Job info |
Job info details |
Job title |
Practice Educator and ASYE Lead |
Strategic team/Directorate |
Children’s Services |
Service |
Learning and Partnership Hubs |
Business unit |
Learning Academy |
Responsible to (day to day issues) |
Service Manager Learning Academy |
Accountable to (line manager) |
Service Manager Learning Academy |
Salary grade |
L |
JE ref |
CSERV026 |
1. Key purpose of job
- To lead on developing social care practice in line with the latest research, policy and legislation. Promoting and implementing practice standards, encouraging access to practice guidance and research to support evidence-based practice.
- To provide appropriate challenge to Social Workers, Managers and Heads of Service within Children’s Services to ensure that programmes and policies are delivered and adhered to in accordance with appropriate standards, procedures, and legal requirements.
- Promote continuous professional development by creating and delivering individual and group training to newly qualified social workers and social work students, providing mentoring, coaching and facilitating group supervision/casework reflection sessions and developing creative ways to deliver learning.
- To provide expert professional advice and support to ensure that social work training and Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE) programme is delivered in accordance with agreed standards and thresholds.
- To lead on the development of the AYSE programme, including teaching, progress reviews and pastoral support
2. Anticipated outcomes of post
- Through collaborative working with social work colleagues, AYSE’s will receive a programme of learning and assessment that prepares them for a career in children’s social work.
- Learners will be equipped with the knowledge and confidently skilled to deliver a high-quality service to children and their families.
- Learners receive high quality, effective and accessible learning materials, and training.
- Newly Qualified Social Workers (NQSW’s) achieve the highest quality standards as part of the ASYE to recognise Torbay Council as an employer of choice.
3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post
- To facilitate the learning and development of Newly Qualified Social Workers, and Student Social Workers to develop their professional capabilities in line with the Professional Capabilities Framework and Children & Families Knowledge and Skills Statement.
- To work with the Principal Social Worker, Team Managers and the Learning and Development Hub Lead to support professional development by proactively identifying learning needs. Designing and delivering a range of innovative individual and group training and professional development opportunities, to meet those needs and improve practice standards across the service.
- To be responsible for leading and developing the ASYE programme and supporting NQSW’s alongside Social Care Managers taking responsibility to ensure all NQSW’s are registered with the Department for Education (DfE) and post-graduate University.
- To ensure that the delivery of teaching and learning is of the highest standard and responsive to the needs of the learners.
- To support facilitators and subject matter experts to be innovative in all aspects of teaching and learning and to help embed the use of virtual learning.
- To be responsible for the learner experience ensuring the highest levels of satisfaction for all learners ensuring the learner voice is heard and acted upon.
- To co-ordinate and advise on the production of high-quality course materials, including schemes of work, lesson plans, assessment schedules and learning materials and ensure materials are accessible to learners.
- To be responsible for quality assurance including session materials and observation of teaching and learning and to ensure that learners and staff take pride in and responsibility for, the learning environment, including the tidiness, comfort and safety of accommodation within the remit of The Learning Academy
- To organise recruitment activities and ensure the appropriate advice and guidance is available for learners.
- To organise and undertake regular progress reviews for learners, that are motivational and include target setting in order to support them achieve their potential.
- To ensure the maximum use of accommodation and staffing resources.
- To be responsible for the booking of facilitators and subject matter experts including external trainers as required
- To support other learning programmes and schemes of work as required
- Be responsible for specific projects as directed by the Divisional Director and Head of Service or Service Manager on complex cross the service projects or tasks on behalf of Children’s Social Care, developing solutions to issues.
- 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.
4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post
5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post
- No direct line management.
- Access the work and manage the portfolios of NQSW’s / Student Social Workers and Social Workers completing post qualifying study.
- Supervise Social Workers and Team Managers undertaking their Practice Education course, including undertaking observations, writing reports and signing off their Practice Education work.
- Provide individual and group supervision for social workers.
6. Working environment and conditions of the post
- Normal working environment and conditions.
7. Physical demands of the post
8. Specific resources used by the post
9. Key contacts and relationships
- External:
- Higher and Further Education Providers
- Skills for Care
- DfE
- Partner agencies to arrange and oversee placements including health and voluntary and community sector
- Representation at regional and national forums
- Internal:
- Principal Social Worker
- Managers at all levels within Children’s Services
- Social Workers
- Human Resources
- Finance
- Learning and Development Hub Lead
- Employees at all levels within the council
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.
- 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 is eligible for hybrid working.
- 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 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- As this post 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.
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 |
Practice Educator and ASYE Lead |
Strategic team/Directorate |
Children’s Services |
Service |
Learning and Partnership Hubs |
Business unit |
Learning Academy |
Skills and effectiveness
Essential skills and effectiveness
- Excellent communication skills, including the ability to facilitate teaching, learning and provide assessment feedback.
- Curriculum development and delivery.
- Experience of undertaking progress reviews and providing pastoral support to learners.
- Ability to undertake complex assessments through observation and marking processes with pre and post qualifying students and social workers and ability to identify learning.
- Experience of supporting subject matter experts to facilitate training.
- Experience of co-ordinating timetables and booking facilitators/trainers.
- Planning and time management ability.
- High level of IT skills.
- Ability to demonstrate skills in mediation, negotiation and problem solving.
Desirable skills and effectiveness
- AYSE curriculum development and delivery.
- Experience of supporting quality assurance activities for programmes of learning including observations of teaching and learning.
- Experience of delivering virtual training.
- Experience of supporting recruitment events.
- Experience in leadership and management.
Knowledge
Essential knowledge
- Detailed understanding of the function of Children’s Social Care services.
- Considerable knowledge of legislation, national guidance and procedures specific to Children’s Social Care.
- Considerable knowledge of current professional practice issues in relation to early help, children in need, child protection, children looked after and care leavers and the related interdependencies with partner agencies.
- Robust knowledge of how people use their learning styles to develop.
- Extensive knowledge of social work practice models and associated tools.
- Knowledge of ASYE Professional Capabilities Framework and the Children & Families Knowledge and Skills Statement.
- Demonstrates an advanced and detailed knowledge of child development, attachment theory, anti-discriminatory practice, the Framework for assessment of children in needs and their families, social work theory and methods.
Desirable knowledge
N/A
Experience and achievements
Essential experience and achievements
- Significant experience working in Children’s Social Care.
- Proven experience of developing and delivering programmes of learning and assessments.
- Experience of providing practice education and supporting Social Work Students / NQSW’s.
- Commitment to evidence of applying an evidenced informed practice approach.
- Experience of managing or supporting others and assuring compliance to policy and procedures.
- Demonstrates advanced and detailed skills in direct work with children and young persons, carers and families.
Desirable experience and achievements
N/A
Qualifications/professional memberships
Essential qualifications/professional memberships
- Relevant professional social work qualification to the equivalent of a degree.
- Current Registration Certificate from Social Work England.
- Practice Educator qualification at degree level or above.
Desirable qualifications/professional memberships
- Level 3 qualification in training/facilitation/teaching.
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/Southwest/UK in order to carry out duties.
- Ability to accommodate occasional homeworking.