Social Worker - Children with Disabilities - Harlow

Social Worker - Children with Disabilities - Harlow

Salary: £30k - £41k

Full-Time (37 hours)

Job summary and Responsibilities

Essex County Council (ECC) is one of the largest and most dynamic local authorities in the UK, serving a population of 2 million residents, and has a very successful track record of delivering transformational change. ECC anticipated change was needed in the public sector and has worked to deliver better quality at lower cost. We have an ambitious transformation agenda – one with the scope to reach every part of the council. We are changing the way we think, the way we work, and the ways in which we deliver our services. We are committed to becoming a place where individuals, partners and communities feel proud to play their role and genuinely want to belong. We’re immensely proud of our flexible working options.

In ECC we are “Serious about Social Work”. Having recently won the Best Social Work Employer of the Year Award 2018 and been awarded ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted this is an exciting time to join us. As if that wasn’t enough, Essex has also been announced as a Partner in Practice by the Department of Education, and the Essex Social Care Academy (ESCA) is the only Local Authority team in the country to be accredited by BASW as a CPD provider. We have invested in our workforce and created a positive environment for our social workers to make a difference and achieve change for our most vulnerable children and families through direct relationship-based social work practice. We have supported our staff to have an understanding of systemic theoretical framework and models underpinning our interventions; to have access to the right tools, equipment and resources; and also, the right supervision, training and learning opportunities they need to be strong practitioners.

Children with Disabilities

The Children and Young People with Disabilities Service supports children and young people up to 25 years old with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their families. The service works out of offices in Basildon, Chelmsford, Colchester and Harlow. Each office has four teams that work closely with each other to provide a smooth and integrated service.

The teams are:

• 0 – 15 Social Care
• 16 – 25 Social Care
• Occupational Therapy (OT)
• Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG)
• A high-needs, further education team processes applications for additional funding to help learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities access Post 16 college provision.

Job Purpose Summary

Managing a defined caseload, the social worker is responsible for working effectively with children, young people and families/carers to achieve positive change and improved outcomes. This includes enquiry, assessment, purposeful intervention through direct work and review in relation to Child Protection, Child in Need and Children Looked After, achieving permanency through care for Children in Care

Role Specific Accountabilities

• Assess, plan, review and provide support to a child, family or carer with complex family or social care needs, taking full account of appropriate legal frameworks, policy and guidance.
• Assess family functioning, providing help and support, when relationship breakdown threatens to impair the health or well-being of children at risk of abuse or neglect.
• Work collaboratively, building effective working relationships with other professionals, internally and externally to help children, young people and families improve and gain control of their lives when safety or ability to participate in their community is restricted.
• Carry out an assessment or enquiry and plan responses to safeguard a child from abuse, neglect or exploitation, building effective relationships with children, adults and families as appropriate, including intervention when information or circumstances suggest there may be a need to remove a child from their parents or carers.
• Arrange appropriate alternative care (including, where appropriate a permanent home) in collaboration with children, young people and their parents/carers where the parents/carers cannot care for them.
• Accountable for making recommendations about whether a case has reached the threshold for statutory intervention.
• Promoting autonomy and development with individuals who have complex social needs and are more vulnerable as a result of disability, exclusion, or diminished capacity, for example, working with people with learning disabilities, physical disabilities or diminished capacity.
• Carry out age and human rights assessments as appropriate.
• Maintain up to date, accurate and high-quality records of activity on cases. Participate in a range of planning and decision-making forums including case discussions, strategy meetings, legal planning meetings, child protection conferences, statutory reviews.
• Make a report to support an application for a care, adoption or other order as relevant.
• Write court reports and give evidence in relation to children at risk during legal proceedings.
• Assess people’s suitability as foster carers, kinship carers (including Special Guardians), or adopters.
• Working with communities, families and individuals to maximise or promote their personal strengths, social networks and resources.
• Hold a caseload of a level of complexity and provide case management, guidance, support and expert advice to social care staff, students and newly qualified social workers, as and when required.

Knowledge, skills and experience

What you’ll need to join our Social Work teams

• Diploma or degree in social work, CQSW, CSS or equivalent.
• Registration with Social Work England as Registered Social Worker.
• Demonstrable capability of practice in accordance with current professional standards e.g. Professional Capability Framework (PCF), Knowledge & Skills Statement (KSS).
• Case recording.
• Demonstrate ability in the application of SW knowledge, using emotional intelligence, analytical skills and act with confidence in challenging social and family situations.
• A good working knowledge and ability to use information technology and related systems e.g. Word, SW case recording systems.
• Required to work flexibly as required, including evenings and weekends if necessary.

We offer:

• 24 hour one on one specialist social work consultant based within your geographical area
• 4Recruitment Services Employee Benefits Programme
• Our own dedicated payroll support ensuring you get the full benefits of your payment

Recruitment is done in line with safe recruitment practices. 4Recruitment Services is an equal opportunities employer.

To discuss this vacancy or other vacancies in your area please contact Max Catheral 02085149176