Consultant Social Work Practitioner

The Methodist Church in Britain; Normanton on Trent; Hybrid; GBP 48,000 - 58,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday

Hybrid working

LGPS

Life assurance

Nursery on-site (Ofsted outstanding)

Season ticket loan

Lease car salary sacrifice

Modern Civic Offices

Job summary

The Methodist Church in Britain is seeking a capable supervisor to support the Team Manager and supervise social workers within a hybrid, on-site role three days a week. You will handle initial referrals and provide guidance to partners and the public while steering service transformation.

Role requires experience in managing staff, strong safeguarding knowledge, and the ability to drive high-quality child-centred practice in a multi-agency context.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of current legislation, regulations and safeguarding procedures.
• Commitment to intervention-focused practice with robust analysis.
• Ability to support and supervise social workers and managers.

Responsibilities

• Take first contact on referrals to children's social care and early help.
• Provide information, advice and intervention to partners and the public.
• Support the Team Manager in decision-making and service transformation.
• Provide training, oversight and supervision to social workers.

Skills

Relational practice

Team leadership

Analytical thinking

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Influencing/challenging

Job description

This post sits in the Children's Single Point of Access, the first contact point for referrals to children's social care, early help and the Partnership Hub. The work centres on supporting the Team Manager and supervising social workers and early help staff as the service moves towards a more interventionist practice model. The team holds no cases but works with partner agencies in the office, with hybrid working and at least three days a week on site. Fit depends on experience of managing staff and knowledge of local safeguarding procedures.

What the job involves

• Take first contact on all referrals to children's social care, early help and the Partnership Hub
• Give information, advice and intervention to partners and members of the public
• Support the Team Manager in decision-making
• Provide training, oversight and supervision to social workers
• Give group and one-to-one supervision to drive high-quality, child-focused practice
• Analyse information on families' experiences and contexts to route them to the right services
• Develop creative early help solutions to support families
• Steer a multi-agency service with competing demands from partner agencies
• Lead the team through the improvement plan and a period of transformation
• Build positive working relationships and challenge partners and colleagues respectfully to secure the best outcome for the child

Experience

• Experience of managing social work assistants, early help practitioners and business support staff

Skills & knowledge

• Knowledge of current legislation, regulations and the West Berkshire Safeguarding Children Procedure and Practice Guidance
• Commitment to relational, intervention-focused practice with robust analysis
• Skill in helping social workers and managers analyse families' experiences and contexts
• Ability to work in a multi-disciplinary environment with competing demands
• Ability to build positive working relationships and challenge respectfully
• Ability to inspire a team through transformation

Other

• Passion and energy for the vision of the improvement plan
• Curious, creative and ambitious approach
• Ability to develop creative solutions for supporting families through early help
• Presence in the office at least three days a week, agreed with the Service Manager and Team Manager

What’s offered

• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays, rising to 30 days after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years, with the option to buy more
• Wide range of flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Life assurance of three times annual salary for LGPS members
• On-site day nursery rated outstanding by Ofsted
• Season ticket loan for rail or bus travel to and from work
• Lease car salary sacrifice scheme with insurance, servicing and road tax included
• Modern working environment at the Civic Offices