Social Worker - Children's Services Contact Team (MASH)

Posted 30th Apr, 2024

Location

Islington

Salary/rate

£40,005 – £48,063

Hours

Full-time

Working arrangements

Blended

Contract type

Permanent

Closing date

21st May, 2024

This role has expired, view all current social work jobs in London

About the role

Are you interested in professional development opportunities and the ability to practice to the best of your ability within a supportive, innovative Outstanding Local Authority? If so, Islington is looking to recruit an enthusiastic and talented Social Worker to our front door (MASH) service.

Islington was rated as Outstanding by Ofsted in March 2020. Ofsted has reported “Children in Islington benefit from services that have gone from strength to strength. Senior leaders and members of the council demonstrate an unwavering commitment to improving and enriching the lives of children and their families. This is evidenced by the significant and sustained investment in children’s services, and by the wide range of highly successful initiatives that are having a positive impact on children and their families, whatever their level of need. Highly skilled and experienced staff listen carefully to children to understand their needs and ensure that plans are effective”.

As a social worker, you will be responsible for promoting excellent practice by supporting the delivery of services that aligns with the service-wide vision and objectives, which includes:

Equity, diversity and inclusion

You will have, and demonstrate a clear understanding of inequities, how they affect different sections of our community, and the role that strategy and improvement can play in supporting better equality, diversity, and inclusion outcomes.
You can influence the development of services, support and/or practice by:
effectively interacting, working with, and developing meaningful relationships with people of various cultural backgrounds
interpreting issues and concerns from a cultural perspective and addressing situations or challenges from the points-of-view of multiple culture
recognising and advancing equity, diversity and inclusion in the team through your actions

What is Motivational Practice?

Motivational Practice is Islington’s Practice Model. There are core elements that underpin the practice framework that provide a set of skills around how to communicate in a helpful way with workers that you supervise, the professional network as a whole and families we work with, supporting a process of change.

Main Duties of the job:

Making transparent, evidence-based threshold recommendations on incoming contacts
Ensuring wherever possible that information is collected, recommendations are made and actions taken within agreed timescales and according to the level of risk identified
Undertaking further enquiries, including MASH checks, on cases where threshold is not clearly met at the outset and to recommend the appropriate level of service to offer children and families within the specified timeframes of the MASH
Recording work concisely and accurately on the Early Help Module IT system within agreed timeframes
Taking referrals and giving advice to members of the public and professionals making contact with CSCT
Ensuring that the referrers and contributing agencies are kept informed of progress and of the referral outcome
Developing and maintaining knowledge of local services and signposting members of the public and professionals to other appropriate services effectively and appropriately
Working positively with professionals from partner agencies, including those co-located in CSCT and MASH, in a way that promotes multi-agency collaborative working, mutual respect and professional behaviour
Undertaking relevant training and other practice development activity to maintain accurate up to date knowledge and skills in accordance with relevant legislation, statutory guidance, policies, procedures and research

For further information or for an informal conversation about the post, please contact:

Maggie Kalitowski, Team Manager

Maggie.kalitowski@islington.gov.uk

About you

EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE

E1 Social work qualification and current social worker registration with Social Work England
E2 Post-qualifying experience of statutory childcare social work

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS and ABILITY

E3 Demonstrated experience of being able to apply relevant legislation, guidance, government policy and research in relation to safeguarding, children looked after and early help.
E5 Evidence of being able to meet the standards of practice set out in the Knowledge & Skills Statement for Child and Family Social Work.
E6 Demonstrated capacity to prioritise work, meet timescales and manage competing demands.
E7 Evidence of being able to recognise risk indicators of different forms of harm to children including the following: sexual, physical and emotional abuse, neglect, the impact of cumulative harm, domestic violence, child sexual exploitation, gangs, and radicalisation.
E8 Evidence of being able to identify thresholds within the continuum of levels of risks and needs. Ability to make and defend recommendations about risk and need based on evidence and professional judgement.

E9 Demonstrated ability to work with the child and family to set out clear goals that detail what needs to change and how those involved will work toward achieving that change.
E10 Able to establish effective working partnerships with other agencies and disciplines.
E11 Evidence of being able to think logically about problems and to communicate the pertinent issues clearly and concisely, both verbally and in writing.

E12 Ability to use ICT to good effect.
E13 Evidence of being able to make decisions and choices without unnecessary escalation but has confidence to ask for help.
E14 Demonstrated ability to make effective use of learning opportunities to enhance your professional practice (e.g. supervision, team meetings and other forums).

COMMITMENT TO EQUALITY

E15 Ability to adhere to the Council’s Dignity for All policy (diversity and equal opportunities).

About Islington

Islington is one of the most vibrant areas of London, with a diverse population, a unique cultural identity and a wealth of open spaces, theatres, museums, cinemas, and galleries.

Our Children’s Social Care services have been rated by OFSTED as Outstanding and praises an “unwavering commitment to improving and enriching the lives of children and their families”

A snapshot of what we offer our social workers:

Up to 31 days leave per year, increasing to 36 days after five years of local government service
A range of flexible working arrangements to maintain a healthy work-life balance, as well as a 35-hour working week
Learning and development opportunities to maximise your potential
Competitive pay and a commitment to paying all staff the London Living Wage at minimum
Excellent local government pension scheme
Cycle to Work scheme and discounted gym memberships
Local discounts from restaurants, shops, health and beauty therapists, and more!
Lead authority for Step Up to Social Work
Social Work training through Social Work Apprenticeship Degree
Highly valued Assessed and Supported Year in Education through Islington ASYE Academy.
Access to Management and Coaching Apprenticeships
Pathways Program for first time and experienced managers
Opportunities to train as a Practice Educator

For more information and a discussion about working for London Borough of Islington, contact our Principal Social Worker Wynand McDonald, Principal Child and Family Social Worker at Wynand.mcdonald@islington.gov.uk.

This role has expired, view all current social work jobs in London

Social Worker - Children's Services Contact Team (MASH)

Find out more about working in Islington