Social Worker - Children In Care

Bath & North East Somerset Council; Keynsham; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

An exciting opportunity for a qualified Social Worker is available at Bath & North East Somerset Council within the Children In Care Team. You will manage your own caseload, delivering essential services to children and families, while working in a supportive and dynamic environment committed to best practices in social care. The role offers significant training opportunities and an induction process to enhance your skills and professional growth.

Benefits

Managed caseload

Extensive training opportunities

Regular supervision

Laptop and iPhone for flexible working

Paid Social Work England renewal membership

Qualifications

• Experience in safeguarding children and/or working with children in care.
• Knowledge of legislative frameworks for children’s services.
• Passion and motivation to support vulnerable families.

Responsibilities

• Manage own caseload of children and families with complex needs.
• Coordination of social care services to children and families.
• Deliver high-quality tailored interventions.

Skills

Organisational Skills

Analytical Skills

Teamwork

Communication

Education

Relevant social work qualification

Job description

At Bath & North East Somerset Council we have one overriding purpose – to improve people’s lives.

Bath and North East Somerset Children’s Social Care are an innovative small Local Authority focused on therapeutic assessment and support. Rated Good by OFSTED, with continued vision and drive to improve further.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a qualified Social Worker to join our Children In Care Team, within the Care Outcomes Service. We are committed to being a dynamic and creative Local Authority, working hard to think differently about how we approach our work with children and families. We are deeply committed to providing tailored high-quality services and well thought out interventions to families to keep children safe. Our practice is values-driven with a strong ethos of child-focussed interventions.

About the role:

You will work in partnership with an enthusiastic team consisting of a Team Manager, Deputy Team Managers, Senior Social Work Practitioners, qualified professional Social Workers, Family Support Practitioners and Administrative staff.

This rewarding role will see you responding to, co-ordinating and delivering a range of social care services to children, young people and families in the Bath and North East Somerset area for children who are looked after and children who have a plan of adoption. We work closely with our colleagues across the service and have established partnerships with agencies across health, education and support services to ensure we can respond as effectively as possible to the needs of children, young people, and their families.

The post holder will manage their own caseload, which will include children and families with complex needs. You will be able to evidence a strong ability to analyse information and formulate outcome focused plans for children and young people. Applicants must be confident in writing professional assessments/reports as well as presenting their evidence verbally. Applicants need to have very strong organisational skills to manage and prioritise their work effectively and in a timely way and will be committed to working as part of a team to support colleagues in delivering optimum services to children and families.

We are seeking applications from workers who have relevant experience and a specific interest in this area of work and are looking to enhance and further develop their skills and contribute to service development for vulnerable children.

You can expect:

• A comprehensive induction
• Managed caseload
• Regular supervision – at a minimum of monthly one to one
• Reflective supervision to promote thoughtful and creative practice, supported by your peers and managers
• Monthly Peer Circles to ensure strong relationships and support between Social Workers across the teams, and opportunities to share good practice
• Extensive training opportunities, which include SARI workshops around culturally sensitive practice, opportunities to join a 6-month long training in Systemic Practice delivered by the Centre for Systemic Social Work, attachment-based workshops, and trauma-informed workshops
• Excellent administrative support with 2 admin staff supporting the team
• Tri-annual Social Work Conferences with guest speakers who are experts in the field. Examples of previous conferences have included Donald Forrester, Brid Featherstone, Rebecca Carr-Hopkins, ‘Annie; from Surviving Safeguarding, and Dr Karen Treisman
• Strong ASYE programme, with peer group meetings, regular workshops and training, and a protected caseload
• Paid Social Work England renewal membership
• Access to Research in Practice
• Laptop and iPhone to promote flexible working, to enhance your work-life balance
• Relocation Payments are available
• A stable leadership team
• A stable and committed team, with low rates of agency workers, and low vacancy rates
• Good practice to be recognised and celebrated through a quarterly newsletter

To apply you will have:

• A relevant social work qualification
• Knowledge of the legislative framework and legal proceedings that governs children’s services
• Knowledge of theory and practice applicable to social work
• IT skills to enable operation of standard electronic systems
• Passion, commitment, and motivation to support the most vulnerable families in our area
• Ideally you will have experience of safeguarding children, and/or working with children in care

If you are interested in this post and require more details or just to chat through the role and what’s involved, please contact Jo Parker, Team Manager on 01225 396957 or email [e-mail]

Interview date: TBC

No agencies please.

About Bath & North East Somerset Council.

Working at Bath & North East Somerset provides an opportunity to contribute to your community and make a positive impact on the lives of residents. Our values shape how we work to deliver public services, and how we communicate with the residents we serve. We care about the best outcomes for local people, through our public services.

Why Bath & North East Somerset Council?

We offer a wide range of benefits, to ensure that you are paid fairly for your work, have the flexibility to enjoy a great work/life balance, and have the support you need. Go to https://jobsandcareers.bathnes.gov.uk/why-work-us/our-benefits

At Bath & North East Somerset Council we have one overriding purpose – to improve peoples live. Find out more about our values at https://jobsandcareers.bathnes.gov.uk/why-work-us/our-values

We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join us. Find out more on our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at https://beta.bathnes.gov.uk/equality-and-diversity

We are a Disability Confident Employer – find out more at https://shorturl.at/ajrsW

The Council is committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce. Applications for job-share, part-time and flexible working arrangements are welcomed and will be considered in line with business needs.

Please note that this role is subject to an Enhanced DBS Check.

Safeguarding Statement: The Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable groups and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment. As part of this commitment anyone working in a post with children or vulnerable groups will be expected to undertake an Enhanced DBS check with/without barred list checks.