As a key member of our Children’s Services team, you will supervise the work of Social Workers and a number of support staff in their activities. This is not specifically a case holding role you will be required to provide support to supervisees when they are meeting with children and their families, and you will take overall responsibility for decisions being made on individual cases, so you will be ready to roll your sleeves up and share your expertise.
Working at least four days a week in the office, you will lead by example as you encourage your team to bring about individualised interventions that will lead children and young people to better life outcomes. We adopt a systemic approach to all that we do, so we see families through the entire programme without the need for ‘transfer’ to other teams. This affords us the chance to really get to grips with their circumstances and make a tangible difference. Working in partnership with our Family Therapy Unit, you will therefore help your team build good relationships with each family that comes to our attention, and you will help us go further in our endeavours by building relationships with both internal colleagues and external partners such as local community groups – and in the process you will help us maintain our ‘Outstanding’ status from Ofsted!
To make the most of this interesting role, you will combine great communication skills with your determination to drive change. With experience of working with families and young people who have complex needs, you will know what it takes to be an inspirational leader, and you will be keen to support staff in their day-to-day activities.
As a registered Social Worker, you will have an exceptional knowledge of assessing and supporting children in need, at risk of harm and those who are Looked After. This will include an up-to-date knowledge of the relevant immigration relating to children, young people and immigrants, and you will have a comprehensive awareness of the relevant family processes and procedures. Crucially, you will bring a determination to ensure no young person is ever overlooked.
In turn, we can offer you a fascinating career path with ongoing training and development opportunities – plus a generous benefits package that includes access to a desirable pension scheme and travelcard benefits.
The council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff to share this commitment.
We make sure all our staff are vetted to a high standard by conducting pre-employment checks to assess and assure the trustworthiness, integrity, and ability of prospective employees. This includes validating identity, right to work in the UK, qualifications (where applicable), work history (including the investigation of gaps) and referencing. They may also involve criminal record checks (UK and overseas).
We promote equality, welcome diverse applicants, and ensure inclusivity in our recruitment and selection process.
As a social worker, Kensington and Chelsea presents a unique and rewarding work environment. The borough is home to a diverse community and the demographic make up of our staff reflects this.
We are committed to promoting equality and celebrating the benefits of diversity. We are a Disability Confident Employer – committed to ensuring that our recruitment and selection process is inclusive and accessible.
The borough’s commitment to social care is reflected in its innovative approach to service delivery. For example, the Council has established a Bi-Borough partnership with neighbouring borough Westminster, which allows for the sharing of resources and expertise. The partnership has resulted in improved service delivery and better outcomes for vulnerable residents, which was recognised in our last ILACS inspection which found Kensington and Chelsea to be Outstanding in all judgement areas.
“Children in care and care leavers receive an outstanding service from workers who know them exceptionally well and are caring and ambitious for them. There is strong corporate support from the wider council to provide high-quality social work services for children, including significant financial investment so that the conditions are in place for excellent social work practice to flourish.”Ofsted
“Children in care and care leavers receive an outstanding service from workers who know them exceptionally well and are caring and ambitious for them. There is strong corporate support from the wider council to provide high-quality social work services for children, including significant financial investment so that the conditions are in place for excellent social work practice to flourish.”
Ofsted
Social workers in Kensington and Chelsea can look forward to a package that includes a competitive salary and child protection payment of £2,500 for social worker positions, membership of the Local Government pension scheme, Travel allowance scheme for zones 1 and 2, cycle scheme, reimbursement of Social Work England fees, generous annual leave plus bank holidays and discounts for many leisure activities, restaurants, shops and other establishments. Employees also benefit from an extensive training package, with access to the West London Alliance essential training and to years 1 and 2 of Systemic Practice.
In addition, we offer an annual leave purchase scheme where you can purchase up to 5 days annual leave per annum at 90 per cent of the actual cost. The Council has a staff contributory private healthcare scheme, open to all staff and offers a Dental Insurance Plan.