Job Title: Social Worker level 2/3
Post Number(s): 205879 Grade: PO1 - PO3
Directorate: Children and Specialist Services
Service: Safeguarding and Support Team
Reports to: Assistant Team Manager
PURPOSE OF ROLE:
To fulfil the duties and responsibilities of a qualified Social Work post in Hounslow’s Children’s Specialist Services. In your team you will be working closely with children and their families. You will manage a caseload where children or young people are in Need and subject to Child Protection Plans, LAC and/or Leaving Care. Your role will be to deliver relevant interventions in order to safeguard children and ensure their needs are met whilst also aiming to effect long-term positive change to improve the life experiences of vulnerable children and young people.
Within this role you will work to maintain high standards of professional practice, working at all times in the best interests of children and young people, ensuring that there are clear evidence-based assessments and care plans in place on all allocated cases
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES:
Corporate:
1. To provide a Social Work service in accordance with departmental policies and priorities and to participate in the costing, coordination, monitoring and review in line with department procedures.
2. To maintain awareness of current legislative requirements as relating to children and to participate in relevant training.
3. To use regular supervision and staff appraisal and participate in staff meetings to ensure an effective service to users and carers and further professional development.
4. To work according to the council and SOCIAL WORK ENGLAND guidance regarding working hours, professional conduct and anti-discriminatory practice.
5. To work according to the council’s data protection and confidentiality standards.
6. To participate in the development and implementation of performance indicators and quality service standards.
Functional:
1. To keep children safe and to undertake or contribute towards child protection investigations and to provide assessments and recommendations that facilitate decision-making by appropriate line managers.
2. To undertake assessments of the needs of children and their families including pre-birth assessments taking into account their views, and to ensure that a comprehensive plan is in place which have been discussed, and where possible, agreed by all parties
3. To undertake resource package reviews and represent relevant recommendations at a resource allocation panel on a regular basis.
4. To work collaboratively with professionals from both within the Children’s Services Division and other multi-disciplinary services to ensure that plans are carried out effectively in the best interest of children and families.
5. To prepare court statements and give evidence in court, when required.
6. To provide clear verbal and written reports to a high standard which may be used in a wide range of meetings and legal proceedings.
7. To maintain accurate and full records of contact and interventions with service users in line with the department’s policies and procedures.
8. Ensure that children experience a positive transition between services and between childhood and adulthood.
9. To participate in duty systems as required.
These are the values that drive us:
Lead with heart
We’re here for the people of Hounslow. We work together with them and for
them with care and compassion, with patience and in partnership. We put
ourselves in other’s shoes, remembering that every person is different,
and every interaction is a real moment in their lives. We always feel first.
Do new
We need to do things differently if we’re going to help Hounslow people thrive
in the future. Hard work is important but it’s not enough on its own. We need to
challenge ourselves to break new ground, invent new approaches, try new
ideas keep moving forward and keep improving. That means being ready to
stop doing things we’ve done before. It means taking on risk and backing each
other when we take a leap.
Pass on the power
The world keeps on changing and we need to change with it. We won’t be able
to adapt fast enough to the future needs of our residents if we stick to old
fashioned command and control. We need to hand over responsibility and give
people more power to make decisions and take action themselves. It’s about
being transparent and straightforward. It’s about providing tools and support.
But most of all, it’s about being ready to trust each other to do the right thing.
Harness the mix
We work together, across disciplines and roles. We talk lots, share our
insights, our skills and experience. We’re not interested in siloes or
defensiveness. We’re always open to different approaches, we’re flexible
and ready to adapt. We break down the barriers between our parts and
people to unlock the problem-solving power of our amazing mix of minds.
Be a rock
There’s lots to do and people need us. It’s up to us to take the initiative.
To take responsibility. To stand up and be counted. Everyday. It’s about
being super focused, effective and efficient. It’s about allocating our
resources smartly and with good rationale – using data to help guide our
decisions. But most of all, it’s about having the strength and determination
to keep on going through thick and thin.
