Senior Practitioner - Family Assessment Service - Children - Croydon

London Borough of Croydon; London; On-site; GBP 53,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Senior Practitioner for their Family Assessment Service. This role involves providing leadership and support to staff while ensuring the delivery of positive outcomes for children. You will engage with families, manage cases, and apply theoretical frameworks to practice. The organization promotes a diverse and inclusive workforce, offering a supportive environment for professional growth. With a competitive salary and benefits, this is an exciting opportunity to make a significant impact in children's social care. Join a team committed to excellence and innovative practice in a hybrid working model.

Benefits

Welcome Payment of GBP10,000

Retention Payment of GBP2,500

Accredited Systemic Practice training

29-31 days annual leave

Pension scheme with 20% employer contribution

Continuing Professional Development opportunities

Management development programmes

Employee Discount scheme

Flexible working arrangements

Investment into wellbeing

Qualifications

• Experienced Senior Practitioners with a Qualified Social Worker status.
• Knowledge of policies impacting children's social care is essential.

Responsibilities

• Lead practice through direct work and staff development.
• Deliver positive outcomes for children and families.

Skills

Analytical skills

Case management

Report writing

Relationship building

Professional judgment

Knowledge of legislation

Education

Qualified Social Worker

Foundation level systemic practice qualification

Practice Educator or Practice Teacher qualification

Job description

Senior Practitioner - Family Assessment Service - Children - Croydon Council

Salary: Grade 15 (GBP53,607 - GBP55,620)

Permanent - 36 hours per week
Welcome Payment - GBP10,000 (This offer ends in March. Please apply before 31/03 to qualify)
Retention Payment - GBP2,500

Hybrid working

Job Purpose

The Senior Practitioner role reports to the Team Manager providing leadership of practice through exemplary direct work; development of staff and specialist focused on a given area of practice.

They are an expert practitioner who directly delivers or contributes to the delivery of positive safety and well-being outcomes for children. They will support other staff within the team to develop their level of practice and expertise and grow confidence in their practice.

The Senior Practitioner would have a developed ability to deliver on outcomes and functions as a role model for their team through the effective exercise of the following functions:

1. Engagement and relationship building / maintaining.
2. Case holding
3. Analytical and continuous assessment
4. High standard of report writing and case recording
5. Making professional judgments and recommendations based on assessment and review
6. Development, co-ordination, implementation, and review of evidence-based plans
7. The provision of direct help supports to children and their families
8. The matching of child / family with evidence-based services relevant to the identified needs.
9. The co-ordination of multi-professional / agency input to assessment, planning and help.
10. The application of theory and theoretical frameworks to all aspects of practice.
11. Supporting the development of creative and innovative assessments and planning to support children and their families.
12. Delivering to performance standards consistently across the measures within the journey of the child.

Essential Requirements

We are looking for experienced Senior Practitioners, who also have:

1. Qualified Social Worker and up to date registered with Social Work England
2. Foundation level systemic practice qualification - desirable
3. Practice Educator or Practice Teacher qualification - desirable
4. Knowledge of national policy, strategy and developments regarding children's social care, and areas that impact on children's social care.
5. Knowledge of relevant legislation, statutory guidance, standards and procedures.
6. Knowledge of relevant theoretical frameworks, practice models and research findings.
7. Knowledge of models of reflective supervision that impact on practice and outcomes.
8. Able to maintain records that evidence our engagement with children and families, informs the quality assurance framework e.g., quantitative, qualitative and outcome information for the children and families, the views and experiences of children and families.

Why Join Us

In Croydon, our Children's Services has an established Systemic Practice model, experienced leaders, and high support for practitioners. Croydon people and staff are diverse, and we celebrate difference through focus on anti-racist and anti-discriminatory practice. We are committed to delivering excellent social work practice and services to our children and families. As well as this we also offer the following:

1. Our teams consist of experienced Social Workers at various levels
2. Join a highly diverse workforce
3. Reflective supervision is actively promoted and supported.
4. The ethos at Croydon is very much about working together to make positive change
5. Caseloads of Social Workers are very manageable enabling managers to know children well & ensure high standards of practice
6. You will join an established team who can help you settle in and offer their expertise

Benefits

You will be valued for your skills and expertise, supported by the team of experienced professionals, as well as the management at Croydon Council, one of the largest employers in the borough. We also offer:

1. Highly competitive compensation package
2. Accredited Systemic Practice training
3. A range of CPD opportunities
4. 29-31 days (grade equivalent) annual leave in addition to Bank Holidays and option to purchase more
5. A pension scheme with an average employer contribution of 20%
6. Continuing Professional Development - genuine opportunities to grow, develop and specialise in your career
7. Management development programmes
8. Investment into your wellbeing
9. Access to Employee Discount scheme with a range of programmes (Cycle Benefit Scheme, GymFlex, Retail Discounts and more)
10. We promote flexible & hybrid working arrangements where possible to support a healthy work-life balance

Closing Date: 31 March at 11:59pm

Click here to view the role profile

Croydon Council is an inclusive employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. Subject to business needs, we will be pleased to consider applications from candidates seeking flexible working arrangements and support hybrid working, whereby staff attend the workplace for part of their working week and work from home, or elsewhere, remotely for the rest of the time.

As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the advertised role.

Croydon council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff to share this commitment. The Successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced barring DBS check.