Social Worker

Job Details Salary: £37,930 - £39,835 (inclusive of 5% Market Supplement) Hours per week: 37 hours Rolling advert – we are continuously reviewing and interviewing applicants on a weekly basis and will stop accepting applications when sufficient applications have been received. Applications must be submitted via the NHS Jobs link provided in the opening statement. We are currently unable to accept applications via NHS Jobs. Overview An exciting opportunity has arisen for a dynamic, forward‑thinking Social Worker to become an integral part of our Children in Care Team in the South of Wiltshire. Dedicated to improving the lives of looked‑after children and meeting the unique needs of the most vulnerable, we received an 'Outstanding' rating from Ofsted in September and have positive inspection feedback for our service. Main Duties Play a vital role in supporting looked‑after children and care leavers; work closely with children, families, and partner agencies to deliver tailored support and ensure each child's needs are met in a safe, inclusive, and empowering way. Support our care experienced young people through the Local Offer and enable young people to influence our services and enhance inclusion via initiatives such as The Leaving Care Forum. Act as a Primary worker with case responsibility for Children in Need, Children Looked After, and where appropriate Children in Need of Protection—depending on the function of the dedicated team. Operate within County policy and keep up to date with social work methods, practise developments, new legislation and procedures, including the Children Act, Children & Families Act, Every Child Matters and Care Matters agenda, The Care Act, NHS and social care legislation. Interpret and implement statutory duties and departmental policy and procedures in the provision of services to children and young adults; complete enquiries, assess needs, write reports and plan interventions in a timely manner. Take appropriate action to assess and minimise any identified concern or risk to children / young people in accordance with the requirements and timescales of Assessment Frameworks, Child Protection procedures and Looked after Children legislation and procedures. Draw up and implement, with the child / young person and their family / carers, an appropriate plan to address identified issues and maximise the participation of service users and carers in this process ensuring that social work intervention is ongoing only when necessary in people's lives. Carry out regular reviews of individual plans, record outcomes and formulate revised plans that are outcome focused. Conven e meetings e.g. team around the child meetings to assist in the implementation and review of plans for vulnerable children. Write reports for Child Protection Conferences, Planning Meetings, Looked after Children reviews, Legal meetings and Court Hearings and attend these as appropriate. About Us Wiltshire Council is a friendly, welcoming place to work, with a 'One Council' ethos. We focus on getting the things that matter to our people right. Job Responsibilities Ensure accurate and timely recording of all information / assessment activity onto the Social Care records database in accordance with work targets set by the Team Manager and Assistant team manager. Be responsible for the day to day interpretation of and implementation of statutory duties and departmental policy and procedures in the provision of services to children and young adults. Be allocated work from the Team Manager or any person delegated to act on their behalf based on eligibility criteria and to hold case management responsibility for this work. Have a well developed understanding of assessment and the management of risks for adults and be able to apply Council policy and support customers to manage risk appropriately. Identify where vulnerable adults may be at risk and act in accordance with the Departments Safeguarding policies and procedures. Complete enquiries and assess the needs and risks to vulnerable children and young people in a timely manner giving due consideration to the wishes and views of the child and the child’s family. Recruit and engage multi‑disciplinary and partnership working and work with challenging client groups and situations. Participate in the team social work duty rota and fully engage and prepare for own supervision and appraisal through self‑evaluation, ensuring that continual professional development is evidenced. Ability to travel on a daily basis and to undertake visits to families in their own homes or in other settings. Person Specification – Qualifications Social Work England registered and up to date knowledge of relevant legislation and guidance in relation to working with and the protection of children and young people. Thorough understanding of the needs of children in care; up to date knowledge of key child care legislation, policies and practices central to the implementation of a professional social work service on behalf of the council. Knowledge of Every Child Matters, the five outcomes and shared processes. Up to date knowledge of relevant legislation and guidance in relation to the safeguarding of vulnerable adults; knowledge and understanding of Health & Social Care legislation and wider policy context for and ability to put a range of theories, models and interventions into practice and assess impact for the service user. Knowledge of assessment processes, outcome focused interventions and the contribution provided by other agencies, timescales and impact on council and Government performance targets and indicators. Person Specification – Experience Experience of direct work with children, young people and families; experience of completing assessments, reports and plans for children identified as vulnerable and in need. Experience of direct work with vulnerable adults; experience of completing assessments, reports and plans for adults identified as vulnerable and in need. Experience of fostering care and family placement work and developing supported living options for vulnerable adults. Experience of working with children in care, their families and foster carers; experience of developing ordinary life and supported living options for young adults. Some relevant professional experience post qualification in a similar work environment and expert knowledge of relevant policy, systems, work practices, professional guidelines, legislation in the area of specialism. Person Specification – Core Skills and Knowledge Proven organisational skills, ability to prioritise work and manage own time effectively and keep accurate electronic records. Ability to contribute positively to the social work team and department, manage competing demands of a caseload, and develop and maintain effective professional relationships within and outside the department. Effective verbal and written communication skills with colleagues, outside agencies and service users; ability to identify problems with some complexity and demonstrate a creative approach. Understanding of Person Centred Planning and experience of planning and workload management skills. Excellent ICT skills including Microsoft applications and specialist systems; authorised knowledge of the relevant range of procedural and legislative frameworks, systems and initiatives. Disclosure and Barring Service Check and clear record of a Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) submission. Compensation £37,930 to £39,835 a year inclusive of 5% Market Supplement. Recruitment Notice Accurate record keeping and report writing, good presentational skills and the ability to carry out complex client assessments are essential. Additional Information Disclosure and Barring Service Check required. This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order). #J-Ljbffr #J-18808-Ljbffr