Social Worker- Childrens Services

Human Resources & Development - Form 35 Version 15- Issued October 2022 JOB DESCRIPTION AND PARTICULARS OF APPOINTMENT ▪ Job Title: ▪ Post Number: ▪ Grade and SCP: Band 11 SCP 29-33 Social Worker TBC Directorate: People Where your role fits at Shropshire Council As Shropshire Council we are rightly proud of our achievements and we have proven to be a resilient local authority in our response to the many challenges we overcome, particularly over recent years. We will be continuing this momentum with ambition and a focus on delivering our four key priorities outlined within the Shropshire Plan: Healthy People, Healthy Environment, Health Economy and Healthy Organisation. We are committed to achieving this by aligning everything we do to our vision 'Shropshire - living the best life'; to tell everyone that Shropshire Council is a great place to be. We will enable a skilled, happy, healthy, diverse, inclusive, empowered, and proud workforce that influences and leads change, addressing any inequalities. As a member of the Assessment Team within Children Social Care, you will support the achievement of these key priorities, making a real difference to the lives of people in Shropshire. We work in a fast-paced, supportive environment where no two days are the same. Operating on a duty basis, we conduct all new s.47 investigations (child protection) and Social Work Assessments following referral. Our interventions are short-term, after which the child is moved to longer-term protection where a plan of help and support has been agreed. It's a varied role, involving assessments, court work, child protection investigations, multi-agency meetings and case planning. Overview of your role In brief the following tasks are the key functions of your role within the Assessment Team. • To manage a caseload with various levels of complexity. In doing so the postholder will • To lead on complex assessments and provide evidence as necessary in court proceedings. • To practice effectively, exercising high quality judgements in situations of increasing complexity, risk, uncertainty and challenge in Children's Services, acting with confidence and considerable autonomy. • Ability to assess situations effectively (under s.47 and S.17 of the CA 1989), determine which interventions, knowledge and skills should be deployed, and ability to anticipate the possible progress of issues and options without pre-judging. • To integrate professional knowledge, the views of people using services and research/evaluation evidence into practice. • Ability to use knowledge and skills to take more initiative and continue to broaden and deepen a broad repertoire of responses. • To attend, participate and chair (as appropriate) a range of multi agency meetings including ICPCC, strategy meetings, PLO meetings, Core Group Meetings, CLA reviews, CIN review meetings. Who will your manager be and what will you be responsible for? You will be: ▪ Reporting to The Team Manager (Assessment Team) who is in turn responsible for your health and safety, training and development. ▪ Expected to lead and/or contribute to a range of projects and build relations with both internal and external partners in order achieve specified outcomes but will not have direct authority over those involved. ▪ Responsible for preparing responses in line with Shropshire Council's corporate processes and national/regulatory/statutory processes (e.g. complaints, MP enquiries, Information Governance requests, customer enquiries, media enquiries, HR staff investigations etc..). These responses should be in line with the quality and timescale expectations set out within Shropshire Council's published procedures and/or case allocation emails and discussions. ▪ Responsible for completing within expected timescales all mandatory corporate and role specific training. Training requirements will be detailed in your corporate induction and Personal Development Plan (PDP). Courses are accessed via the council Learning Management System via the Intranet. What will you be doing? • To visit and work with families as required, assessing and re-assessing children's needs and to carry out duties under the Children Act with particular references to Sections 17 and 47. • To act as a Case Manager where children are identified as being in need and co-ordinate Core Groups, as appropriate. • To act as Key Worker in cases where a Child Protection Plan is in operation. • To provide and contribute to Assessments as required. • To contribute to and to develop ways of identifying and assessing children determined to be in need within the criteria set out in the Children's Services Plan. • To provide children and families with particular information and advice to assist in resolving problems. • To liaise with other agencies on behalf of service users, to co-ordinate the various resources and arrange specific types of assistance. • To carry out statutory duties as authorised by the Assistant Director, Service Manager and The People's Director. • To present evidence and reports to Courts as required. • To attend and prepare for Child Protection Case Conferences as determined by Directorate policies. • To take part in the office duty system as required. • To maintain computerised records and documentation in accordance with approved Policies and Procedures. • To work in collaboration with parents, guardians, carers and other professionals in relation to Children Looked After and to maintain records in accordance with CLA requirements . • • The post holder may be required from time to time, to undertake other duties appropriate to this grade which may not be specifically mentioned in this job description. In addition to the above duties, the post holder will be expected to demonstrate the following skills: a) to be fully competent over a range of appropriate duties and responsibility; b) to demonstrate a detailed knowledge of relevant legislation, procedures and resources; c) to show that he/she is fully competent in case recording, administration and associated tasks; d) to establish that he/she is able to recognise situations where it is appropriate to seek further advice; e) to show that he/she has attended the necessary supervisory sessions and has used these constructively; f) to be able to recognise potential repercussion of a decision beyond the local level e.g. other agencies, political considerations, the media etc; g) to comply with safe systems of work in accordance with the Directorate's Health, Safety and Welfare policies and procedures; h) to develop an understanding and awareness of issues related to equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory practice and to demonstrate this in carrying out your duties; i) responsible for promoting continuing personal and professional/vocational development of self through staff development processes. These duties are illustrative and not exhaustive. The post holder will be expected to become involved in a range of work to enable the service to respond effectively to the changing requirements of the Council and changes affecting the workforce. The above duties are an illustrative outline and are not an exhaustive list. You will be expected to become involved in a range of work to enable the service to respond effectively to the changing requirements of the Council and changes affecting the workforce. What we expect of you You will: ▪ adopt a customer focused approach when delivering your service, ensuring engagement with service users and maintenance of an appropriate personal profile, ▪ act as an advocate for your service and work collaboratively with colleagues across the whole Council to meet the needs of the people of Shropshire, ▪ meet individual, service and personal development targets agreed through the Personal Development Review Process, learn from experience and are committed to continuous improvement individually and as an employee of the Council, ▪ work with colleagues to meet your team's key performance indicators, support a culture of team working and ensure the team functions successfully in support of the Council's corporate and service objectives. ▪ meet the behaviours and competencies adopted by the Council in the way in which they achieve their objectives and carry out their work. What are your conditions of Service The conditions of service are those laid down by Shropshire Council, which have been adopted and amended as necessary from those laid down by the National Joint Council for Local Government Services. (For essential office users) You will be based at The Shirehall. Your post is subject to the following: ▪ The post is Permanent/Temporary, for 37 hours per week, ▪ Normal office hours are 8.45 am - 5.00 pm Monday - Thursday and 8.45 - 4.00 pm Fridays. ▪ The post is subject to the Council's annualised hours scheme as implemented within the specific work area. This post carries eligibility to join the Local Government Pension Scheme. Information about this will be sent with any formal offer of appointment. [Annual leave entitlement is a pro rata flat rate scheme of 207 hours (28 days) annual leave plus bank holidays, with five days extra awarded to those staff with five years local government service giving an entitlement of 244 hours (33 days). Two days of an employee's allowance (pro rota for part time staff) must be taken at Christmas for any potential Christmas closures. Employees who work in a building/service which is required to open over the ...