Advanced Social Worker - Reunification

Coventry City Council; Coventry; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

An established local authority is seeking an Advanced Social Worker to join their Through Care service. This role focuses on supporting looked-after children and care leavers aged 12-25, ensuring their successful rehabilitation back into family care. The ideal candidate will possess a strong understanding of legislation surrounding looked-after children and demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion. You will work collaboratively with therapeutic practitioners to create tailored plans, making a meaningful impact on the lives of children and their families. Join a team dedicated to nurturing potential and fostering a brighter future for Coventry's youth.

Benefits

Guaranteed Interview Scheme

Professional Development Opportunities

Inclusive Work Environment

Support for Diverse Backgrounds

Qualifications

• Solid understanding of legislation regarding looked-after children.
• Experience in managing adolescent risk and contextual safeguarding.

Responsibilities

• Hold a small caseload of looked-after children for reunification.
• Work with families to develop bespoke rehabilitation plans.

Skills

Comprehensive Assessments

Care/Pathway Plans

Court Work

Statutory LAC Reviews

Managing Adolescent Risk

Working with Reunified Children

Education

Social Work Degree

Job description

We value diverse perspectives and experiences and are striving to create a workplace culture that is inclusive, accepting of all, and free from discrimination and bias.

At Coventry City Council, we are embarking on an incredible journey to create a brighter future for Coventry's children. As a 'Good' Local Authority, we believe in pushing boundaries and delivering excellence for children and families. Our vision is clear, and our social workers are unwavering in their commitment to putting children and families at the centre of their practice.

Be part of our inspiring team, making a meaningful difference in the lives of Coventry's children. Together, let's create a nurturing environment where every child's potential can flourish.

Our Values

In line with our One Coventry Values, we want to ensure that our communities are represented across our workforce. A vital part of this is ensuring we are a truly inclusive organisation that encourages diversity in all respects, including diversity of thinking. We particularly welcome applicants from minority ethnic, LGBT+, disabled, and neurodiverse communities to make a real difference to our residents so that equity and respect remain at the heart of everything we do.

Our Values are:

• Open and fair: We are fair, open, and transparent.
• Nurture and develop: We help and encourage everyone to be their best and do their best.
• Engage and empower: We talk and listen to others, working together as one.
• Create and innovate: We embrace new ways of working to continuously improve.
• Own and be accountable: We work together to deliver the best services for our residents.
• Value and respect: We put diversity and inclusion at the heart of all we do.

What is the job role?

We are seeking to recruit an enthusiastic Advanced Social Worker to work within the Through Care service. This service works with looked-after children and care leavers from 12-25 years old.

This particular post as an Advanced Social Worker is a unique and specialist role within a targeted and bespoke intense reunification programme, with an objective to rehabilitate children from the care system to live successfully back with their parent(s).

This post is a fixed-term post for 12 months.

This role will entail holding a small caseload of looked-after children, identified within the project, to be supported in returning to the full-time care of their parent(s).

Within this role, you will work closely with therapeutic practitioners and reunification workers to develop robust and bespoke plans with targeted intervention to achieve successful rehabilitation for the child.

You will have the opportunity to form relationships with children and their families, which will be key in understanding and assessing their needs to develop bespoke plans and interventions.

You should have a sound knowledge of legislation and regulations surrounding looked-after children, with the ability to apply this knowledge to your practice.

The role involves court work, including revocation of care orders following successful rehabilitation.

The role also involves managing adolescent risk, and a good understanding of contextual safeguarding is preferred.

This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, and appointment will be conditional upon a satisfactory DBS check.

Who are we looking for?

The children, families, and young people we work with come from diverse backgrounds. To deliver the best care, we need a workforce that is culturally competent, representative, and understands their unique experiences and perspectives.

Our data shows that men and people from minority ethnic backgrounds are underrepresented at the Advanced Social Worker level, and we encourage applicants from these backgrounds. This does not prevent individuals with or without other protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010 from applying.

You will be committed and passionate about practice, sharing learning and knowledge, and developing others. You will have a solid understanding of and advocate for diversity and inclusion principles in workplace culture and service delivery.

The successful candidate will have experience in:

• Completing comprehensive assessments
• Preparing Care/Pathway Plans
• Court work
• Undertaking statutory LAC reviews and visits
• Attending multi-agency meetings
• Managing adolescent risk
• Working with children who have been reunified at home

The service welcomes candidates committed to improving the lives of children and young people and who can demonstrate behaviors that positively contribute to service development.

For an informal conversation, contact Victoria Goodband at [e-mail]

If you need help completing your application, please visit our accessibility page for assistance.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme - We offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups who meet the minimum role requirements and identify with one of the following:

• Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
• Currently in care or previously in care
• Individuals who consider themselves disabled or have a long-term health condition

For full details, see the 'Coventry City Council Application Process' on our jobs page. Any use of AI to complete applications without justification will lead to rejection.

Interview date(s): TBC

About Coventry

Coventry has a proud, innovative, and creative spirit that has historically brought communities together for social change.

We are vibrant, diverse, and challenge ourselves to deliver excellent services. With around 5100 staff from various backgrounds, we aim to recruit and develop talented people dedicated to making a difference in our communities.

Join us to enjoy a rewarding career and benefits. For more, visit https://www.coventry.gov.uk/council-vacancies