Social Work Team Leader – Safeguarding
The Social Work Team Leader will provide professional and operational leadership to a safeguarding social work team in Tullamore.
The postholder will ensure that safeguarding concerns are responded to promptly and effectively, with a strong focus on risk management, high-quality social work practice and positive outcomes for children, adults and families.
The role will provide supervision and support to social workers, oversee complex cases, promote effective multi-agency working and ensure compliance with relevant legislation, policies and professional standards.
Key Responsibilities ofSocial Work Team Leader
- Lead and oversee the team’s response to safeguarding referrals and concerns.
- Provide professional oversight of complex and high-risk cases.
- Ensure appropriate assessments, risk management plans and interventions are completed within required timescales.
- Ensure safeguarding decisions are evidence-based, proportionate and clearly recorded.
- Escalate serious or immediate safeguarding concerns appropriately.
- Promote the participation, rights and views of children, adults and families in decision-making.
- Provide day-to-day leadership and direction to the social work team.
- Allocate work appropriately and monitor caseloads, workload and risk.
- Provide regular professional and reflective supervision.
- Support staff development, training and continuing professional development.
- Address practice, performance and wellbeing issues appropriately.
- Promote a supportive, accountable and learning-focused team culture.
- Ensure case records, assessments, reports and safeguarding plans meet required standards.
- Undertake case reviews and quality assurance activity.
- Monitor statutory and organisational timescales and address delays or emerging risks.
- Promote evidence-based, rights-based, strengths-focused and trauma-informed practice.
- Maintain current knowledge of safeguarding legislation, guidance and professional standards.
- Develop effective working relationships with Tusla, HSE, An Garda Síochána, education, health, housing and community services, as appropriate.
- Represent the service at multi-agency meetings and safeguarding forums.
- Promote effective information sharing and coordinated responses to safeguarding concerns.
- Escalate and resolve professional or inter-agency issues where required.
- Contribute to service planning, performance monitoring and quality improvement.
- Identify emerging safeguarding trends, service pressures and resource requirements.
- Support the implementation of policies, procedures and practice improvements.
- Contribute to safeguarding reviews, audits and organisational learning.
Requirements ofSocial Work Team Leader
- Recognised professional qualification in Social Work.
- Current registration with CORU.
- Significant post-qualification social work experience.
- Substantial experience in safeguarding and risk management.
- Experience of supervising or supporting social work staff.
- Experience of multi-agency working.
- Knowledge of relevant Irish safeguarding legislation, policy and professional standards.
- Excellent communication, assessment, decision-making and organisational skills.