Senior Social Worker

Connect2Surrey | Surrey County Council

Senior Social Worker - Childrens Services

Up to £42Umb Per Hour

Role Purpose

Surrey aims to work alongside families, to respect families and their rights, to work with them in partnership and with their informed consent, to recognise their strengths and help them identify their needs. Our overarching duty is to promote the upbringing of children within their families, where this is compatible with the welfare of the children.

Social workers in Surrey will be supported to develop high levels of skill in motivational practice which they will use to help parents identify the aspects of their lives/behaviours that they want to change and provide the help and support families, on a partnership basis, that they need to support them in their change.

General Responsibilities:

To provide an assessment of the needs of family members, their strengths and any risks to children's health/development or significant harm to the child/ren and develop SMART plans that will meet the needs of family members and reduce risks to children, in conjunction with children and their families and in the most complex cases-to work with partners to meet those needs and monitor progress via child in need and core group meetings involving families, young people and relevant professionals

To chair reviews of children in need cases, strategy discussions, permanency planning meetings and professional's meetings on complex cases

To conduct complex child protection investigations where a multi-agency strategy discussion considers there are grounds to believe the child has or is likely to suffer significant harm and to involve families in developing plans for change which will reduce the risk of significant harm and keep children in their families wherever possible.

Where children cannot be adequately cared for within their families or their families cannot be engaged to access services that would support them to change and the significant harm threshold is reached, to initiate discussions to seek agreement for s20 or initiate planned or emergency legal proceedings to ensure children are protected in line with departmental policy, procedures and relevant legislation.

To work with colleagues in commissioning, fostering and adoption to identify high quality placements for children that will promote keeping children with their siblings and engage in timely care planning so children are placed in stable long-term homes where their health and development as well as education and training needs are supported and they can strengthen their resilience to lead a happy and stable adult life

Foster good relationships with legal services and local family courts to manage efficient and effective Legal Planning Meeting, Public Law Outline and court proceedings where attempts to support children to remain within their families have not been successful.

Ensure that in all aspects of work that the views, feelings and wishes of children, young people and their parents /carers are taken seriously and used to appropriately inform their care plans and development and performance of services.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities, Experience and Personal Characteristics:

In depth and up to date applied knowledge of relevant national and local policy, statutory guidance and legislation in relation to the provision of social care services.

Understanding of the principles of confidentiality and information governance and how these apply to social care.

Understanding of diversity and how it affects practice.

Ability to communicate appropriately and in a timely way with individuals, carers families, other professionals and team members which is clear, fluent, concise and jargon free and in a courteous calm and professional manner. This includes both verbal and written communication.

Ability to effectively engage with people in complex situations both short-term and building professional relationships over time.

Ability to engage in difficult conversations in challenging situations and with people who may be resistant.

Ability to routinely explain professional reasoning, judgements and decisions made and record these in a clear concise way.

Ability to make skilled professional judgement for interventions including in crises and in response to challenge.

Ability to understand and take account of differentials in power, and use authority appropriately

Ability to develop partnership relationships in order to work effectively in a multi-agency and multi-disciplinary environment, demonstrating mutual professional regard and a collaborative approach to person centred working.

Ability to chair a range of meetings and offer expert support at case meetings.

Competent in the use of basic IT skills

Application:

Please forward a copy of your CV inc. Contact Details to;

Connect2Surrey, part of Surrey County Council & Kent Commercial Services LLP, is an equal opportunities Employment Agency & Business and positively encourages applications from all suitably qualified and eligible candidates.