If you have a passion for promoting the best outcomes for children for whom we are corporate parents for and have a range of creative skills in engaging children of various ages then consider applying for a role whereby your efforts could have the difference to a young person!
All social workers within the Permanency service are offered the opportunity to undertake meaningful direct work such as life story work and the work we undertake can make life long differences to their lives. We are looking for enthusiastic, committed social workers who have the passion and the drive to make a positive difference to children’s lives and can help motivate the networks around our young people to achieve excellent standards of care and support to our young people.
AfC offers a hybrid way of working with the main office based in Kingston where you will support children and young people aged 0 to 18.
The Social Worker will act as a corporate parent to our children and be the lead professional. It will be key for them to understand and champion the views and wishes of our children and young people so that they may be supported to reach their full potential.
This role will involve working alongside other professionals, to ensure that a child and/or young person receives appropriate care, education and health services, and any other support needed to ensure their needs are appropriately met.
The Social Worker will support children living with relatives, friends of foster families and prospective adopters or children living in children's homes and young people in semi-independent units. They will be responsible for ensuring their safety and supporting them towards independence by:
Undertaking regular statutory visits
Completing and updating assessments
Care Planning
Working as part of a professional network to meet the needs of the children and young people
The successful candidate will have the following:
Educated to a degree level with the relevant social work qualification
Appropriate understanding of statutory legislation for example the Children Act
Planning skills for assessing and reviewing children and young people’s needs and
planning packages of care across a range of cases
Experience in managing an allocated case load
A passion for Achieving for Children's vision, mission and values to support children and young people to live safe, happy, healthy and successful lives
We are focused on creating a positive supportive environment, where you will have access to a really wide range of resources, as well as a competitive salary and all the perks to enable hybrid working. In AfC you will also have access to:
29 days annual leave, increasing to 33 days after 2 years and 35 days after 4 years with an additional day off in your birthday month
Tailored induction sessions commencing on the date you start working for AfC
Hybrid and mobile working (between home and work)
Local Government salary and pension scheme (LGPS or Teachers Pension)
Flexible working options - helping to keep a good work life balance
A comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme
A range of staff benefits and discounts
An excellent learning and development offer to support your career pathway
Achieving for Children (AfC) is a community interest company (a not-for-profit social enterprise) created in 2014 by the Royal Borough of Kingston and the London Borough of Richmond to provide their children’s services. In 2017, the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead joined AfC as our third owner.
We deliver the full range of children’s services for the three councils. Achieving for Children is a great place to work for those looking for a new challenge. Our offer to you includes:
A role in an organisation that is supportive
An induction offer that starts before you join and includes a welcome event on your first day of employment.
29 days annual leave, increasing to 33 days after two years and 35 days after four years
Hybrid or mobile working and the technology and equipment to facilitate this
Positions available in three of the most desirable boroughs in the south - discrete relocation packages are available for selected roles
Travel assistance package for business use, including car and cycle mileage reimbursement, annual season ticket loan or business Oyster cards
Two days accredited Signs of Safety Foundation Training
12 protected Development Days each year for all staff
Access to a huge range of additional professional development opportunities as part of our regional Social Work Teaching Partnership
On occasions we are in the position to offer some additional financial payments for particularly hard to place roles in selected service areas of AfC.
If you would like to have an informal chat about working with us, please email recruitment@achievingforchildren.org.uk