Job info	Job info details
Job title	Community Care Worker
Strategic team/Directorate	Children's Services
Service	Safeguarding
Business unit	Single Assessment, Regulated Services
Responsible to (day to day issues)	Assistant Team Manager / Team Manager
Accountable to (line manager)	Assistant Team Manager / Team Manager
Salary grade	G
JE ref	CS30

1. Key purpose of job

• To provide high quality planned family support including crisis response work with families, children and young people as and when required.
• To provide family support and family solutions to those families in crisis where there is a real risk of those children and young people coming into care.
• To contribute to the Children in Need assessments and action planning process using the Children in Need Framework of Assessment.
• To complete task centred work on Looked After Children Care Plans and Child Protection Plans under the direction of a qualified social worker.
• To support and contribute to the core business of the Fostering and Adoption Service.
• To contribute to the Pathway Planning and Leaving Care Process for Looked After Young People. 

2. Anticipated outcomes of post

• To provide a high standard of care management to children, young people who are in need of services or Looked After.
• Effective partnership working to improve outcomes for children, young people and their families top reduce the number of children being looked after.
• Families, children and young people are enabled to sustain positive change.

3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post

• As an Employee of Torbay Council all roles are expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. The Designated Senior Lead for Safeguarding is the Chief Executive and Director of Children’s Services.
• To manage a caseload (Child in Need) and work with the direction of a qualified social worker to support statutory work.
• To work in partnership with children, young people and their families ensuring professional boundaries are set and maintained.
• To assist in the creation of a sensitive, caring but structured working relationship enabling young people to explore their difficulties and express their wishes and feelings. 
• To supervise contact arrangements as necessary.
• To offer both support and challenge to children, young people and their families as part of any agreed change process.
• To establish effective working relationships with statutory and voluntary agencies to ensure high standards of service and support to young people and their families.
• To prepare internal and external reports and maintain accurate case records.
• To participate in Children in Need Reviews and Statutory review meetings as deemed appropriate by the Senior Practitioner or Practice Manager.
• To undertake task centred work with Cared for Children and Young People under the direction of a Qualified Social Worker.
• To undertake training as required.

4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post

• None. 

5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post

• None. 

6. Working environment and conditions of the post

• Work independently within the Community undertaking home visits and lone working.

7. Physical demands of the post

• Normal physical effort. 

8. Specific resources used by the post

• Computer and other IT equipment. 
• General office equipment. 
• Mobile phone. 

9. Key contacts and relationships

• External:
  • Youth Offending Team, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), Education Department, Health, Housing.
  • External Agencies.
  • Other local authorities.
  • Courts.
  • Members of the public.
• Internal:
  • Community Services and Specialist Services Social Workers, Care to Community (Care Leavers) Family Group Conference, SATS, Young Carers.
  • Specialist Assessment Therapy Service.
  • Fostering and Adoption Service.
  • Intensive Family Support Service.
  • Child Care Teams.
  • Education.
  • Child and Family Guidance.

10. Other duties

• To undertake additional duties as required, commensurate with the level of the job.

Other Information

• All staff must commit to Equal Opportunities and Anti-Discriminatory Practice.
• Torbay Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo the checks appropriate to the post applied for.
• The post holder is expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. And are aware that the Chief Executive and the Director for Childrens Services are the Safeguarding Leads for the Council
• This post is office based at Tor Hill House but the post holder may be required to move their base to any other location within the Council at a future date.
• As this post meets the requirements in respect of exempted questions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, all applicants who are offered employment will be subject to a criminal record check (Disclosure) from the Disclosure & Barring Service before the appointment is confirmed. This will include details of ALL cautions, reprimands or final warnings as well as convictions, whether “spent” or “unspent”. Criminal convictions will only be taken into account when they are relevant to the post.
• The Council operates a Smoke-Free Policy and the post-holder is prohibited from smoking in any of the Council's buildings (including Council owned and Council leased buildings, but excluding designated areas in residential schemes), enclosed spaces within the curtilage of buildings, and Council vehicles. The Council does not permit smoking breaks within work time, however, in services where the flexi-scheme is in operation, employees may take reasonable break times outside of core hours, in accordance with flexi-time arrangements. Employees should follow the flexi-scheme procedure for agreeing time away from their duties in the normal manner with their immediate colleagues and line manager, with break start and finish times being recorded, as with any other break-time arrangement. 
• The post-holder is expected to familiarise themselves with and adhere to all relevant Council Policies and Procedures.
• The post-holder must comply with the Council’s Health and Safety requirements as outlined in the H&S policy appropriate to the role.
• The post-holder must be committed to the Council’s Core Values for employees – “Torbay Council employees are committed to being forward thinking, people orientated and adaptable - always with integrity”. Evidence will be sought during the probation and appraisal processes.
• If this post is a customer facing role and meets the requirements of the Immigration Act 2017 (part 7) the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.
• If you are required to access a government system such as HMRC, DWP or The Public services network (PSN) as part of your role with the Council, you will be required to complete a basic disclose with your line manager before you can access these systems. Your manager will be required to complete a verification form that confirms your identity, nationality and immigration status, employment history and unspent convictions (third party).
• If you are required to use your own vehicle on Council business or drive a council vehicle you will be asked to provide information on any driving endorsements by accessing gov.uk/view-driving-licence and providing a code to your Line Manager in order to share your driving licence information with the Council.

