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Social Worker - Family Worker (Link Role) - Witham

Employer
Essex County Council
Location
England, Essex, Witham
Salary
Negotiable
Closing date
12 Oct 2020

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Family Solutions is an Early Help service in Essex working holistically with disadvantage families, with multiple difficulties to enable them to make significant changes and improvements to their lives. Family Solutions works under the umbrella of children's social care and was described as "exceptional" by OFSTED in their recent inspection which judged children's social care as "outstanding".

An exciting permanent opportunity has arisen in the highly performing Mid team. The team is based in Witham, Essex. The successful candidate will need to travel independently across this area by car.

The work of a Social Worker (Link Family Worker) is complex, sometimes challenging, but always varied and rewarding. Key aspects of the work include:
  • Working closely with families to build strong relationships with all family members.
  • Promoting positive change with families.
  • Provide both practical and specialist advice as well acting as a lead coordinator for additional support services where appropriate.
  • Managing your own caseload
  • Managing safeguarding risks to children
  • Taking the lead on an area of professional practice for the team through supporting team members, and liaising with professionals outside of Family Solutions
  • The Mid team is extremely supportive. The post holder will be supervised by an experienced manager or senior social worker.

    The post holder will be expected to operate flexibly, working out of normal office hours when required to best meet the needs of the family.



    Job Description:

  • Responsible for determining the direction and actions required in order to progress cases forward on a day to day basis; recognising when key decisions regarding risks/concerns need to be referred to the Team Manager or Practice Supervisor.
  • Responsible for acting as a source of advice, guidance and support to colleagues in relation to the thematic role held in order to support case discussions and mentor and guide colleagues.
  • Responsible for undertaking holistic assessments of family needs to help create intervention plans and identify how outcomes can be achieved that fully reflect the family and young person's views and aspirations; delivering interventions, including group work programs, to support family's to make change.
  • Responsible for facilitating complex family meetings, managing the potentially competing views of families and professionals, in order to find achievable solutions.
  • Responsible for undertaking individual and group programmes of work to enable children and families to develop their skills to resolve issues and problems themselves; providing information and accompanying families to help access other local services.
  • Responsible for providing specific practical, personal and emotional support to families in their homes or other settings as part of an agreed plan in order to achieve agreed and sustainable family outcomes.
  • Responsible for actively participating in regular supervision in order to review work and ensure effective interventions for families.
  • Responsible for ensuring that the principles of effective practice are fully embedded in service delivery; working collaboratively with staff and partners to ensure effective risk management in line with the thresholds of the Effective Support and Guidance document to ensure that the Family Solutions team understands and follows the SET child protection procedures.
  • Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.
  • Skills and Knowledge

  • Social worker qualification, registered with Social Work England and post ASYE
  • Evidence of continuing professional development with good knowledge in relevant professional area and commitment to the principles of evidence based practice.
  • Significant practical experience of working with families with multiple and complex needs.
  • Effective communication skills, good problem solving and assessment skills with a demonstrable track record of building and sustaining positive professional relationships with individuals and families with multiple and complex needs.
  • Experience of applying a solution focused approach and providing practical advice and support to families to enable them to achieve positive and sustainable outcomes.
  • Ability to work in partnership with others to maximise outcomes for families in line with the Family Solutions operating principles.
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team and to use supervision appropriately.

  • The role requires you to be mobile throughout a wide operational area including travelling around the county of Essex and beyond, transporting service users and their belongings and to be able to do so in an emergency. Driving licence and car or ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means is essential.

    As part of employment with Essex County Council should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained.

    Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

    We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity is key to our success.

    If you have any queries regarding this role, or require anything further, please contact the Recruitment team on 03330135888




    Essex

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