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Senior Social Worker - Adoption

Employer
Essex County Council
Location
England, Essex, Colchester
Salary
£40637 - £49183 per annum + + Free Parking & Benefits Package
Closing date
29 Apr 2021

Senior Practitioner - Adoption

Permanent, Full Time

£40,637 to £49,183 per annum

Location: Colchester

Closing Date: 25th April 2021

Please note that the Adoption service is currently mainly home based due to Covid but will be gradually moving to a minimum of 3 days per week being office based as and when it is suitable for this to happen.

Job Purpose

Children and Families is recognised as a service in which social work can develop and prosper, with a culture of collaboration, integrity and compassion; promoting development and wellbeing of children, young people and their families; protecting them from neglect and abuse. Working together with partners delivering a range of early help, family support and effective social work interventions which build resilience, remove barriers and enable children and young people to look forward to a brighter future.

The Senior Practitioner manages a complex caseload and provides expert supervision and coaching for colleagues, to achieve positive change for children, young people and families. The role deputises for the Team Manager, leading the team and management of duty services.

The role requires an experienced social work practitioner, able to manage higher levels of risk, mentor and advise staff, manage performance and deliver improvements. Building strong working relationships with key partners and stakeholders is essential.

Service/Functional Accountabilities

  • Responsible for providing a source of expert advice and professional supervision for social workers and contributing to the development of practice standards.
  • Accountable for assessment of parenting capacity of potential adopters and predicting potential risk, based on applicant's life experiences and functioning.
  • Accountable for working within the statutory legal framework, policy and guidance and determining when intervention has been reached.
  • Responsible for managing a complex caseload, maintaining accurate and timely data, reports and presentations as required.
  • Participates in legal planning meetings, court attendance, statutory reviews, pro-actively taking the lead when a social care perspective is required.
  • Accountable for conducting assessments and making recommendations in line with he purpose of the assessment
  • Builds strong effective working relationships across the Council, with partners and members of voluntary agencies to help people get the best start in life and age well.
  • Delivers a high level of expertise in particular areas of practice and leads on those areas, contributing to the development.
  • Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

  • A recognised social work qualification i.e. Diploma, degree or Masters in social work, CQSW, CSS or equivalent, with current registration with Social Work England as a registered social worker.
  • Evidence of continuing professional development, aligned to any relevant Professional Competency/Capability frameworks or Knowledge and Skills Statements.
  • Significant experience of social work, demonstrating a comprehensive and up to date understanding of all relevant legislation, regulation and guidance.
  • Understanding the impact of neglect, trauma and loss for the child and the adult adoptive applicant, analysing how these factors impact on functioning and ability to parent
  • Experience of direct work with children in building up relationships and enable them to deal with life challenges
  • Experience of working with complex sibling groups, impacted by trauma, neglect and loss
  • Evidence of skills in analytical report-writing
  • Experience of mentoring both Social Work students and newly qualified and experienced Social Work staff, being a subject matter expert in professional social work practice.
  • Experience of chairing meetings involving adopters, carers and other multi-agency professionals.
  • Developing strong relationships with partners, other agencies and the local community to achieve joint objectives and offer a supportive framework for children, young people and families.
  • In depth understanding of delivery of value for money interventions balanced against need.
  • Proven track record of clear decision making in order to highlight and limit the potential risks associated with intervention.

The role requires you to be mobile throughout a wider operational area including travelling around the county of Essex and beyond, conducting home visits for purpose of assessment and support. Evening and weekend work is required for recruitment, support and matching purposes. Driving licence and car or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means is essential.

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