This is a position for an experienced practitioner with at least 3 years’ post qualifying experience as a social worker. You will have responsibility for managing a caseload of more complex and higher need cases within a child protection context. You will be required to take appropriate initiative when working to support children and their families. You will also support other practitioners in the team through mentoring, advice, support, and occasional shadowing on visits or for meetings. There is a high likelihood of court involved work in this role. In the role you will build positive, supportive, and respectful relationships with families in order to help support children in need of help or protection. Where possible, you will help support families to raise their children safely within their family network by supporting and augmenting their support network. Where this is not possible, alternate plans will need to be explored and implemented to help ensure children grow up in safe, nurturing, and happy homes that achieve long term permanence. This will require working in a supported practice environment that respectfully challenges and enables you to use your professional judgement, autonomy, experience, knowledge, and skills. These all form the key aspects of our Signs of Safety practice model which we use when working with children, families and the wider professional network. You will have a proficient ability to communicate in English and be able to influence others in an effort to help coordinate services and supports in the best way possible to keep children as safe and well cared for as possible.
Experience working collaboratively, cooperatively, and respectfully with multi-agency partners and families, especially within diverse communities. Experience using creative means of engaging children and families according to their age, level of cognitive development, and their ability to communicate and understand (ie: words and pictures, games or activities, using interpreters).
Experience writing complex and sensitive reports, case notes, and court statements. Experience managing your own cases and workload in an organised manner. Have a proficient ability to speak, write, and read in English, with confidence and accuracy, whilst using the right kind of vocabulary appropriate to a given situation without a great deal of hesitation. Ability to listen to our children and families, understand their needs, and respond clearly even in complex situations.
Experience working with children and families prior to obtaining a social work qualification (ie: nursery, school, family support worker) Knowledge of child development and what are typical age related physical, cognitive, social, emotional and behavioural expectations for children and young people and how health, environmental, or genetic factors can influence them.
Experience working with and understanding the impact of adult mental ill health, substance misuse, domestic abuse and physical ill health or disability can impact a parent’s capacity to care for their child. Ability to help identify support from professionals and within the family network that help parents facing these issues, and for young carers helping to support them.
Experience working in a statutory child protection role (ie: child in need child protection, children with disabilities, children looked after). Experience working with and supporting children and young people who have experienced physical, sexual, emotional abuse and neglect.
Experience undertaking holistic assessments of children and their families using the assessment framework (triangle) for children in need. Experience carrying out human rights assessments, especially when working with families who have no settled immigration status or are seeking asylum.
Experience with formulating a professional analysis from holistic assessments and making clear plans with involved family members and professionals to help improve the safety and wellbeing of children. Experience using a Signs of Safety approach to using a strengths bases analysis that takes account of both strengths, signs of safety, and areas of risk and concern for children.
Working knowledge of the Children Act 1989, Working Together and related statutory guidance governing child protection procedures. Takes initiative to research and explore relevant local policies or guidance related to working with children and families in a variety of contexts (ie: female genital mutilation, child sexual exploitation, unaccompanied minors and asylum seeking children). Experience attending and testifying in court proceedings seeking legal orders to safeguard children. Understand the importance of keeping information confidential, securely stored, used and communicated in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.
Experience of being jointly responsible, with the line manager, for participating in and arranging regular supervision to update on case work, review progress on children’s plans, agree decisions, and critically reflect on practice. Demonstrates the ability to be jointly responsible, with the line manager, for recognising learning development needs and identifying training or learning opportunities to enhance professional knowledge and skills.
Bexley is well connected, there are good transport links to central London, the Kent countryside and the Coast! It is the best of both worlds. Our residents and workers can benefit from the new high-speed Elizabeth Line which goes from Abbey Wood, here in Bexley and all the way to Reading, Southeast England.
We are a diverse and growing borough. By 2030 our population will be over 260,000 and almost 300,000 by 2050. Almost 25% of our population is Black and Asian Multi-Ethnic. Bexley is one of London’s greenest boroughs and has recently been awarded Public Sector Campaign of the year by Sustainable City’s prestigious annual awards.
We believe that everyone in Bexley Children’s Social Care should have the opportunity to grow and develop, in every role and at every stage of their career and offer a wide variety of social work roles, both for qualified and unqualified practitioners. Bexley Children’s Social Care offers the opportunity to develop skills and knowledge in different areas of Children’s Services: we offer a comprehensive range of professional development opportunities and are committed to ensuring that Bexley is a welcoming and enjoyable place to work.
The children and families we work with, are always kept at the centre of our practice. We believe:
children should stay with their families whenever it’s in their best interests and safe to do so
where it’s not, we must act quickly through the courts to help children find a safe space
success depends on positive, respectful relationships with families and with each other
working with families is unpredictable, so we have to create a supportive environment for our teams
the most effective practice is based on ‘showing your working out’ – so that even when things don’t go to plan, the thinking behind decisions is clear and defensible
Working in social care in Bexley is endlessly rewarding. As well as helping some of the most vulnerable people in our borough, we invest in looking after you and your career.
We offer excellent benefits, from competitive salaries and generous leave to flexible working and a wealth of health and wellness programmes.
flexible working - including opportunities for hybrid working, job sharing, compressed hours, and career breaks
a comprehensive range of training and professional development opportunities including access to research, group and e-learning, coaching and group supervision for colleagues in all roles and at every stage of their career
clear career progression pathways, within a nurturing environment, which allows social work to flourish. From opportunities to undertake social work qualification; our dedicated ASYE Academy; to our Leadership Academy offering bespoke development for our aspiring and existing leaders. There are also opportunities for practitioners to be involved in university research & academic delivery with our partner universities and students.
family leave - includes maternity, paternity, adoption and parental leave
mental health and physical wellbeing - including access to our Employee Assistance Programme, help to quit smoking, access to private healthcare, free eye tests and discounted leisure offers
financial wellbeing - excellent pension scheme, charitable giving options
generous annual leave - 25 to 33 days, with the option to purchase extra leave plus an extra bank holiday at Christmas
competitive pay - performance assessments with the opportunity for salary increments and transparent salary scales
transport offers - cycle to work scheme, carpooling, subsidised parking and interest-free season ticket loans
recognition - Thank you messaging to celebrate staff success and sharing of compliments received
professional and personal development - training and workshops to help you thrive and a discount on most Learning and Enterprise College Bexley courses
staff support networks - our networks support and encourage networking between staff with various events throughout the year
employee volunteering - get out of the office and help a local project blossom
MyChoice benefit scheme - your pick of perks from vouchers to car leasing
local authority discount scheme - attraction and theme park discounts and local offers in partnership with KAARP .
We work together in a modern, well-equipped, energising environment that supports team working and collaboration across the service and with partners