Social Worker - Adolescent Safeguarding Team

Dudley Children's Social Care has implemented the Hertfordshire Family Safeguarding Model across social work teams. It is a strengths-based, whole-family approach to supporting children and their families, bringing together, and co-locate with, multi-disciplinary partners, working intensively with families to reduce the risks of children coming into care or becoming subject to child protection planning.

Dudley's Children's Social Care is Restorative in its practice approach, using Motivational Interviewing skills to bring about changes in children and their families, whilst acknowledging their strengths and that of their network.

The Adolescent Safeguarding Service works with children and young people from the age of 13 upwards and comprises of 6 social work teams and 1 Child Exploitation Team that sits within the Dudley Exploitation Hub which consists of the Missing Team, Police Officers and is supported by Health and Education Professionals.

The Service consists of Social Workers, Youth Workers, Substance Misuse Workers, IDVA and voluntary organisation partners such as Barnardo's and Phase Trust, Citizens Advice Bureau and CAMHS. Integral to the Service is the support provided to children who go missing from home. In addition, the Service works closely with a range of external and internal partners such as the Youth Justice Service and Housing.

We are currently looking for Social Workers to join our dynamic and ambitious Service.

The successful candidate will display knowledge of Extra-Familial Harm and a high level of determination to ensure young people are able to remain living within their family networks in order to achieve positive outcomes.

We work with children and their families, co-producing the care plan that meets the needs of children who are at risk of child criminal and/or sexual exploitation. We always encourage and support innovative practice to ensure the most appropriate, robust and holistic support is offered to meet each child's needs. A key part of this role will be your ability to positively impact the lives of children and young people.

We aim to create an inclusive working environment where everyone can achieve a healthy work/life balance. We are serious about our responsibility for personal and professional development and look to ensure that staff are equipped with the skills, knowledge and experience to succeed. The Councils Benefit Package is designed to boost and maintain the health, wellbeing and general quality of life of all our staff.

Top tip when applying - As we've got a new recruitment system the application process has changed a little and we hope you'll like it!

You'll first need to register and create a profile the first time you apply.

Creating your profile will enable you do things such as track your application progress, view emails you've received from us and manage communication preferences, manage your interview bookings and offer information if successful.

About Dudley Council

It's an incredibly exciting time to work in Dudley Council as we embark on numerous multi-million pound regeneration schemes which will be real game-changers for the borough. In addition to the exciting schemes such as the Midland Metro we also have the ongoing and very serious challenges of ensuring vulnerable people across the borough receive the services they deserve.

At Dudley Council we have a 'one council' ethos that builds an effective and dynamic organisation which grows the economy and creates jobs, creating a cleaner and greener place and supports stronger and safer communities.

We are rightly proud to be the historic capital of the Black Country and, working with our partners, Dudley Council is also committed to looking forward and helping to deliver our borough vision of 'Forge a Future for all' www.dudleyboroughvision2030.org.uk

We ensure communities influence council decisions and are committed to delivering services in partnership with communities. We provide flexible and responsive service in partnership and help communities help themselves.

In joining a local authority that serves 320,000 residents you will become an integral part of a council that:

• is ready to embrace change, providing an environment in which you will be encouraged to make your mark



• is aware of its key challenges and the need for a new energy to innovate the council, in order to find cost effective ways of delivering services



• has aligned its political and managerial leadership structures and is committed to protecting, securing and transforming the lives of children, families, the vulnerable and older people



• wants borough residents to have their say through our community forums



• dedicates time to meaningful consultation and listen to the views of our residents



• is working with the community to encourage active involvement of our residents
  
  We offer a wide range of benefits, to ensure that staff are paid fairly for the work they undertake and have the flexibility to enjoy a great work/life balance. We offer:


• A competitive salary package, including a career progression scheme


• A range of flexible working options, including flexitime and home-working, dependent on service requirements


• A generous holiday allowance and special leave provisions


• The Local Government Pension Scheme


• A comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme - we are committed to supporting you


• Bullying and Harassment and Dignity at Work policies to protect your everyday working life


Your professional future

We invest in our staff, to enable them to develop personal and professional skills and progress in their Social Work Career.

All new employees receive a comprehensive induction, training and development programme, with regular opportunities to update their skills and achieve their full potential. We welcome fresh thinking, recognise real talent and encourage innovation and ingenuity.

We train staff at all levels. We have a huge range of training opportunities, through the Centre for Professional Practice Service. We encourage and support Continual Professional Development, with opportunities to attend external training, secondment opportunities, and earn extra qualifications through the Apprenticeship Levy.