Supervising Designated Safeguarding Leads - SWIS team - Fixed term

We are delighted to announce the continuation of our DSL supervision project within Merton Children's Social Care!

Following the success of the project over the past 2 years, Merton has committed to delivering another academic year of DSL supervision across Primary and Secondary provisions across the borough. 

DSL Supervision Project

Following the positive progress of the What Works Centre Social Workers in Schools (SWIS) project, Merton successfully bid for the Supervising Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSL's) in Primary Schools project in 2021, alongside 20 other Local Authorities in the country. The DSL Supervision Project is an upscale of a pilot being run in great Manchester secondary schools (click here for more information from the What Works Centre website).

In Merton, we have offered supervision to DSL's across both Primary and Secondary schools, with the aim to support DSLs feel more confident in their role and decrease the number of inappropriate referrals to children’s social care.

We are looking for an experienced social worker to join our team in delivering this exciting new phase of the project. Merton was judged as being 'Outstanding' by Ofsted, and you will be joining a service where social workers feel valued, supported and where we have many opportunities for creative and relational practice. Our schools where this project is based truly value our input and have excellent relationships with the social work team. You will have the opportunity to practice autonomously in addition to receiving excellent peer support and reflective supervision from our Team Lead for the project. 

What will the social worker do?

The social worker will provide supervision to DSLs across primary and secondary schools in the borough, to offer a reflective space to think through safeguarding scenarios, and to prevent escalation to statutory services and inappropriate referrals to Children's Social Care. The offer so far has also provided a space for DSL's to think through the impact of their role, and to consider their own wellbeing, whilst managing safeguarding concerns for children and young people within their schools. At present, the offer has been taken up by 22 schools, 3 of which are secondary provisions. 

We’re looking for a senior social worker who: 

• has completed their systemic social work and/or signs of safety training

• has experience of supervising others

• takes a ‘change agent’ position in their interventions with families

• is skilled in using our practice model and explaining it to others

• can build strong professional relationships

• is committed to Merton

• can navigate periods of challenge and uncertainty

• has confidence in sharing their knowledge and skills with others

• understands the DSL role and the structure of DSL teams in schools

• is committed to developing themselves and new ways of practicing

We want our team to reflect the diversity of our borough, and would encourage applicants of all backgrounds and with a wide range of experiences to apply. 

Our DSL supervising social worker is based within the Social Workers in Schools (SWIS) team in the Family Support and Safeguarding service, and will be managed by the SWIS team manager. 

How will the social worker move into the role?

For existing Merton employees, you will join the project via a secondment. Within Merton, we want to support the social worker to transfer their caseload to colleagues before moving over to the project and we’ll help you make time to get your work up to date and ready to transfer. Once the project ends, you’ll still have your permanent post to go back to.

For external recruits, this role will be a fixed term contract until 31st July 2024.

If you have any questions, please contact the SWIS Team Manager Dhivya Yogarajah on 0208 545 4213 for further information.

Role Duration:

30th October 2023 until 31st July 2024

Interviews: to take place week beginning 2nd October 2023