Make the decisions that change lives for the better.
At the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, we put local people at the heart of everything we do – not least children. In fact, our friendly and dynamic Childrens Service was recently judged as excellent. This role sits within the highly-regarded Short Breaks and Disabled Childrens Team, and will see you work closely with colleagues in the City of Westminster’s bi-borough Childrens OT Team to share learnings, expertise and support.
Salary range: £47,502 - £54,213 per annum (Pending pay award)
Work location: London
Hours per week: 36
Contract type: Permanent
Vetting requirements: Enhanced DBS Check
Closing date: 10th July 2023
Interview date: Week commencing 17th July 2023
Your focus will be to deliver a social care occupational service for children with disabilities and their families across the borough. There’s lots of variety. In any one day, you might visit a Chelsea mansion block, an overcrowded flat or a busy school.
There are many stakeholders – social workers, short break practitioners, schools and special schools, education occupational therapists, physios and speech therapists. And you’ll be making decisions on children’s home environment, which may necessitate challenging critical thinking. So a diplomatic, empathetic and well-argued approach will be vital at all times.
That said, we’re currently proud to have a low to no waiting list. So while it’s a very autonomous role, you will have the time and colleague support to balance the legislation and guidance against real-life needs, and find the right solutions.
Please refer to the Job Description for more information.
The role is flexible, if you’re interested in part-time hours or a job share. What’s important is that – beyond an enhanced DBS, relevant occupational therapy qualification and current HCPC registration – you have the knowledge and skills to take on this responsible role.
It calls for the experience and personality to thrive in a paediatric community setting. That could be from a social care, school or hospital setting – it’s your understanding of the process, from referral to review and discharge that counts.
Equally, your knowledge of childhood illnesses, conditions and subsequent disabilities will be comprehensive – and complemented by expertise in the adaptations and interventions that will help children make the most of life.
In return, you’ll find a team who are open, warm and encouraging, the training to maximise your talents, and a package that includes a competitive salary, high-quality pension scheme, free Zones 1 and 2 travel, and generous annual leave.
Please apply online explaining how you meet the requirements set out in the person specification and job description. CV’s will not be considered for this role.
As a social worker, Kensington and Chelsea presents a unique and rewarding work environment. The borough is home to a diverse community and the demographic make up of our staff reflects this.
We are committed to promoting equality and celebrating the benefits of diversity. We are a Disability Confident Employer – committed to ensuring that our recruitment and selection process is inclusive and accessible.
The borough’s commitment to social care is reflected in its innovative approach to service delivery. For example, the Council has established a Bi-Borough partnership with neighbouring borough Westminster, which allows for the sharing of resources and expertise. The partnership has resulted in improved service delivery and better outcomes for vulnerable residents, which was recognised in our last ILACS inspection which found Kensington and Chelsea to be Outstanding in all judgement areas.
“Children in care and care leavers receive an outstanding service from workers who know them exceptionally well and are caring and ambitious for them. There is strong corporate support from the wider council to provide high-quality social work services for children, including significant financial investment so that the conditions are in place for excellent social work practice to flourish.”
Ofsted
Social workers in Kensington and Chelsea can look forward to a package that includes a competitive salary and child protection payment of £2,500 for social worker positions, membership of the Local Government pension scheme, Travel allowance scheme for zones 1 and 2, cycle scheme, reimbursement of Social Work England fees, generous annual leave plus bank holidays and discounts for many leisure activities, restaurants, shops and other establishments. Employees also benefit from an extensive training package, with access to the West London Alliance essential training and to years 1 and 2 of Systemic Practice.
In addition, we offer an annual leave purchase scheme where you can purchase up to 5 days annual leave per annum at 90 per cent of the actual cost. The Council has a staff contributory private healthcare scheme, open to all staff and offers a Dental Insurance Plan.