Children's Social Worker - Permanence

Cheshire West and Chester; Ellesmere Port; Hybrid; GBP 33,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

A forward-thinking local authority is seeking dedicated Social Workers to join their Permanence Teams in Ellesmere Port. This role involves delivering vital care and support for looked after children, ensuring their needs are met through effective planning and collaboration with multi-agency partners. The organization values creativity, resilience, and commitment, offering a supportive environment where social workers can thrive. With a focus on professional development, excellent training opportunities, and a strong emphasis on work-life balance, this position promises to be both rewarding and impactful. Join a passionate team dedicated to making a difference in the lives of children and families.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Modern office environments

High quality progression opportunities

Competitive salary

Up to 16 days flexi time

High quality supervision

Free parking

Social Work England registration paid

Excellent training opportunities

Relocation allowance in some circumstances

Qualifications

• Commitment to improving outcomes for children and families.
• Experience in social work and working with looked after children.

Responsibilities

• Deliver care and support for looked after children.
• Implement children's permanence plans and collaborate with partners.

Skills

Motivational Interviewing

Trauma Informed Practice

Creative Planning

Team Collaboration

Education

Social Work Degree

Job description

We are recruiting for Social Workers based in our Ellesmere Port and Winsford Permanence Teams. We are looking for applicants who are committed, creative, resilient and able to progress plans within our busy service.

The Permanence Teams based in Ellesmere Port and Winsford deliver care, support, permanence planning and all statutory functions for Looked After Children. Each team has one Adoption Social Worker who holds responsibility for any child with a permanence plan of adoption. The Permanence teams are responsible for the progression and implementation of children’s permanence plans, from the point a Care Order is made. The Hub is a borough wide service across Cheshire West and Chester, as part of this role you will be required to travel both outside the borough and between Chester, Winsford, and Ellesmere Port districts.

Our Children's Social Care workforce is passionate and committed to improving outcomes for children by providing a consistent, high-quality service to children and families, together with excellent working relationships with our partners and the support from a stable leadership and management team. We are committed to a culture of shared learning and development in which you will have an active part to play in the continued progress of our services to children and families.

We have developed and embedded ‘Our Way of Working’ with our multi-agency partners to ensure improved collaboration and one common approach to our work with families using Motivational Interviewing and Trauma Informed Practice. You will be supported and encouraged to work creatively in planning and decision-making with children and their families and our partner agencies to achieve positive outcomes and with a focus on prevention at every level.

Our social workers will tell you: - They feel supported and part of a team. They have access to excellent training opportunities. Managers at Cheshire West and Chester strive to make Social Workers feel valued and recognised, they are approachable, available and compassionate. Social Workers are encouraged and supported to be creative and strive for excellence. They feel valued and supported by their team, manager, and the senior managers.

Our commitment and investment in professional development means that most of our Senior Practice Leads, Team Managers and some Senior Managers have progressed within our own organisation.

As a local authority, we continue to develop and enhance our social work offer to support and develop our valued workforce. We will offer you: -

1. excellent work-life balance, flexible and remote working arrangements. We took the positives we learned from ‘lockdown’ and kept them
2. bright, modern, and recently refurbished office environments
3. high quality progression and developmental opportunities
4. competitive working rewards
5. up to 16 days ‘flexi time’ per year as well as your annual leave
6. high quality supervision
7. strong reflective practice framework
8. free parking at all our office locations
9. we’ll pay your Social Work England registration
10. excellent training opportunities
11. re-location allowance in some circumstances
12. competitive salary

As employers, we recognise that Cheshire West and Chester Council has a major role to play in improving the quality of life of its employees. We are committed to agile flexible and mobile working and helping employees to maintain an effective balance between their work and home life. We have developed a ‘new normal’ and this ‘hybrid’ arrangement allows for us to be more flexible in how we provide services to children and families and an enhanced work/life balance to our Social Workers.

We have a strong and supportive political and senior leadership team with a wealth of experience and knowledge about children’s outcomes across the borough of Cheshire West and Chester.

Please see Job Description / Person Specification.

Grade 8- SCP 23- 28, £33,366 - £37,938

Grade 9- SCP 27- 31, £37,035 - £40,476

Grade 10- SCP 31- 35, £40,476 - £46,581

If you would like to discuss the opportunities available, please contact Catherine Kelly, Senior Manager – [e-mail]