker in this service may hold a caseload which could include children who have a multi-agency child protection plan, pre proceedings under the PLO, care proceedings where the Department is proposing to permanently remove a child from the care of their family and place him/her with long-term foster carers, family members or for adoption; Adolescents showing mental health problems or offending behaviour whose family want them to be placed in care; and families of children with moderate learning difficulties, on the Autistic Spectrum or diagnosed with ADHD. You will be responsible for delivering a high-quality and responsive social work service. We'll expect you to act as the lead professional in statutory cases - including child protection, care proceedings, and looked-after children - while undertaking the full range of social work tasks with children in need and their families. It's a role that will see you work collaboratively with allied health and social care practitioners, bringing together and coordinating the team around the child to ensure a multi-disciplinary approach to safeguarding, as well as Assessment, Planning, Implementation and Review (APIR). We look for people with a 'can do' attitude, who are prepared to be accountable for achieving the best possible outcomes. You will focus on residents and service users to ensure they receive the highest standards of provision. You will need a relevant social work qualification and Social Work England membership, along with the experience of working across voluntary and statutory agencies. A good communicator, you will be confident in APIR and understand the needs of children and young people. You will also have applied knowledge of relevant legislation and guidance. All Social Worker applicants need to complete their ASYE Year to be eligible for these posts. Wandsworth council runs a separate program for newly qualified Social Workers. In return, we can offer you working arrangements that will enhance your work-life balance and a generous holiday allowance of 31 days plus bank holidays. In addition, we offer a range of staff benefits such as membership of the Local Government contributory pension scheme, childcare vouchers, new technology scheme, interest-free loans on annual travel cards, discounts at many leisure activities, restaurants, shops, and other establishments. A wide range of developmental opportunities is also offered. How to apply? Please complete all the sections of the application form or alternatively, you can provide us with an updated CV which contains full employment history including start and end dates, role title, key responsibilities and reasons for leaving. Include reasons for any gaps in paid employment and any voluntary work. You are welcome to provide any additional information to support your application. The information you give will be used to decide if you should be shortlisted for interview. If you are having difficulty in applying online, please contact the Recruitment team on 020 8871 8825 or recruitment@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk to see if we can offer alternative arrangements for you to apply. Important Information This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The