Level 2: SOCIAL WORKER
Ability to communicate with compassion and authority in challenging situations and with resistant individuals
Demonstrate the ability to work within your own organisation and identify and begin to work with the relationship between the organisation, practice and wider changing contexts.
Ensure practice is underpinned by policy, procedures and code of conduct to promote individual’s rights to determine their own solutions, promoting problem-solving skills, whilst recognising how and when self-determination may be constrained (by the law).
Ability to recognise and manage conflicting values and ethical dilemmas, in practice, using supervision and team discussion, questioning and challenging others, including those from other professions.
Ability to provide professional opinion/Routinely explain professional reasoning, judgements and decisions.
Level 3: SENIOR PRACTITIONER
Communicate skilfully and confidently in complex or high risk situations. Model and help others to develop communication skills.
Sustain and model engagement with people in fluctuating circumstances and capacities, including where there is hostility and risk.
Be able to gather information quickly and effectively so as to inform judgement for interventions including in crises, and in response to challenge, or in the absence of complete information.
Use assessment procedures discerningly so as to inform judgement.
Maintain and expand a range of frameworks for assessment and intervention.
Demonstrate skilled use of a range of frameworks for assessment and intervention.
Actively support and initiate community groups and networks, including professional ones.
Contribute to the development of the organisation’s information strategy and systems.
Model and help others with appropriate information sharing.
Model and help others to manage changing circumstances.
Recognise and appropriately manage the authority inherent in your position.
Maintain awareness of own professional limitations and knowledge gaps. Establish a network of internal and external colleagues from whom to seek advice and expertise.
Qualifications:
Social Work qualification.
Registration with the Social work England.
The London Borough of Hounslow is a vibrant, exciting place to visit, stay and explore, with many hidden gems. Miles of rivers – including the Thames, canals, nature reserves and parks, bustling town centres, and a fantastic leisure offer.
Children, young people and families are at the heart of all we do here in Hounslow. We listen to what children, young people and families have to say about what we do and how and where we do it because their say matters. Putting children, young people and families first is at the heart of our Family Friendly vision and we are committed to developing and supporting our workforce to deliver excellent services using resilience-based approaches.
We are looking for skilled, dynamic and motivated professionals who are aspirational for children and young people with the ability to drive change in the families and professional systems they work within. If you thrive in a child-centred and creative environment – Hounslow could be for you. We know that to recruit passionate, dedicated social workers - where there’s simply more demand than the available resource - we must show our appreciation in more tangible ways. That's why we have put together an attractive package for all our social workers.
In return for your skills, knowledge, and experience, you will receive an appropriate starting salary and a friendly, kind, positive and supportive working culture. We also offer:
Annual leave – Generous annual leave entitlements starting from 22 days and rising to max 30 days.
Christmas closure – Up to 3 days, between Christmas and New Year, if your office is closed. This is at the discretion of the council.
Employee benefits –a range of discounts and benefits across a range of companies which you can access as an employee of Hounslow.
Enhanced maternity leave – Up to 52 weeks’ leave after the birth of the baby and the option of a phased return over 3 months.
Flexible working arrangements - our focus is on the outcomes you deliver and we are flexible about where and how this is best achieved.
Local Government Pension Scheme – Open to all employees, this is a tax approved, occupational pension scheme. Your contributions are based on a sliding scale according to your salary band.
Learning and development – we want you to learn everyday. We have a fantastic range of resources and opportunities and are committed to your development throughout your career with us.
Premature baby leave and pay – where a baby is born prematurely. We are proud to have The Smallest Things Charter mark.
Paternity Leave – Up to two weeks paid leave Parental Leave – Up to 18 weeks’ unpaid leave.
Parental Bereavement leave - two weeks’ paid leave following the death of a child or a stillbirth.
Pool cars –Pool bikes –available for our employees to use for work.
Shared parental leave – Up to 50 weeks’ shared parental leave.
Season ticket loans – Interest free loans for British Rail, Underground and Bus season tickets.
Staff wellbeing services - Including access to Occupational Health, an Osteopath/Chiropractor and Employee Assistance Programme.