Advanced Social Work Practitioner - Looked After Children

Posted 24th Jan, 2024
Location
Enfield
Salary/rate
£42,909 – £54,333
Hours
Full-time
Working arrangements
Blended
Contract type
Permanent
Closing date
7th Apr, 2024
About the role

Enfield Looked After Children team are seeking two confident, imaginative, and dynamic advanced social work practitioners to make a difference in vulnerable children’s lives.

Based in the bubbling heart of Enfield Town, situated in a modern newly designed client facing service hub. The new office has bespoke areas for service users and is an environment which supports our smart working policy, surrounded by small businesses, bars, restaurants, a buzzing high street and shopping centre. Our brand new high-tech multiagency office has good transport links into central London and is easily assessable to the M25, A10 and A406.

As an Advanced Social Worker in the Looked After Children's Team, your aim will be to support children living with relatives, family friends, foster families, or prospective adopters to secure their permanency and to ensure their holistic needs are met. Through regular visits, assessments, permanency planning and case work, you will nurture and develop meaningful relationships with children; understand and interpret their wishes, complete high-quality direct work and life story work with children.

You will be required to prepare statements and assessments and should be experienced in Court work. As an experienced practitioner, you will support managers with role modelling for newly qualified social workers and may supervise student social workers. 

You will be supported in this challenging role with regular reflective individual and group supervision. The role is to work alongside other professionals, to ensure that a child or young person receives appropriate care, education and health services, by working alongside other social workers and partnership organisations such as Foster carers, Health Services, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), Education, The Regional Adoption Agency and Independent Reviewing officers.

Enfield is situated in North London and is a culturally diverse borough. Its wards include the 20% most affluent and deprived in the country, and a mix of industrial areas, residential and countryside.

You will need to hold a qualification in social work and you must be registered with the Social Work England.

If you are looking for interesting opportunities to further your career, or want to contribute to integrated multidisciplinary working for the wellbeing of children, and if you are a motivated and enthusiastic practitioner then we would like to hear from you; we could be your next step!

We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications have been received. Therefore, we advise that you complete fully and submit your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Contact Details - 

If you would like to know more about the role, please contact Sephra Dorsette-Peters on 0208 132 2698 or sephra.dorsette-peters@enfield.gov.uk for an informal discussion or to arrange a visit to the team.

If you have any difficulties accessing this information, please contact Andrea Walkerdine on 0208 132 1022 or andrea.walkerdine@enfield.gov.uk 

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share in this commitment.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications have been received. Therefore, we advise that you complete fully and submit your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

We do not see your name or title when shortlisting your application. This is one of many initiatives to build a more talented and diverse workforce. However, if you put your name on your CV or Statement it will be visible to us. For this reason, we ask that you do not include your name on these documents. Please note it is your responses to the Essential/Desirable criteria, as detailed in the Job Description and Person Specification which is available on the job advert, that will determine if you are shortlisted for an interview, therefore we encourage you to always address the essential and desirable criteria in your application/CV.

About you
  • Essential:
  • Degree in Social Work (minimum Upper Second, if classified) or equivalent. Must be Social Work England registered.
  • Knowledge and understanding of; Children Act 1989, 2004 and other legislation regarding Leaving Care Act 2000, Housing and Education Acts, child development, relevant social policy and key legislation, with strategic reference to safeguarding
  • Excellent spoken and written English, and computer literacy adequate to case recording and production of fit-for-purpose reports within strict deadlines
  • Communication skills in direct work with children, and proven ability to work in partnership with parents/carers, ensuring paramountcy of children’s needs
  • Familiarity with diversity/equality principles in general, and specific experience of working in a culturally/ethnically diverse locality
  • The ability to carry out comprehensive assessments of risk and needs of children and families within agreed timescales and implement and review written care plans; successfully demonstrating a clear knowledge and understanding of legislative, policy and practice issues.
  • To demonstrate excellent analytical skills in written and oral work using high level knowledge and understanding of complex casework, risk management and care planning.

Desirable:

  • Competent user of Information Technology including integrated children’s systems.
  • Successful completion of Practice Educator course
  • Demonstrate a strong commitment to delivering better outcomes for children and the knowledge to do so.
About Enfield

Enfield is one of the most diverse parts of London, with all the benefits this brings across our communities, culture, heritage and local economy.  It also has incredibly diverse landscapes – from the urban centres of Edmonton, Southgate, Palmers Green and Enfield Town, to rural areas and farmland in the north of the borough.

Based in the bubbling heart of Enfield Town, situated in a modern newly designed service hub, the new office is an environment which supports our smart working policy surrounded by small businesses, bars, restaurants, a buzzing high street and shopping centre. Our brand new high-tech multiagency office has good transport links into central London and is easily assessable to the M25, A10 and A406.

We are proud of the services we offer to children and families living in the borough and work with partners to ensure children receive the best start in life. We are passionate about improving outcomes and driving up standards and performance. Ofsted has rated our children’s services as GOOD overall, read the full report here

Our offer to you include:

  • A rewarding role in an Ofsted rated GOOD children’s services department

  • Up to 32 days annual leave depending on grade and length of service. You will also get eight public holidays per year and an extra day off at Christmas.

  • A blend of remote and office based working  

  • Health and leisure discounts and tax-free bikes for work.

  • Modern purposefully designed working environment in Thomas Hardy House located 5 minutes from the station

  • A clear career progression pathway, supported by a comprehensive training programme

  • Smart technology assistance including hybrid video conferencing

  • Employee Assistance Programme to provide advice and counselling services. This is a free and confidential service available to staff and members of their family.

  • Enthusiastic and proactive staff network groups

  • 1 month paid sabbatical for children’s social workers