About This Role
This statutory role focuses on safeguarding children and young people at risk of significant harm, as defined by the Children Act 1989. The Senior Social Worker will undertake casework with children, young people, and families within legislative and policy frameworks, potentially leading to Court work. The role involves identifying and managing risks to children, ensuring proportionate intervention, and securing alternative homes when necessary.
Responsibilities
- Safeguard children and young people who have suffered or are at risk of suffering significant harm
- Undertake casework with children, young people, and families within legislative and policy frameworks under S47 and CP, PLO processes, potentially leading to Court work
- Direct work with children, young people, and families in multiple settings/locations, ensuring the child/young person’s voice is central to all case work and recording
- Deliver recognised packages of support and tools to engage children, young people, and families to achieve positive outcomes
- Build purposeful, effective relationships with children and families, demonstrating a high level of skill in evidence-based, effective social work approaches to helping children and families which support change
- Work to tight deadlines, managing conflicting demands and interruptions
- Undertake assessments of need and risk; plan for outcomes, reviewing in line with procedures and applying understanding of the key risk factors affecting child welfare and development
- Analyse decision-making, differentiate between opinion and fact, understand the role of evidence, and reason any conclusions reached and recommendations made
- Maintain timely and accurate case recording in line with practice standards, managing information in line with the council’s policies, procedures, and guidance on data protection
- Undertake Court work and may be called upon to give evidence on behalf of the Local Authority
- Participate positively in supervision and practice development
Requirements
- Degree or higher qualification in Social Work that has resulted in registration with relevant professional regulatory body for the profession
- Knowledge of the legislative frameworks for child and family social work
- Experience in Child Protection and Court Work
- Good understanding of trauma-informed practice
- References must be of high quality and satisfy DfE guidance
- Ability to recognise the risk indicators of different forms of harm to children including sexual, physical and emotional abuse and neglect; the impact of cumulative harm, particularly in relation to early indicators of neglect
- Effective communication skills (written, verbal and use of technology)
- Ability to build effective relationships in contexts that may encompass resistance to change, ambivalence or selective cooperation with services
