Contact & Referral Officer – MASH – Children Services – Croydon Council
Salary: Grade 7 £37,068 - £38,058
Permanent – 36 hours per week
Hybrid working
Job Purpose
Croydon’s MASH is the ‘front door’ for all new referrals for children who may need early help support or children’s social care intervention, making important decisions about which services children need. We are the first contact many professionals, families and members of the public have with Croydon and as such we want people to receive outstanding services from the start. The Contact and Referral Officer role will support the effective functioning of the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) ensuring an effective and efficient service to all enquiries. The successful person will support the social workers, team managers and key multi-agency partners building effective relationships which supports and safeguards children and young people.
About you
You are an experienced Contact & Referral Officer, passionate about your work and committed to improving outcomes for children and families.
Good knowledge and understanding of Safeguarding, Children’s Social Care and Early Help including Continuum of need.
Knowledge of ICT systems and processes.
Demonstrate skill in developing collaborative and effective working relationships with a range of stakeholders.
Ability to communicate information accurately and clearly – both to members of the public and professionals and colleagues within the MASH and across the practice system.
Ability to identify and communicate safeguarding concerns urgently with relevant social worker / manager.
Experience of administrative work and understanding of office procedures within a busy and sensitive public environment.
Home to 94,000 children, Croydon is a truly unique place to practice social work. We are a borough with big ambition, grit, and determination. Children's social care was judged ‘good’ in our last Ofsted inspection.
Our systemic practice framework places emphasis on relationships as key to supporting change for families. We make sense of the world through relationships, focusing on the whole family system and thinking about our own part in that too – what we bring, our own family stories and beliefs, how we use ourselves in the work that we do. Our practice model is all about collaboration - with our families, networks and partners; being open to challenge and ensuring our practitioners are highly trained in a variety of intervention approaches. Our established clinical service will support you to grow your own systemic practice within the service, providing accredited training, co-working and direct work with families.
For an informal chat about working in Croydon, contact Agata Stolowska at agata.stolowska@croydon.gov.uk