Social Worker - Social Workers in Schools Team - Fixed term contract

We are delighted to announce the continuation of the Social Workers in Schools project within Merton Children's Social Care!

Following the success of the project over the past 2 years, Merton has committed to another academic year of social work support and intervention within secondary schools across the borough. The offer is now being extended to all of our secondary schools, and will focus on supporting schools to identify vulnerabilities early so that children, young people and families can be supported before reaching crisis point. 

Social Workers in Schools Project

Our social workers are each based between 1-2 schools in Merton, and are supported by the schools to embed within their organisational culture. Social workers have a reduced caseload of statutory work in order to provide space to deliver a more holistic preventative offer. Social worker intervention spans across 3 areas:

• Team in and around the school - to support in signposting to and partnering with other agencies to enhance the preventative offer within each school setting. This includes the mapping of agencies offering support in and around each school, signposting schools to community and commissioned service, and partnering with agencies for the delivery of preventative activities in the school. 

• Team around the family - to champion the Early Help and Effective Support Strategy at Secondary School Level. Social workers will support and guide schools in using the ‘Getting Help’ guidance within the Effective Support Model to provide Early Help to children and families. Social workers will support Early Help coordinators in assessing child and family needs, guide the undertaking of early help assessments and support in the convening of Team around the Family (TAF) meetings. They will also support in developing family plans and identifying interventions and relevant support services. 

• Statutory intervention - to undertake Child and Family assessments, where a core presenting need is linked to education. Each social worker is allocated children who attend the school where they are based as well as the siblings of those children. Case allocations are overseen by the SWIS Team Manager, as is the statutory intervention during the assessment period, and the IT system Mosaic is used for case recording.

What are we looking for?

We’re looking for a social worker who: 

• has completed their systemic social work and/or signs of safety training

• takes a ‘change agent’ position in their interventions with families

• is skilled in using the relationship-based practice model and explaining it to others

• can build strong relationships with children and their families

• is committed to Merton

• can navigate periods of challenge and uncertainty

• has confidence in sharing their knowledge and skills with others

• can operate autonomously within a school setting and as part of a multi-disciplinary network

• is committed to developing themselves and new ways of practicing

We want our team to reflect the diversity of our borough, and would encourage applicants of all backgrounds and with a wide range of experiences to apply. 

The position will be based in the Family Support and Safeguarding service and managed by the SWIS team manager. 

How will the social worker move into the role?

For existing Merton employees, you will join the project via a secondment. Within Merton, we want to support the social worker to transfer their caseload to colleagues before moving over to the project and we’ll help you make time to get your work up to date and ready to transfer. Once the project ends, you’ll still have your permanent post to go back to.

For external recruits, this role will be a fixed term contract until 31st July 2024.

If you have any questions, please contact the SWIS Team Manager Dhivya Yogarajah on 0208 545 4213 for further information.

Role Duration:

30th October 2023 until 31st July 2024

Interviews: to take place week commencing 2nd October 2023