MAIN PURPOSE OF THE JOB
Deliver systemic interventions to children and families and support systemic thinking and practice by offering consultation and advice to staff and undertaking direct work with families whose children are subject to safeguarding concerns.
Contribute to the development of systemic practice into children’s social work and to provide advice and guidance alongside social work interventions
Contribute to the department’s Signs of Safety Practice framework, respond to and provide for the needs of children and families within statutory children’s legislation and in line with the Department’s policy and practice principles.
To provide a systemically focused service to children and families where there is a risk of family breakdown and where children are returning home after an episode of care.
To deliver a consistently high standard of service that meets the needs of the London Borough of Lewisham’s diverse communities, contributing to quality assurance, and monitoring and auditing of the service provided by the team and service as a whole.
Summary of Responsibilities and Personal Duties:
1. To deliver systemic interventions to children and families
2. To work with and alongside practitioners and team managers at a ‘hands-on’ intensive level to enable them to deliver a systemic therapeutic service to children, young people and families.
3. To contribute to the introduction, embedding and development of an outcomes framework and culture across the service.
4. To provide therapeutically informed group supervision to practitioners
5. To contribute to case discussions, case mappings, groups supervisions and consultations to support social workers and other practitioners to take a more systemic approach in their work with children and families with the aim of reducing the numbers of children subject to child protection plans, care proceedings and children looked after.
6. To prepare and engage in regular clinical supervision and group supervision in line with the team supervision policy
7. Produce or contribute to reports which can be used in court proceedings and acting as an expert witness where required
8. To work with and alongside practitioners to enable them to deliver a range of evidence based systemic interventions with parents, carers, children and their wider families or social networks, in various settings including family homes.
9. To work creatively and collaboratively with colleagues in Children’s Social Care, Early Help, mental health services, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and other partners for the delivery of services to children and families receiving statutory services.
10. To exercise high level communication and influencing skills to ensure a fully integrated approach among all those involved in service delivery.
11. Participate in the development and implementation of a quality assurance framework to monitor and evaluate service delivered, contributing to service improvement, including the analysis of data and its significance for individuals or the service as a whole.
12. To use the findings from the quality assurance framework to drive continuous practice improvement in the team.
13. To exercise autonomous professional responsibility and accountability for own practice in line with the guidelines produced by the relevant regulating governing bodies.
14. To maintain high standards of case recording of direct work activity including electronic data entry in accordance with policy and procedures with due regard to General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
15. To take individual and collective professional responsibility for working cross culturally with clients from a range of racial, cultural and religious backgrounds, and effectively and sensitively with issues of gender, sexuality, disability, class and age.
16. Maintain properly documented case files, records and information. Prepare standard reports as required.
17. To contribute to the development and maintenance of best practice standards through participation in internal and external training and development.
18. To maintain personal and professional development to meet the changing demands of the job and participate in appropriate training/development activities.
19. To have a flexible and responsive approach to work and be able to work occasional evenings and weekends with appropriate notice
20. Ensure that all duties and responsibilities are discharged in accordance with the council’s policies and procedures, Code of Conduct and relevant regulations and legislation. To comply with the council’s equal opportunities and diversity policies ensuring anti-discriminatory practice within the service area.
21. This job description is a guide to the level and range of responsibilities you will be expected to undertake. It may be changed from time to time to reflect changing circumstances and demands. As directed, you will undertake additional duties and responsibilities that may arise from time to time commensurate with the grade of the post.
General Terms
• To maintain personal and professional development to meet the changing demands of the job and participate in appropriate training/development activities including the council’s performance, development and review scheme. To engage and develop all staff in the team to ensure they have clear Personal Development Plans.
• Ensure that all duties and responsibilities are discharged in accordance with the council’s policies and procedures, Code of Conduct and relevant regulations and legislation.
• To comply with the council’s equal opportunities and diversity policies ensuring antidiscriminatory practice within the service area.
• To undertake additional duties that may arise from time to time commensurate with the grade of the post.
