Senior Practitioner

Connect2Kent is a trading style of Commercial Services Kent Ltd; Dartford, Greater London; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Connect2Kent recruit exclusively for Kent County Council. We are seeking a Senior Practitioner to join the Children's Social Work Team covering Dartford and surrounding areas. Previous experience in Children's Social Work is required.

With Ofsted described excellence, you will manage complex caseloads, provide supervision and expert input, attend court, mentor staff and students, and help develop new practice initiatives to safeguard vulnerable children and families.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of complex and difficult cases involving assessment, planning and implementation and evaluation of appropriate action to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and families.
• Contribute to raising and maintaining standards of professional social work within a team, develop specialist practice, supervise unqualified staff and act as a Practice Assessor for students/ASYE (SCCF-based).
• Manage a caseload of complex cases involving high levels of risk and needs to a high standard to ensure resources are utilised effectively.
• Provide a high quality resource of professional social work knowledge to a team of social workers, including student supervision, chairing complex meetings, fieldwork, attendance in court, audits and reviews.
• Provide coaching and mentoring support to Social Workers to enhance practice quality.
• Attend court where appropriate to contribute professional input to high profile cases.
• Act as Practice Assessor to support student placements/ASYE.
• Liaise with colleagues across the Council to ensure consistent, high-standard delivery of practices.
• Lead or participate in initiatives and groups to develop new ways of working and ensure compliance with service requirements.
• Maintain awareness of changes in legislation and policies to enable timely implementation by staff.

Job description

Connect2Kent recruit exclusively for Kent County Council. We recruit for a range of Social Work position's both Locum and Permanent.

Kent County Council are Ofsted rated as 'Outstanding'. We are currently recruiting for a Senior Practitioner to join the Children's Social Work Team Covering Dartford and Surrounding areas. Previous experience is required working in Children's Social Work Team.

Main duties and responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of complex and difficult cases involving assessment, planning and implementation and evaluation of appropriate action to ensure resources are utilised effectively to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and their families
• Contribute to raising and maintaining standards of professional social work within a social work team, develop areas of specialist practice, offer expert advice to less experienced staff, supervise unqualified staff and act as a Practice Assessor for students/ASYE. The postholder should be working in line with the relevant standards set out in the Social Care Capability Framework (SCCF).
• Manage a caseload of complex cases involving high levels of risk and needs to a high standard to ensure resources are utilised effectively
• Provide a high quality resource of professional social work knowledge and expertise to a team of Social Workers, to include student supervision, chairing complex meetings, assisted fieldwork, attendance in court, case audits and reviews etc, to assist the team in ensuring that it carries out its core tasks to a high standard.
• Provide coaching and mentoring support to Social Workers, including those undertaking social work training, to support and further their professional knowledge and development to impact upon the overall quality of practice within teams.
• Attend court, where appropriate, to assist the team in ensuring that key professional input and expertise is provided to high profile and sensitive cases.
• Act as Practice Assessor to support student placements/ASYE.
• Liaise regularly with colleagues throughout the Council to ensure social work staff deliver existing and new practices consistently and to a high standard.
• Contribute to the development of new initiatives through attendance or leadership on working groups, multiagency forums, training courses etc and acting as lead for identified service initiatives, i.e. planning for permanence and research work, to develop current and new ways of working that meet service requirements.
• Maintain awareness of changes in legislation and related policies and practices and ensure all social work staff are also informed of these changes to enable consistent and timely implementation.

Connect2Kent is a trading style of Commercial Services Kent LTD - A company wholly owned by Kent County Council. Connect2Kent is an equal opportunities Employment Agency & Business. It positively encourages applications from all suitably qualified and eligible candidates.