Job info |
Job info details |
Job title |
Therapeutic Social Worker |
Strategic team/Directorate |
Children’s Services |
Service |
Regulated Services |
Business unit |
Children’s Services |
Responsible to (day to day issues) |
Fostering Service Recruitment, Training & Assessment Team Manager |
Accountable to (line manager) |
Fostering Service Recruitment, Training & Assessment Team Manager |
Salary grade |
K |
JE ref |
CSERV006 |
1. Key purpose of job
- Combine psychoeducation, implementation of PACE approach, and specialist support for wellbeing, to stabilise and strengthen placements for complex children and young people.
- Provide consultation to Social Workers where there are complex difficulties and needs that may relate to behaviours, mental wellbeing, placement difficulties, therapeutic approaches to care planning, and therapeutic skills in direct work.
- Deliver training on Therapeutic parenting including, PACE, Introduction to Sensory Processing and Bodily Awareness, Attachment; Trauma-informed practice, Life Story Work Skills.
- Facilitate Reflective Practice Groups, creative and reflective exercises to explore practice issues, complex situations for children and including psychoeducation were indicated and provides direct work skills and guidance.
2. Anticipated outcomes of post
- Increased placement stability for cared for children.
- Cared for children will be able to manage their emotions through therapeutic input.
- Foster Carers will be able to manage the emotional and wellbeing needs of cared for children.
3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post
- To lead on the transformational development of a therapeutic offer for Social Workers supporting cared for children and foster carers. This ground-breaking approach will include the delivery of training and managing competing demands for consultation from both social workers and foster carer both in the short and long term. The post holder will advise on time scales for implementation and update on progress.
- To review information about cared for children and ensure there is a plan for therapeutic interventions to meet their individual emotional and wellbeing needs. This will include prioritising competing demands and working with complexity. Such as, when there is the need for urgent consultation where there is a placement breakdown. The post holder will be requested to attend and provide consultation at short notice.
- Promote attachment-based parenting and therapeutic play with the foster carers. This will include providing ongoing consultation for those who require more support to apply their learning into practice or are caring for children who display challenging behaviour. This will be agreed autonomously by the post holder.
- To set up, implement and review the above alongside other key persons.
- To provide comprehensive and regular reports of the therapeutic plans and impact of interventions and presenting reports where appropriate to a range audiences and forums.
- To provide consultation to Social Workers, where there are complex difficulties and needs that may relate to behaviours, mental wellbeing, placement difficulties, on therapeutic approaches to care planning and the delivery of therapeutic skills through direct work. This may involve managing competing demands and working to tight timescales.
- To provide consultation to Foster Carers on the implementation of the PACE approach and specialist support for wellbeing.
- To lead on the design, development, delivery, and organisation of practice workshops on Therapeutic parenting with PACE, Introduction to Sensory Processing and Bodily Awareness for staff and Foster Carers.
- To monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of training workshops and make amendments as required.
- Work as part of the social work team and communicate effectively.
- To expand and continue with own developmental knowledge and understanding on childhood trauma and attachment for cared for children
- To assist fostering social workers to gain a better understanding of their cared for child’s needs and to advise on their individualised needs based on their personal experiences.
- Work closely with supervising social workers and, when required to do so, attend cared for reviews, planning meetings and PEP’s
- Facilitate Reflective Practice Groups, creative and reflective exercises to explore practice issues, complex situations for children and including psychoeducation were indicated and provides direct work skills and guidance.
- To provide consultation, where required, to school staff who are providing specialist support to cared for children in school.
- To oversee the completion of Life Story Work and consider best practice issues; contra-indications and risk factors; understand the impact of trauma; develop therapeutic direct work skills; and reinforce attachment, belonging, and their positive sense of identity. This will include monitoring the progress and quality of life story work and requesting amendments or a different approach where applicable.
- Through the delivery of advice and guidance, support social workers to prioritise the timing, appropriateness, contra-indications of therapeutic interventions based on the needs of the individual child.
- The post holder will draw on their significant knowledge and experience to provide a solution for children where there are high levels of complexity and/or a contentious situation. This may include providing advice and guidance as a one off to a social worker and/or foster carer or a longer piece of work requiring a multifaceted approach and careful monitoring by the post holder.
4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post
5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post
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
- Foster Carers, Therapists contracted to provide independent therapeutic interventions, Education Providers.
Internal
- Fostering and Cared for Children Teams, Employees at all levels across 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 both hybrid and permanent home 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 |
Therapeutic Social Worker |
Strategic team/Directorate |
Children’s Services |
Service |
Regulated Services |
Business unit |
Children’s Services |
Skills and effectiveness
Essential skills and effectiveness
- Ability to design practice workshops and facilitate learning using a range of methods and tools.
- Highly skilled in delivering therapeutic interventions as per the recognised professional standards.
- Ability to identify and support the learning needs of staff and foster carers.
- Able to provide creative solutions when working with complexity and to overcome blockers and barriers.
- High level of communication skills in both group and individual settings.
- Ability to work in collaboration with team managers to support reflective practice.
- Actively pursuing Continuing Professional Development as defined by professional body.
- Able to share good practice and experience and learn from others.
- Ability to give constructive feedback, challenge appropriately and identify areas for development in others.
- 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.
- ICT and administration skills.
Desirable skills and effectiveness
N/A
Knowledge
Essential knowledge
- Significant knowledge of attachment issues and the impact of trauma upon children’s development and interpersonal skills.
- Considerable knowledge of the theoretical base underpinning therapeutic work.
- Understanding of different learning styles and needs.
- Knowledge of training and facilitation techniques and learning methods.
- Substantial knowledge of therapeutic parenting approaches to support children to form secure attachments.
Desirable knowledge
N/A
Experience and achievements
Essential experience and achievements
- Considerable relevant experience in the field of therapeutic social work.
- Substantial experience in children and families work, having regularly undertaken complex assessments of children and families.
- Experience of practice education/ mentoring/ coaching staff or students.
- Experience of designing, delivering and evaluating training and workshops.
Desirable experience and achievements
N/A
Qualifications/professional memberships
Essential qualifications/professional memberships
- Social Work qualification e.g., Dip SW, CQSW, CSS or equivalent.
- Current Registration with Social Work England.
- Post-graduate Therapeutic Qualification which is subject to professional standards e.g., Play Therapy, Art Therapy, Music Therapy or equivalent.
Desirable qualifications/professional memberships
- Practice Educator/Teaching qualification.
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 UK in order to carry out duties.
- Ability to accommodate unsociable hours if required.
- Ability to accommodate occasional homeworking.
- Have demonstrable experience of working to complete objectives/targets through independent working and problem-solving skills.
- Make effective use of time management and prioritisation skills.
- Ability to work unsupervised at times.