Equality & Diversity
Awareness of and a commitment to Equality of Access and Opportunity in a diverse community
Understanding of how equality and diversity relates to this post
Knowledge
• In depth knowledge of models of systemic family therapy
• Operational knowledge of children’s safeguarding and wider safeguarding policy, strategy, relevant legislation, statutory guidance, standards and procedures.
• In-depth knowledge of various models of understanding mental health, mental disorders in children and young people
• Knowledge of mental health and emotional needs of vulnerable young people.
• Knowledge of relevant theoretical frameworks, practice models and research findings.
• Knowledge and understand of appropriate interventions and when thresholds have been met for referral to tier 3 CAMHS.
Aptitude and Skills
• Ability to analyse problems, situations and information, think laterally and present innovative and feasible solutions.
• Ability to intervene at an early point to strengthen relationships and prevent family breakdown.
• Work with familial difficulties utilising core therapeutic methodologies as appropriate.
• Demonstrate an ability to draw up specific practical plans with clear timescales that are based on high quality assessments, which set out the planned outcomes for strengthening relationships within families, preventing family breakdown, increasing safety for children and improving the mental health and wellbeing of the child or young person.
• An appreciation and willingness to use the best evidence in clinical practice.
• Skilled in gathering information from a range of sources, including direct observation of children and young people and their interactions with mothers, fathers and carers.
• To develop and support systemic thinking and practice of practitioners at an operational level to deliver high quality systemic interventions.
• To deliver systemic practice training to practitioners and managers.
• Make timely judgments and decisions that are based on evidence and thorough analysis of all the information gathered.
• Ynderstand high risk and high complexity in a way that delivers good safeguarding and well-being outcomes for children and families.
• To communicate to a high standard verbally and in writing and to produce high quality, analytical and evidence-based reports and present in a range of settings, including court.
Experience
• Minimum of 2 years post qualification experience of working with a range of emotional behavioural and /or mental health difficulties using family therapy or systemic interventions with children, adolescents and families.
• Experience of systematically monitoring and reviewing decisions and plans, revising them where appropriate in the light of new information and evaluating of whether the interventions are achieving the planned outcomes.
• Experience of supporting and providing challenge in relation to case discussions using genograms, mapping of the professional and family system, in order to provide a systemic perspective.
• Experience in undertaking assessments of therapeutic need using a broad range of assessment tools and theoretical frameworks, including analysis of complex informatio.
• Experience of providing supervision to others using systemic thinking.
• Experience of providing consultation and support to carers and professionals working with young people.
• Experience of undertaking audits, engaging in monitoring service outcomes and analysis to inform future service planning.
• Experience of delivering effective interventions with children and families to prevent family breakdown.
General Education
Educated to degree standard or equivalent: social work degree Relevant professional qualification: Msc. Systemic Family Therapy, Systemic Psychotherapy or equivalent qualification.
Personal Qualities
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.
● Strong organisational abilities.
● Able to work flexibly and independently with limited management oversight.
● An ability to take a strength based approach to managing situations in order to deliver excellent outcomes for children.
● Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills that are open, honest, persuasive and pragmatic, including excellent negotiation and influencing skills.
● Ability to manage high levels of emotional distress and think clearly in emotionally charged situations.
● Able to manage priorities and work under pressure, displaying initiative and creativity
Internal Contacts: These include representatives from across Council Departments who may be engaged with children and families, for example Children’s Social Care, Adults Services, Housing, Youth Offending Service.
External Contacts: This will include all partner agencies working with families e.g., Police, Probation, Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service, Mental Health services, voluntary sector as well as members of the public and other Local Authorities.
To carry out the duties of the post with due regard to the Council’s relevant codes and procedures.
All employees are required to participate in the Performance Evaluation Scheme (PES) and to undertake appropriate training and development identified to enhance their work.
Undertake other duties, commensurate with the grade, as may reasonably be required. Consideration will be given to restructuring the duties of this post for a disabled post holder.
Welcome to Lewisham – a vibrant and culturally diverse borough that is bursting with fantastic things to see and do. As a truly international borough with over 170 languages spoken in our homes and businesses, a thriving cultural scene, and a treasure trove of indie shops, bustling markets and more, it’s a great place to start and build a career.
