Skip to main content

This job has expired

Senior Practitioner - Children with Disabilities

Employer
Essex County Council
Location
England, Essex, Chelmsford
Salary
£38400 - £46475 per annum + Excellent Benefits Package
Closing date
17 Oct 2019

View more

Job role
Social Worker
Contract Type
Full time

Essex County Council (ECC) is one of the largest and most dynamic local authorities in the UK, serving a population of 2 million residents, and has a very successful track record of delivering transformational change. ECC anticipated change was needed in the public sector and has worked to deliver better quality at lower cost. We have an ambitious transformation agenda - one with the scope to reach every part of the council. We are changing the way we think, the way we work, and the ways in which we deliver our services. We are committed to becoming a place where individuals, partners and communities feel proud to play their role and genuinely want to belong. We're immensely proud of our flexible working options.

In ECC we are "Serious about Social Work". Having recently won the Best Social Work Employer of the Year Award 2018 and been awarded 'Outstanding' by Ofsted this is an exciting time to join us. As if that wasn't enough, Essex has also been announced as a Partner in Practice by the Department of Education, and the Essex Social Care Academy (ESCA) is the only Local Authority team in the country to be accredited by BASW as a CPD provider. We have invested in our workforce and created a positive environment for our social workers to make a difference and achieve change for our most vulnerable children and families through direct relationship-based social work practice. We have supported our staff to have an understanding of systemic theoretical framework and models underpinning our interventions; to have access to the right tools, equipment and resources; and also the right supervision, training and learning opportunities they need to be strong practitioners

Children with Disabilities

The Children and Young People with Disabilities Service supports children and young people up to 25 years old with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their families. The service works out of offices in Basildon, Chelmsford, Colchester and Harlow. Each office has four teams that work closely with each other to provide a smooth and integrated service.
The teams are:
0 - 15 Social Care
16 - 25 Social Care
Occupational Therapy (OT)
Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG)

The Role

The Senior Practitioner role provides leadership in the team, providing both support and mentoring to newly qualified or less experienced staff and deputising for the Team Manager when needed. They will oversee the review of some child in need plans particularly prior to closure and will have responsibility to lead in a practice area. There will be good opportunities for their own professional development and for being part of developing our team and service. There is an ethos of openness to the development of new ideas, particularly to reinforce our relationship based focus, both with our service users and within the staff group.

Job Purpose

The successful candidate will be expected to bring skill and high standards of social work to their own caseload as well as providing modelling, advice and support to colleagues. They will be committed to systemic, relationship based social work, providing effective, innovative interventions and with the ability to build good partnerships, both with our external partners and within the organisation.

Key Accountabilities

* Responsible for complex cases, seeking management support and accessing supervision as required.
* Responsible for providing professional guidance to colleagues and support and feedback to the team manager.
* To maintain an up to date record of activity on case files, produce reports, attend court and give verbal presentations as required. To participate actively in case discussions, legal case discussions, Child Protection conferences, Statutory Reviews, etc.
* Represent ECC in court proceedings
* Participate in quality assurance processes, for example undertaking case file audits and diagnostic exercises.
* Critically appraise the quality of own/others practice and challenge this within identified forums.
* To maintain a current and active interest and knowledge in legislation and policy changes, research findings and practice developments, from a wide field, as are relevant to the development of interventions and support to service users.
* To act as a source of expert advice and consultation for staff within Schools, Children & Families, on professional issues relating to Child Protection situations (particularly Section 47 investigations) and assessments of risk to the child or young person affected.
* Participating in and/or chairing team meetings and deputising for the Team Manager in the day-to-day running and supervision of the team when necessary.
* To undertake occasional evening work and be available for very occasional weekend activities as required by the Schools, Children & Families Directorate.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

* Diploma in Social Work, CQSW, CSS or equivalent.
* HCPC Registration as a Registered Social Worker
* Evidence of continuing professional development
* IT/Word Processing Skills
* Evidence of recent practice at an experienced social worker level, supported by comprehensive working knowledge and experience within the field of practice in Children Services
* Preferably with experience of Child Protection work including section 47 investigations and assessments since the implementation of the Children's Act 1989.Considerable, recent experience of communicating with children of all ages and working in partnership with parents and/or carers.
* Experience in planning activities and programmes for children, young people and parents.
* Experience of Court work in relation to Child Care matters and have an understanding of the legal process.
* Detailed knowledge of current legislation pertinent to Child Protection (e.g. CA1989, CJA1991), Guidance and Regulations.
* Knowledge and understanding of child development, relating theory and practice.

Get job alerts

Create a job alert and receive personalised job recommendations straight to your inbox.

Create alert