Senior Social Worker - Children Services

To deliver a high quality social work service to children and their families to achieve positive outcomes in line with the Service s visions and priorities.

Social Workers are expected to provide support and enablement to develop resilience and independence, ensuring that children and their families are at the centre of decision making about their lives and the outcomes that they want to achieve without compromising their safety.

The social worker will develop an understanding of the culture, health and social needs of the locality or community to inform practice.

Basic preventative work will be undertaken in order to reduce the need for managed care or accommodation and where necessary the social worker will make and support placement arrangements and future plans for individuals.

Principal Accountabilities and Responsibilities
Job Specific Principle Accountabilities

Provide a direct social work service to those children and families who are identified as in need of care and support in accordance with statute, national and regional policies and guidelines, incorporating an outcome focussed approach, identifying appropriate service responses at different levels to achieve this.
Work in partnership and develop effective relationships with colleagues in other Social Service sections, private and voluntary sector, Health and Emergency services to deliver an integrated response to meeting need.

Build effective relationships and work in partnership with children and their families/carers to identify and meet needs and ensure that the rights of the individual are safeguarded.

Maintain professional accountability for the allocation of resources in accordance with service criteria, legislation, financial and other regulations of the council.
Ensure an early and effective response to concerns or complaints.
Support children and their families / carers to actively participate in the development of the service.

Prepare appropriately for and contribute effectively to meetings.
Chair meetings where required, quality assuring the record/minutes of these meetings. This applies particularly to Care and Support Plan review meetings, MASM s and Child Protection Core Group Meetings.

Prepare written reports for a range of purposes, ensuring they are accurate, coherent, complete and up to date, containing detailed analysis when required.
Attend team meetings and contribute to the development of the service
Maintain a specific caseload of varied complexity.

Knowledge, Skills, Training and Experience
Qualification in Social Work i.e. Degree in Social Work or recognised predecessor equivalent such as DipSW.

Be registered with Social Care Wales as a Social Worker and re-register at three yearly intervals.

At the end of Year 2 having completed 1st year in practice requirements, be able to demonstrate an initial consolidation of Social Work practice.

An approved Continued Professional Education and Learning (CPEL Consolidation Programme should commence on completion of the First Year in Practice and be completed by the time the person is 3 years post qualified.

Special Working Conditions
When working alone (providing face to face service at various locations around Denbighshire or in clients own homes) the post-holder must be aware of the need to work within the parameters of the Lone Working Policy and be aware of their own health and safety.

There will be a requirement to work within assigned localities, and the ability to travel is essential for the role.

There will be the expectation that you will respond to service needs outside of your locality as and when required by the management team.

The post-holder will work on the Duty System Rotas as set out by the relevant Manager.

Employment Checks/ Specific Requirements
A DBS Check is required for this role due to one to one contact with service users and carers

All new starters are required to undergo our standard safer recruitment checks; DBS clearance, 2 satisfactory references covering 3 years employment, evidence of essential qualifications, evidence of Right to Work in the UK, evidence of registration with Social Care Wales.

Denbighshire County Council recognises its obligations to safeguard children together with preventing slavery and human trafficking and will do all in its power to prevent slavery and human trafficking within its business. Modern slavery can take many forms including the trafficking of people, forced labour, servitude and slavery.

Safeguarding is everyone s business and all Denbighshire employees are required to work in accordance with the Council s Child Safeguarding policies

Qualification in Social Work i.e. Degree or Social Work predecessor e.g. DipSW

Registration with Social Care Wales as a social worker

For Social Workers qualified from 2012: Attainment of the CPEL Consolidation in Social work programme

The ability to travel is a requirement of the post

Enhanced DBS clearance

2 satisfactory references covering 3 years of employment