Social work in Lewisham is changing and we have set out our vision and values for how we practice. In Lewisham Children’s Social Care (CSC), we know what good social work looks like and we are passionate about creating the right conditions and culture for good practice to thrive.
Our social workers benefit from working in small, supportive teams with caseloads on average between 15-20 children. Our ‘Signs of Safety’ practice framework means we are committed to working in a relationship-based way with children and families, focussing on strengths in the family network to effect change. A positive learning culture which promotes opportunities for reflection and relationship-based practice is important to us. We are committed to developing our practice using reflective practice spaces such as case mapping, thinking spaces and group supervision.
Our permanent and stable senior management team are visible and approachable. Our dedicated PSW and workforce team supports professional development across the service so that you will;
be supported through our comprehensive learning and development offer, which includes subscriptions to ‘Research in Practice’ and ‘Making Research Count’.
receive regular supervision and appraisal.
have 1-1 practice development coaching as a case holding practitioner, and professional development coaching as a manager.
have access to regular ‘Signs of Safety’ training and the opportunity to become a practice leader through attending our bespoke practice leader course.
have access to external leadership development opportunities such as Pathways and the Black and Asian Leadership Initiative (BALI).
have a clearly defined career progression pathway with opportunities for professional development at all levels.
We have a strong working relationship with Goldsmiths, University of London as part of the South East London Teaching Partnership so our practitioners have the opportunity to teach on social work courses as teaching consultants. We host ‘Step Up’, ‘Frontline’ and traditional route students and social workers have the opportunity to become practice educators.
Core CSC Staff Benefits include:
We have been awarded the Mayor of London’s Good Work Standard – a benchmark for high employment standards. We are also one of the first London Councils to be accredited a London Living Wage employer and are a Disability Confident employer as well as a Timewise accredited Flex positive employer. We offer a 35-hour working week, and:
The opportunity to work in a thriving, diverse and developing inner London borough with a stable management team, manageable caseloads and a workforce group committed to promoting your development and emotional wellbeing
Generous salary for social workers at all levels
Generous holiday entitlement - starting at 27 days a year (plus public holidays) rising to 32 and 35 days after 5- and 10-years’ continued service.
Oyster card access for travelling in and around London for work and we are exploring initiatives, including Zip cars
Flexible working policies and a variety of hybrid, and flexible working options – we know how important this is to you
Smarter Working with new modern technology and training to support this
Career average pension scheme
Family friendly policies including maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental, and special leave for emergencies.
Variety of support schemes including key worker housing, tax-free childcare scheme, access to Civil Service Sports Club which offers financial discounts and savings on days out and entertainment. KAARP activities and entertainment discounts. We offer a shop local discount scheme, volunteering leave, long service awards, membership of the Crownsavers Credit Union and access to Payroll Giving.
Health and Wellbeing support includes a staff support hub and 24/7 employee assistance programme which incorporates mental health support, counselling services and access to the PAM Assist health and wellbeing app.
We have signed the Menopause Pledge and offer gender specific and gender-neutral health and wellbeing support with access to financial advice. We offer discounted gym and leisure centre membership including free lunch time swimming; interest free loans for season tickets, nursery childcare, and bikes, a “try before you buy” bike scheme and cycle training, smoking cessation, free eye tests and money towards glasses.
Active Employee Groups including the Black and Multicultural Forum, Anti-racist Network Group, LGBTQ+ Forum, Disabled Staff Forum, Climate Emergency Staff Forum, Trade Union Memberships, and a staff-led Change Network
Staff tell us they feel valued and enjoy working in Lewisham and are well supported by their managers with regular reflective supervision and good access to training.
“Lewisham has so much to offer any social worker. I feel supported, respected and valued every step of the way”
Lewisham Social Worker
If you have any questions about applying for this role, or if you are interested in having an informal discussion about working with us, please contact our Recruitment and Retention Manager, Angela Main at angela.main@lewisham.gov.uk or Sara Taylor, our Principal Social Worker: sara.taylor@lewisham.gov.uk