Consultant Social Worker - Children Assessment & Intervention

Posted 11th Dec, 2024
Location
Merton
Salary/rate
£49,551 – £52,584
Hours
Full-time
Working arrangements
Blended
Contract type
Permanent
Closing date
6th Jan, 2025
About the role

Grade / Salary - ME14 - £49,551 - £52,584 per annum plus market supplement of £2,000 per annum and Golden Hello of £4,500

Are you ready to join us in Merton's Family Assessment and Intervention Service?

We are:

 “A place where outstanding children’s services are offered, where children and young people feel they belong, stay safe and can thrive”

We want Merton to be a great place for every child to grow up, and to give every child the best start in life. Our children's services have been judged Outstanding by Ofsted, and we are moving forward to keep improving our standards of practice. Our leaders are committed and focused on supporting our staff and families. We work well with our partners and are committed to making decisions alongside our children and families:

• We keep children and young people at the heart of our work and everything we do

• We learn from what we do to improve the experiences of children, young people, and families

• We 'Think Family' and focus on the strengths within families

• We are committed to doing what we say we will do

• We celebrate difference. 

We have implemented a blended practice model which combines the best parts of signs of safety, systemic practice and relationship based social work. Creative social work thrives in Merton. Our staff feel cared for and valued. 

Our staffing structure provides clear career progression pathways and opportunities. Many of our Consultant Social Workers and Managers came to work for us as Social Workers and have developed their career with us. Our staff love working here.

About you

You will need to be a qualified social worker, registered with Social Work England and with considerable relevant experience in statutory safeguarding services.  

You should be able to demonstrate an ability to manage a caseload of families and children with complex needs,  work in partnership and seek supervision and guidance, support team activities and strategic priorities. Experience of leading practice in yourself and colleagues is a crucial part of the role. 

The Assessment and Intervention service works closely alongside partner agencies and other colleagues in Children and Families Services in to ensure that children are safeguarded effectively and without delay. As a Consultant  Social Worker you will have the opportunity to lead and support best practice.  You will receive and deliver excellent support through reflective supervision, and an enhanced training offer that supports our practice model including, systemic practice,  Signs of Safety, motivational interviewing, restorative and trauma informed practice. You'll inspire your colleagues and lead key elements of practice. 

This role offers the opportunity to remain in practice while developing and embedding your own supervisory and management responsibility for a small team. For more information about the exact responsibilities of a CSW, please see the job pack.

What will I get from being a CSW?

The position offers the opportunity to:

  • Step up to a management-level role while remaining in practice.
  • Access to a high-quality systemic training programme.
  • Demonstrate through a portfolio of work that you meet the Practice Educator Professional Standards (Stage 2).
  • Influence and shape practice, and practice education, across your local authority.

If you’d like to have an informal discussion about these posts, please don’t hesitate to contact wendy.tomlinson@merton.gov.uk or dharmareddy.pashapu@merton.gov.uk

We are intending to interview on 16th and 17th January 2025

About Merton

Merton is an outer borough in southwest London. Suburban in character, the borough has three main town centres: Wimbledon, Mitcham, and Morden. We want our to be a great place for every child to grow up in order to give them the best start in life. To do this, we need the best social work talent working with us. 

We offer a full range of employment benefits to ensure every member of staff feels valued and able to progress:

  • membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme
  • wide range of professional development programmes available to enhance your career
  • flexible working
  • generous leave entitlement
  • parental leave and shared parental leave schemes
  • employee assistance programme (EAP) - free access for you and your family to expert advice and guidance on major life events, 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year
  • range of lunchtime exercise classes
  • discounted membership to our leisure centres
  • wellbeing programme - wellbeing champions and mental health support
  • occupational health service to help keep you healthy and safe at work
  • contribution towards eye test and glasses for display screen equipment (DSE) users
  • regular walking ‘step count’ challenge
  • Kaarp employee discount scheme - range of leisure activities, from days out to magazine subscriptions, as well as hair and beauty treatments, entertainment events and discounts at local restaurants
  • interest-free season ticket loan for public transport
  • cycle to work scheme
  • adult cycle training
  • running club
  • discounts on selected adult learning courses

If you like the sound of working in Merton, or want to know more about a specific role, please do not hesitate to contact recruitment@merton.gov.uk