Fostering Recruitment & Assessment Team - Advanced Practitioner

TN United Kingdom; Essex; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a dedicated Advanced Practitioner to join their Fostering Recruitment & Assessment Team. In this pivotal role, you will provide essential support to children and families, ensuring their needs are met through comprehensive assessments and tailored interventions. This hybrid position allows for flexible work arrangements, requiring on-site presence a few days a week. You will thrive in a supportive environment that values professional development and offers excellent training opportunities. If you are passionate about making a difference in the lives of children and families, this is the perfect opportunity for you.

Benefits

25 days annual leave

Flexible working

Excellent training and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Must be registered with Social Work England and completed ASYE.
• Experience in managing complex caseloads and fostering practice.

Responsibilities

• Provide cost-effective assessment intervention and therapeutic service.
• Manage cases of high sensitivity and provide specialist advice.

Skills

Fostering Practice

Trauma-Informed Practice

Safeguarding

Assessment Skills

Supervisory Experience

Education

3-Year Post-Qualified Social Work Qualification

Job description

Children Services - OFSTED RATING 2024 – GOOD

Many workers have chosen to both live and work in Southend. They have seen positive cultural changes in the organisation and describe Southend as not just being a good place to live but now also a good place to work. Social workers speak with warmth and knowledge about the children and families they support.

CPD

The training and development offered in Southend is comprehensive and equips staff effectively to deliver their work with children and families.

LEADERS INPUT

Leaders understand their local communities and have used this knowledge strategically and effectively to meet children’s needs.

Our vision is A Southend Where All Children Achieve Success. By joining Southend City Council as a Social Worker, you will be key in making our vision a reality for all children. You will be joining a service where we demonstrate with pride that:

• All paths lead back to the child.
• We spend time getting to know each child and their story.
• We do what we say we're going to do.
• We work with the whole family.
• No matter what, we aim to make things better.

You will provide support to work to the highest standard using our model of practice, Restorative Practice, to deliver the vision. You will access a professional social work development offer that has been designed by social workers, whatever stage you are at in your career. You will be given regular restorative supervision and separate supervision focusing on development and evidencing your SWE registration. We want everyone to take the lead in an area of interest for your team, and you will explore this with your line manager.

Your new role

Southend City Council's Fostering Recruitment & Assessment Team are looking to appoint a full-time, permanent Advanced Practitioner. In this position, you will provide an efficient, cost-effective assessment intervention and therapeutic service to young people and their families. Ensuring that the needs of the children and their parents/carers are professionally assessed. Managing cases of high sensitivity or complexity and providing a focus of specialist advice and professional consultation, to gather, investigate, evaluate and analyse all necessary information on assigned cases. Demonstrating clarity of assessments, reliability of information, evidenced conclusions, and realistic action plans. You will need to develop a practice which takes a holistic view of the individual, locating them in both their immediate and extended social circles, and having full regard to their education, social, recreational, and health needs. Ensuring that all case management complies with the statutory requirements and the council's policies and procedures.

The position is hybrid working, and you will be expected to be on site a minimum of 2/3 days a week. There will be a team meeting every other week, and duty is to be undertaken in the office, approximately 3 days a month.

What you'll need to succeed

To be successful in this position, you must be able to work in the UK, have a 3-year post-qualified recognised Social Work qualification, be registered with Social Work England, and have completed your ASYE. You must have knowledge or direct experience of fostering practice and National Minimum Standards, knowledge of trauma-informed practice in relation to fostering, along with supervisory experience and knowledge of safeguarding and managing/overseeing complex caseloads. Additional knowledge must demonstrate an understanding of the framework for the assessment of children in need and their families and knowledge of methods of social work intervention. Previous experience of staff management, supervision, or practice teaching, along with extensive experience of applying assessment skills within a statutory social work setting, is essential for this role.

What you'll get in return

When joining the council, you can enjoy a range of benefits including: 25 days annual leave, flexible working, and excellent training and development opportunities. They are committed to ensuring that you are supported in this varied and challenging role with the appropriate level of training.