Job info	Job info details
Job title	Experienced Social Worker
Strategic team/Directorate	Childrens Services
Service	Safeguarding
Business unit	Front Door, Operational Services, Regulated Services
Responsible to (day to day issues)	Team Manager
Accountable to (line manager)	Team Manager
Salary grade	J
JE ref	CS32

1. Key purpose of job

• To provide a high quality and effective social work service to respond to the needs of children, young people and families in a timely manner and within statutory guidelines, policies and standards.
• To mentor and coach peers including those less experienced and newly qualified social workers, ensuring a focus on evidence-informed practice. 
• To carry out or obtain assessment of service user need and manage a full caseload of complex and appropriate work relevant to the professional discipline.
• To ensure the most cost effective care packages are established, delivered, monitored, comply with all relevant statutory requirements and department policies, standards and guidelines and are delivered within budget.
• To understand and promote the core business of the Torbay Safeguarding Children’s Board and deliver its priorities.

2. Anticipated outcomes of post

• The achievement of high professional standards and measurable improved outcomes for children young people and families.
• Flexible working across children’s social care services (e.g. Community Services and Specialist Services).
• Engender a team culture of evidence informed practice, leading by example.
• Communication and celebration of good professional practice.
• Challenge and change of poor professional practice.
• Evidence the Impact of continuing professional development on practice.
• To ensure that the wishes and feelings of all children and young people are obtained and recorded.

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.
• Initiate appropriate safeguarding action to protect children and young people at risk of significant harm.
• Successfully manage a diverse caseload to ensure children and families receive support to meet their assessed needs, within the team’s care management budget.
• The ability to work effectively as required across a range of roles in Single Assessment, Safeguarding and Supporting Families and /Specialist Services (Children with Disabilities and CLA Teams) to provide flexibility of resource across children’s social care services, consistently performing at a high level.
• To provide consultation and mentoring to staff as and when required.
• To take an active role in the induction and retention of Newly Qualified Social Workers ensuring that are supported well at all times.
• To take a lead role in co-working complex cases with less experienced staff ensuring that quality, timing and cost efficiency are maintained.
• Contribute to the promotion of resources within the community to prevent the need for Children’s Services or statutory intervention, by actively collaborating with Service Users and partner agencies including schools.
• Contribute to decision-making on client priority needs to ensure the most vulnerable clients receive an appropriate service.
• Participate in duty rota system and other shared team responsibilities according to team requirements.
• Maintain records and comply with financial and administrative IT procedures, including electronic case recording.
• Ensure that professional practice adheres to clear threshold definition, including participating in work designed to reduce the need for children to be looked after.
• Chairing or managing the activities and outcomes of Core Groups and other meetings as required.
• Prepare and support cases going to court and attend court with limited additional management support
• Evidence of continued professional development in areas relevant to Children’s social care and the development of the profession.
• To comply with Financial Regulations and business support policies and procedures.

4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post

• None. 

5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post

• To provide mentoring and professional advice to less experienced staff, as directed by the Team Manager.
• Contribute to the continuing professional development of staff by promoting and identifying potential learning needs and support the delivery of ‘protected time’ to pursue learning opportunities. (Minimum of half a day per calendar month). Through this process ensure that appropriate national professional standards/competencies are being met and monitored.
• Contribute to the recruitment, retention, motivation of team members.
• Promote the use of learning logs.
• Demonstrate leadership competencies, acting with openness, honesty, integrity, instilling a clear sense of direction and purpose, priority and pace.
• Model excellent professional practice and standards.

6. Working environment and conditions of the post

• An assessment of the need will be undertaken on request or as determined by the role.

7. Physical demands of the post

• Normal physical effort. 

8. Specific resources used by the post

• Normal resources i.e. laptop. 

9. Key contacts and relationships

External

• Colleagues in Partnership Agencies. 

Internal

• Colleagues in all children’s services teams, all other Council departments and Council members. 

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.
• The post is eligible for both hybrid and permanent home working.
• 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	Experienced Social Worker
Strategic team/Directorate	Childrens Services
Service	Safeguarding
Business unit	Front Door, Operational Services, Regulated Services

Skills and effectiveness

Essential skills and effectiveness

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Able to convey respect for others.
• Ability to demonstrate skills in mediation, negotiation and problem solving.
• Able to assess situations with clarity and sensitivity and act professionally in crisis situations.
• Ability to work in an open and challenging way with families.
• Organisational/time management skills.
• Ability to implement anti-discriminatory practice in all areas of work.
• Ability to take a lead role in jointly worked cases.
• Ability to prepare and present reports in a variety of settings.
• Demonstrate skills in working to achieve focussed outcomes.
• High level analytical skills.
• Excellent case recording skills.
• Ability to mentor others that upholds and promotes the ethical principles and values that guide professional practice and thereby ensures compliance with policies.
• Ability to implement anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive principles in all areas of work practice.
• 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

• Demonstrate ability to lead on complex work, to achieve targets set within timescale and budget.

Knowledge

Essential knowledge

• Good understanding of the full range of activities delivered by the Authority and partners in relation to children, young people and families.
• Has a developed knowledge of Social Care policies and procedures,and makes themselves continually aware of new Child Care legislation and National Guidance.
• Awareness of effective management practices.
• Thorough understanding of current legislation and guidance and developments in services to children young people and families.
• Demonstrates an advanced and detailed knowledge of child development, attachment theory, anti-discriminatory practice, the framework for assessment of children in need and their families, social work theory and methods.

Desirable knowledge

• Experience of mentoring or coaching peers. 

Experience and achievements

Essential experience and achievements

• Significant post qualification experience of working with children and families in the context of current legislation and government initiatives.
• Significant post qualification experience of working in a local authority setting.
• For Social work professionals, experience of complex Child Protection cases and Court proceedings under the Children’s Act 1989.
• Commitment to evidence of applying an evidenced informed practice approach.
• Experience of supporting others and assuring compliance to policy and procedures.
• Experience of working under pressure and making robust evidenced informed decisions.
• Evidence of having delivered improved outcomes and impact for children and young people.
• Demonstrate advanced and detailed skills in direct work with children and young persons, carers and families.

Desirable experience and achievements

• Experience of mentoring or coaching peers. 

Qualifications/professional memberships

Essential qualifications/professional memberships

• Social Work degree qualification e.g. Dip SW, CQSW, CSS or equivalent.
• Membership of Social Work England.
• Commitment to continued professional development.

Desirable qualifications/professional memberships

• Graduate Certificate in Professional Practice and the Child Care Award.

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/South West/UK in order to carry out duties.
• Ability to accommodate unsociable hours.
• Ability to accommodate occasional/permanent home-working.