Children and Young People with Disabilities - YPWD Team

The Service consists of the Children with Disabilities Teams, Young People with Disabilities Teams, Child and Family Support Services Teams, Preparation for Adulthood Advisors Teams, Occupational Therapy Teams and a Core Service Development support team. This is an exciting and vibrant service which is in an ongoing phase of service improvement and development to enhance positive outcomes for children and young people with disabilities (from birth up to age 25) and their families and embracing the SEND reforms.

The Young People with Disabilities Team works with young people and their families from the age of 16 years up to the age of 25 years.

We are currently looking for a Senior Practitioner to work in the Young People with Disabilities Mid team, Based in County Hall, Chelmsford and working in the mid Essex geographical area.

Working to the Children Act 1989 and 2004, Children and Families Act 2014, Care Act 2014, Mental Capacity Act 2005, including all other relevant legislation pertinent to supporting children, young people and adults with Disabilities within the remit of Social Care.

The Role

The Senior Practitioner role requires leadership in the team, providing both support and mentoring to newly qualified or less experienced staff, overseeing Duty, compiling reports for Team manager and wider service as required 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 own professional development and for being part of developing the team and service. There is an ethos of openness to the development of new ideas, particularly to reinforce our relationship-based focus, with service users, within the staff group and with partner agencies.

The successful candidate will be expected to bring developed social work skills and high standards of practice 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.

Preparation for Adulthood

Undertaking Transitions Assessments, Mental Capacity Assessments (including Deprivation of Liberty), Community Care assessments, Implementation of needs assessed Care and Support plans, Review of support Packages, and Adults Safeguarding Enquiries. Supporting Young People through the transition from Children's services into adulthood is the focus of our work, including school and college leaving (Education, Health and Care Plans) in partnership with colleagues from the Education Statutory Assessment Service, accommodation (residential / supported living, day services, developing daily Living independence skills, work experience/employment) and completing Continuing Health care Checklists and participating in Continuing Health care Decision Tool meetings in partnership with colleagues from the CCG.

Please note that for this team, experience in Adults Social Care is particularly desirable.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Diploma in Social Work, CQSW, CSS or equivalent.
• Social Work England Registration as a registered social worker
• Experience of adult social care - undertaking care act assessments, Mental Capacity Assessments
• 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 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.

The role requires you to be mobile throughout a wider operational area including travelling around the county of Essex and beyond, transporting service users and their belongings and to be able to do so in an emergency. Driving licence and car or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means is essential.