Senior Practitioner

Caritas Recruitment; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Cambridgeshire County Council is seeking a Senior Social Worker to lead and develop services for children and families across safeguarding, service delivery and performance management.

You will provide professional leadership in complex cases, deputise for the Team Manager, undertake timely assessments, chair meetings, and ensure compliance with statutory standards and the Professional Capability Framework.

Qualifications

• Qualified social worker registered with Social Work England.

Responsibilities

• Provide professional leadership in complex case arrangements for assessment and support planning.
• Deputise for the Team Manager and cover key duties in their absence.
• Undertake timely assessments in line with statutory and regulatory standards.
• Plan, implement and review services for children and young people.
• Chair and attend childcare meetings to ensure outcomes are met with appropriate support.
• Provide written/verbal reports for various settings, including Court.

Job description

Senior Vacancies the following 3 services: Adolescent, Family Support & Assessment

Service Delivery

• 1. To provide professional leadership in situations which have highly complex case arrangements for assessment and support planning, which involve risk, complexity and safety of children, young people, and families.
• 2. To deputise for the Team Manager when required and as agreed by the Service Manager, including responsibility for all key duties of the Team Manager in their absence.
• 3. To undertake timely assessments in accordance with statutory, regulatory, and operational standards, policy, and procedures for the service with a high degree of efficiency.
• 4. To plan, implement and review services, actions and processes for children and young people with statutory, regulatory, and operational standards, policy and procedures for the service.
• 5. To chair and attend relevant childcare meetings to ensure that the outcomes identified at assessment are met through the provision of support, equipment, adaptations and enabling programmes.
• 6. To provide written and verbal reports for a variety of settings, including at Court, that are concise, informative and based on analysis of complex evidence.
• 7. To lead, guide, and direct team members, to ensure work plans are in place and accountability taken by each team member for the cases held.
• 8. To manage the planning, allocation, and review of workload for direct reports so priorities are managed, shortfalls identified and services delivered within capacity 3 January 2025 and within departmental and partnership policies, procedures and timescales.
• 9. To develop effective partnership working with colleagues in related teams and partner agencies including community services both in terms of providing effective responses to the needs of children and young people and the development of an integrated service.

Safeguarding and Risk Management

• 10. To assess and balance risk and protective factors within a safeguarding framework.
• 11. To provide advice and guidance on case management and effective risk management of complex situations, understand when to take positive risks as appropriate and escalator to the Team Manager as required.
• 12. To actively model a robust commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people within your team.
• 13. To provide more specialist social work practice skills and knowledge of Children’s Services user groups and make independent decisions.
• 14. To work systemically, collaboratively and sensitivity with children, young people and their families, creating opportunities for the promotion of growth and resilience.
• 15. Maintain accurate and up to date records safely and confidentially in accordance with Cambridgeshire County Council policies and procedures. 3.

Service and Team Development

• 16. To act as a practice lead to other members of the team contribute to the induction of new staff and act as a Practice Educator to Child Practitioners within the team.
• 17. To be responsible, alongside the Team Manager, for the supervision responsibilities for Social Workers and Child Practitioners, including overall responsibility for case outcomes within the teams.
• 18. To take responsibility for professional development and training needs of direct reports through appropriate training, mentoring and supervision.
• 19. In conjunction with the Team Manager, ensure every team member is confident to deliver a service to children and young people that utilises a range of evidence based methodologies including systemic and social learning approaches.
• 20. To participate and lead in project and service development work as required. 4.

Performance Management

• 21. To utilise management information to monitor team performance, reporting as required, and escalating and addressing any addressing any areas of concern in conjunction with the Team Manager.
• 22. To prioritise activities and resources to meet team objectives including effective workload management of self and others.
• 23. To contribute to service plans to reflect links between activity and key performance indicators.

Professional Values, Behaviours and Standards

• 24. To carry out duties in a timely and responsive manner, in line with Cambridgeshire County Council standards and behaviours, and the Professional Capability Framework.
• 25. To keep and maintain accurate records, in line with professional requirements and departmental recording methods and standards.
• 26. To demonstrate an understanding of, acceptance, and commitment to the principles underlying equal opportunities.
• 27. To fulfil the requirements of registration with Social Work England in respect of conduct, professional development and National Standards