Advanced Social Work Practitioner

North East Combined Authority; North Tyneside; Remote; GBP 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Adopt North East, hosted by North Tyneside Council, is recruiting two Advanced Practitioners for the Family Finding and Post Adoption Support Advice and Access Team. The roles involve handling complex cases, shaping practice, and mentoring colleagues.

We offer a supportive environment with supervision, training, and opportunities for career progression, within a modern office setting east of Newcastle. DBS checks apply and flexible working arrangements are welcomed.

Qualifications

• Qualified Social Worker with registered status.
• Experience in family finding or post-adoption support preferred.
• Ability to mentor staff and lead practice development.

Responsibilities

• Managing a small number of complex and/or high-risk cases.
• Modeling high standards of professional practice and conduct.
• Mentoring less experienced staff using observation and feedback.
• Shaping practice by developing evidence-informed expertise.
• Leading peer supervision and group case discussions.
• Contributing to team resilience and managing high emotion calmly.
• Deputising for the Team Manager when required.

Skills

Case management

Mentoring

Peer supervision

Professional conduct

Education

Social Work Degree

Registered Social Worker

Job description

Adopt North East - Advanced Practioner (x2)

Family Finding Team and Post Adoption Support Advice and Access Team

Adopt North East is a Regional Adoption Agency hosted by North Tyneside Council. It is a partnership between five Local Authorities: Gateshead Council, Newcastle City Council, Northumberland County Council, North Tyneside Council and South Tyneside Council.

Since December 2018, Adopt North East has provided adoption services on behalf of the partnership. Adopt North East has responsibility for recruiting, assessing and supporting prospective adopters, for non-agency adoption work including partner adoptions and intercountry adoptions. Adopt North East has primary responsibility for family finding for all children with adoption plans but the five partner Local Authorities retain overall responsibility for children in their care. Adopt North East provides support to all parties affected by adoption, including adopters, adoptive families, adopted adults and birth relatives.

Based in modern offices just to the east of the city of Newcastle, Adopt North East is a great place to work. Adopt North East provides a unique professional opportunity for its 50 or so staff to contribute to outcomes for children across five local authorities, from Haltwhistle to Hebburn, Bensham to Berwick.

Staff working for Adopt North East are employed by North Tyneside Council and enjoy the benefits of being part of the Authority’s Children’s Services, graded Outstanding by Ofsted. This includes a commitment to high quality supervision and management oversight, excellent training opportunities, support for career progression, a modern case management system and agile working solutions.

Adopt North East values applications from candidates ambitious to make a difference to the lives of children and motivated to deliver the best possible adoption services.

Following the promotion of the current post holder, Adopt North East is looking to recruit two new Advanced Practitioners for the Family Finding and Post Adoption Support Advice and Access Team. The Advanced Practitioners will be responsible for:

• Working a small number of cases with a high level of complexity and/or risk;
• Modelling high standards of professional practice and conduct;
• Mentoring less experienced staff using observation, reflection and feedback;
• Shaping and influencing practice by developing evidence-informed expertise in a specialist area
• Using mechanisms such as peer supervision and group case discussion to generate better outcomes for children and families;
• Contributing to individual and team resilience by being attuned to the effect of high emotion and stress and respond in calm, measured and pragmatic ways.
• The Advanced Practitioner will also, when required, be responsible for deputising for the Team Manager, as necessary and appropriate.

Theese post are an ideal opportunity for two experienced Social Workers who wants to progress and support less experienced colleagues.

Applicants will need to be highly ambitious to make a difference to the lives of children and motivated to deliver the best possible adoption services.

For an informal discussion about the post, you can contact Maddy Reed, Team Manager for Family Finding [e-mail]

Clair Lormor, Team Manager for Post Adoption Advice and Access Team [e-mail]

DBS

• The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 and an Enhanced DBS disclosure, including Barred List Check, will be required.

Applications based upon flexible working arrangements are welcomed and will be given full consideration.

Why North Tyneside Council?

Our People First strategy is our promise to make North Tyneside Council an exceptional place to work, where everyone can thrive and flourish. A place where people want to work, where joining our team is an exciting prospect, staying with us feels like a great decision, and building your career at North Tyneside Council is a natural progression.

As part of our People First strategy, we are committed to creating a workplace that reflects the diverse communities we serve. We believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion are fundamental to our success and the well-being of our employees and residents. Our goal is to foster an environment where everyone feels welcome, safe and valued.

Together, we're crafting a workplace that's built on our values and a shared commitment to making a difference. If you are passionate and committed about making a difference and want to work somewhere where you can make positive change, we will provide the right environment for you to excel.

Alongside our People First strategy, we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and adults at risk of harm. All staff and volunteers are expected to share this commitment and to familiarise themselves with all relevant policies, procedures and guidance. Within North Tyneside, safeguarding is everybody’s business.

Require a reasonable adjustment? If you feel a reasonable adjustment will provide additional support in both the recruitment process and within the workplace, please indicate this to the hiring manager on your application. Declaring a reasonable adjustment will not subject you to any form of discrimination when determining which applicants are successful for interview and employment with us.

Our Carbon Net-Zero 2030 Action Plan

In 2019, North Tyneside Council declared a climate emergency. This declaration set a target to reduce the carbon footprint of the council’s operations, and the borough, by 50% by 2023 and to align to the Government’s net zero target of 2050.

We recognise the significant role we can play in the borough in helping to limit climate change, but we can’t do this alone; we need help from all our residents, businesses, voluntary and community sectors and of course all those who apply and work for us. Together we can make North Tyneside a sustainable place to live and work for everyone in the borough.

To learn more about Our Carbon Net-Zero 2030 Action Plan, click here.

Learn More

For further information about North Tyneside Council, the benefits of working for us, candidate support, and the many attractions of working and living in North Tyneside please see the council’s “work for us" page here Work for us | North Tyneside Council

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