Social Worker (Children & Families - Access, Help & Support) - WDN06796

West Dunbartonshire Council; Dumbarton; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

LGPS pension

25 days annual leave

35 days annual leave after year

Wellbeing support

Job summary

West Dunbartonshire Council is seeking an experienced social worker to join the newly formed Children and Families Access, Help and Support team. The role involves screening referrals, initial assessments, safety planning and child protection duties, working with Health, Police and Education to support families.

You will contribute to a developing service with supervision, caseload management and training opportunities including SCIM.

Qualifications

• DipSW or equivalent social work qualification and SSSC registration.
• Experience in Children and Families Social Work and child protection investigations.
• Ability to manage referrals, assess risk and plan safety with partners.

Responsibilities

• Screen new referrals into Children and Families Social Work and undertake initial assessments.
• Carry out safety planning and child protection duties as required.
• Liaise with Health, Police and Education and work with external partners to support families.
• Provide advice and guidance and manage caseloads with supervision and training opportunities.

Skills

Risk assessment

Joint working with partners

Professional judgment

Prioritising under deadlines

Education

DipSW or equivalent

Job description

Job Description

West Dunbartonshire Council are seeking a social worker to join our newly formed Children and Families Access, Help and Support team.

The team will be part of the wider Children and Families service, providing a pathway for families to access longer term support should they need it. This role will entail managing new referrals into Children and Families Social Work, including screening referrals, making enquiries with children, families and our partner agencies, providing advice and guidance, undertaking initial assessments, safety planning, and carrying out child protection duties as required. You will work closely with our colleagues across children's services, and you will liaise with multiple partners such as Health, Police and Education.

We are looking for social workers who

• are committed to improving the lives of children and their families
• enjoy working in a fast paced, unpredictable environment
• can assess and analyse risk
• can prioritise competing demands, while meeting deadlines
• use professional judgement and initiative
• are skilled in joint working with external partners

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced social worker to be part of developing a new service to ensure its continued efficacy and success. Our team will consist of 2 senior social workers and 8 social workers. We have a supportive management culture which will provide you with effective supervision, management of caseloads and development opportunities including training to complete age assessments and the Scottish Child Interview Model (SCIM).It is essential that you hold a DipSw or equivalent social work qualification and are registered with the SSSC. If you are the successful candidate, you will be required to gain/maintain PVG scheme membership.

Applicants should preferably have experience of working within a Children and Families Social Work setting and be experienced to a level in which they are able to undertake child protection investigations.

For further information on this position, please do not hesitate to contact Emma Brechin or Claire Gow on 0141 562 8800.

Requirements

This post is considered a Regulated Role with Adults and Children under the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2020 and as such membership with the PVG scheme is essential. Further details of this scheme can be found here .

Preferred applicants will be required to become members of the relevant PVG scheme, or undergo a PVG Scheme update check prior to a formal offer being made by West Dunbartonshire Council.

Responsibilities

The employment for which you are applying is excepted from the provisions of section 4(2) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders (Exceptions) Order 1975.

Applicants are, therefore, not statutorily entitled to withhold information about convictions which for other purposes are "spent" under the provisions of the Act. In the event of employment any failure to disclose such convictions could result in dismissal or disciplinary action.

The Individual

WDC was voted one of the top ten flexible employers and prides itself in providing flexible working to support work life balance. In addition to this there are also additional benefits:

• Access to the Local Government pension scheme (LGPS) with an employer's contribution of at least 19.3% and all associated benefits
• A minimum of 25 days annual leave, increasing a day each year up to 35 days as well as 8 fixed public holidays each year
• Access to employee wellbeing supports including occupational health & counselling if ever you need help and support