Person Specification

Note for Candidate

All Candidates

The supporting statement on your application form will be used to assess ability to meet the essential requirements of the role, so you should explain how you meet each of the numbered essential requirements within your supporting statement. In a competitive situation, the desirable criteria may be taken into consideration, so you are encouraged to show how you also meet each of the desirable criteria.

Candidates who consider that they have a disability

Reasonable adjustments will be made to the job, job requirements or recruitment process for candidates with a disability.

If you consider yourself to have a disability you should indicate this on your application form, providing any information you would like us to take into account with regard to your disability in order to offer a fair selection interview.

Where ever possible and reasonable we will make adjustments and offer alternatives to help you through the application and selection process.

If you have indicated that you have a disability on your application form you will be guaranteed an interview if you clearly demonstrate in your supporting evidence how you broadly meet the essential requirements of the role.

Job info	Job info details
Job Title	Community Care Worker
Strategic team/Directorate	Children's Services
Service	Safeguarding
Business unit	Single Assessment, Regulated Services

Skills and effectiveness

Essential skills and effectiveness

• Ability to carry out assessments, plan and deliver needs based packages of support.
• Ability to produce and maintain accurate records and reports.
• Ability to engage positively with children, young people and their parents.
• Ability to offer appropriate support to families affected by:
  • Family breakdown. 
  • Homelessness. 
  • Child Protection issues. 
  • Drug and/or alcohol dependency. 
  • Tenancy breakdown. 
  • Non school attendance. 
• Effective communication/interpersonal skills
• Aptitude for using IT
• Ability to challenge families appropriately.
• Ability to make decisions and take responsibility for them.
• Ability to work effectively in a team and with other agencies.
• Ability to work effectively on own initiative, prioritise workload and manage time to meet deadlines. 
• As this post meets the requirements of the Immigration Act 2016 (part 7), the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post. 

Desirable skills and effectiveness

• Experience of multi-agency working and Service development.
• Advocacy skills.
• Mediation skills.

Knowledge

Essential knowledge

• Understanding of basic human needs, physical, emotional and social.
• Knowledge of Children’s Act 1989 and 2004, Adoption legislation, Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (Parenting Orders and Anti Social Behaviour Act 2003.
• Knowledge of issues facing families at risk of family breakdown.
• Self awareness of own strengths and weaknesses.

Desirable knowledge

• Care Management process, policies and standards.
• Framework for Assessment.
• Child Protection and safeguarding procedures.

Experience and achievements

Essential experience and achievements

• Work in a health or social care environment (paid or unpaid) with children and young people.
• Experience of working with children, young people and families displaying challenging behaviour.
• Experience of health/social care needs and services.
• Teamwork.

Desirable experience and achievements

• Experience of group work.

Qualifications/professional memberships

Essential qualifications/professional memberships

• Evidence of consistent pattern of learning from education, training and experience.
• GCSE pass in English at Grade C or above or equivalent.

Desirable qualifications/professional memberships

• N/A. 

Other requirements

Other requirements of the job role

• Demonstrates a commitment to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people. 
• Ability to travel efficiently around the Bay in order to carry out duties. 
• Ability to accommodate unsociable hours. 
• Ability to accommodate on-call working. 
• Ability to accommodate occasional home-working.