Social Worker - Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)

Posted 18th Oct, 2024
Location
Southwark
Salary/rate
£42,855 – £50,088
Hours
Full-time
Working arrangements
Blended
Contract type
Permanent
Closing date
3rd Nov, 2024
About the role

Does the sound of making a meaningful impact on the lives of children and families appeal to you?

If so, we have the perfect role for you!

Our Children’s Social Care department is seeking passionate and dedicated Social Workers to join our Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) and play a key role in making a positive difference for children in Southwark.

About the team:

Our MASH Team consists of various agencies dedicated to meeting the needs of Southwark. We cultivate a supportive environment that promotes collaboration with key agencies from the earliest stages of a child's journey.

As part of our team of seven Social Workers, you will receive robust management support and work closely with colleagues. We also offer excellent opportunities for career advancement and professional development, including training to help you achieve your career goals.

About the role:

In this role, you will manage a balanced caseload, allowing your skills and expertise to shine. Your key responsibilities will include:

  • Identifying and assessing risks and needs during referral screenings.
  • Conducting MASH Intelligence Checks with partner agencies to recommend appropriate risk levels.
  • Triangulating information from screenings and Intelligence Checks to evaluate risk and need levels.
  • Preparing and presenting cases at Threshold Meetings.
  • Providing advice and information to families.
  • Referring families to additional services and organizations to address their identified needs.

Contact details:

If you are interested in a discussion about this role, please email Avion Grant via email at Avion.Grant@southwark.gov.uk

Additional details:

Please note a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is required at an enhanced level.

Benefits and more information:

In your role, we want you to feel supported, challenged and rewarded. You will benefit from our family-friendly policies including flexible working, home working, and a local government pension scheme, plus many other staff benefits. You will join a motivated, driven and supportive team that strives for excellence and values its members. Our offer includes:

  • Substantial training and development is provided including an offer of bespoke coaching and mentoring
  • Modern technology including laptop, Apple iPhone and iPad
  • A basic salary range of up to £50,088 (subject to experience)

For more information about the wide variety of benefits you can take advantage of please visit our Staff Benefits page.

Recruitment timeline:

  • Advert close date: We will be reviewing applications on a weekly basis
  • Interview date/s: we have weekly interview slots available.

We are an organisation who is passionate about our people and understands that richness of diversity is a requirement to provide the best possible services to our communities. This is demonstrated through our council-wide ambitious commitment to tackle racial inequality in our communities and workforce through our Southwark Stands Together initiative. We particularly welcome applications from members of the black, Asian and ethnic minority communities to increase representation at senior management level in the Council.

Guaranteed interview scheme:

As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role, and identify with one of the below criteria:

  • Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
  • Are currently in care, or have previously been in care
  • If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition
About you

We are looking for exceptional Social Workers who can make a significant difference in the lives of children and families and share our commitment to improving outcomes, and help tackle injustice, inequality, and racism.

To be considered for an interview, your CV and supporting statement should clearly demonstrate:

  • Experience working in a MASH Team within the UK.
  • A recognised Social Work Qualification (or equivalent)
  • Current registration with Social Work England.
  • Successful completion of your Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE).
  • Strong assessment skills and experience handling issues faced by families in an inner-London Borough.
  • In depth knowledge of child development, the impact of concerns on children, parenting capacity, environmental issues and risk and protective factors.
  • Excellent communication skills.
  • A collaborative approach, with a willingness to go the extra mile to support the team’s work and meet families' needs.
About Southwark

We are the largest local authority social landlord in London, managing 55,000 homes lived in by 40% of Southwark’s residents. We are home to over 18,300 businesses including iconic London venues and social enterprises and we have a young, diverse and growing population.

At Southwark we are committed to making our borough just and fair and are taking positive action to tackle inequalities.  Our residents and communities are our greatest asset and the passion we have for Southwark is shared by millions of Londoners who enjoy our outstanding cultural offer, use our hospitals and attend our universities. Our refreshed borough plan and focus on Southwark Stands Together, (which is our work with Southwark’s communities and the council’s staff to tackle racism, injustice and inequality) underpins all that we do.

At Southwark Children’s Services, we pride ourselves on doing our vital job differently. Our systemic, holistic, family-centred approach sits at the core of our values. And our endlessly supportive, collective, culture underpins everything we do to protect vulnerable children across our borough.

Southwark is a great place to grow and develop as a social worker. We continue to provide fantastic career progression opportunities. Supported by great partnerships and resources we are always growing and developing what we do through innovation, investment in our workforce and, most importantly, listening to children and families, and those that work with them.

Our offer to staff includes:

  • competitive remuneration packages

  • the opportunity to work in a vibrant borough in the heart of London with excellent access to Central London and easy transport links to the South East

  • a multi-cultural and diverse working environment, which provides excellent opportunities for enhancing your skills

  • modern digital plan with technology to support flexible working arrangements

  • professional development and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) opportunities through an established and extensive learning and development plan and opportunities.

  • opportunities to train as a Practice Educator and develop experience with student

  • clinical practitioners attached to every team to support you as an individual and your work with children and families.

  • culture of innovation and a ‘can do’ approach to problem solving in Social Care

  • stable, supportive leadership; Southwark has a lower ratio of workers to managers than most local authorities

  • small teams with supportive managers and manageable caseload

  • travel season ticket loans, cycle scheme, essential user care parking permits and local government pension

  • family friendly, flexible and agile working, from home or on-site

  • wellbeing programme, HSF Health plan and eye care scheme, EAP employee assistance programme, confidential counselling and support, and access to subsidised HSF health plan

If you are interested in having an informal discussion about this role, or working in children’s social care in Southwark, please contact Dan Comach, our Principal Social Worker at daniel.comach@southwark.gov.uk