Key accountabilities

Professional Direction

• This post will form part of a dedicated team undertaking complex social work with children, their families and
• wider support systems.  
• The key accountabilities will be undertaken in accordance with relevant statutes, guidance, regulations,
• policies and procedures and the HCPC Standards of Proficiency for Social Workers.
• The job holder will uphold the HCPC Proficiency for Social Workers and maintain an updated portfolio evidence of continuous professional development.
• The job holder may be directed to a particular specialism of recognised social work and may require additional Knowledge and Skills as set out in the KSS for that area of work.

       • The job holder will demonstrate an understanding of complexity which applies to the role and be able to adequately respond to these in a timely purposeful manner which meets the Nolan Standards.

Complexity will involve combinations of:

• Multi agency/professional and disciplinary input
• Complex family /organisational dynamics
• Serious hostility and conflicts of interest
• Multiple problems/disadvantages
• Multiple/significant risk factors
• Adolescent High risk and vulnerability 
• Need to take into account the public interest.
• •Provide high quality social work as part of a multi-professional team, acting, as required, as the lead professional for families caring for adolescents presenting with a range of needs including being victims/perpetrators of child sexual exploitation, young people affected or involved in serious youth violence and group offending, missing from home.
• Build the resilience of children, young people and their families by using evidenced based approaches to achieve sustained change. 
• Use the direction, support and guidance of your line manager and the multiprofessional team to effectively manage the range of complexities of risk and ambiguity families present with.
• •Establish rapport, build respectful relationships with children, young people, their families, obtaining and recording their views accurately 
• Mobilise existing and potential support networks for children, young people and their families through effective and regular engagement and communication, working collaboratively and including their views and contributions to assessments and plans made for children, young people and their families
• Undertake assessments of children, young people’s circumstances, using observation and information gathered from a range of sources to provide evidence and analysis of children’s needs leading to recommended levels of intervention and of service provision.
• Work with children, young people and their families in a range of settings, including their homes to undertake assessments and interventions aimed at building their resilience and improving outcomes.  
• Take responsibility for making decisions about the tasks that need to be completed with families and at all times working in the families best interests and considering the impact of your involvement on children, young people and their families

Duties & Responsibilities

       • Use flexibility and creativity to engage adolescents and develop relationships of trust, bringing to the attention of your line manager any concerns relating to the quality of parenting or the safety and well-being of children and young people within their home, school or community environments. 

       • Effectively plan for change, involving relevant professionals and family members by clear on what needs to change, how the individual or family will be supported to achieve the change and how and when the plan will be monitored and reviewed, including the provision of regular feedback to families on progress towards agreed plans as they form and develop.  

       • Routinely use measurement tools with families to track and monitor the impact of interventions and the progress children, young people and parents are making towards agreed change.  

       • Prepare clear and concise informative written reports based on complex evidence in relation to your work with children, young people and their families as required and to agreed standards and timescales. 

       • Attend and participate in Child Protection Conferences and Looked After Children Reviews, and where appropriate, organise and chair multi-agency meetings promoting at all times the best outcomes for children. 

       • Adequately prepare for and represent the Council during court proceedings in order to recommend and seek legal interventions that are in the best interests of the children or young people.

       • Pro-actively acquire knowledge to share with families about local resources, facilities and other sources of support available to children, young people and their families as appropriate, and support individuals to develop links with those services including voluntary services, Children Centres, Youth Services, adult and community-based services. 

       • Be reliable and work flexibly (including early mornings, evenings and occasional weekends) to meet children, young people and their family’s needs.

       • Maintain up to date and high quality case records of your work and children, young people and their families circumstances contributing to the overall picture of need and risk.

       •  Prepare information for the Permanency Planning panel and make appropriate recommendations of threshold decisions and care planning

       •  Learn, use and maintain required management information, administrative and associated ICT systems to input data and enable operational service effectiveness as required.

       • Take responsibility for your own professional development by actively engaging in supervision, appraisals, training and research activities, with particular regard to high risk/high vulnerability groups.

       • Contribute to learning across Family Services about best practice in social work interventions promoting the best outcomes for children.

       • Assist in the development of service policies, procedures and working practices at local, departmental and inter-agency levels.

       • Encourage appropriate user participation in the delivery, monitoring and evaluation of the service. 

       •  Be aware of all relevant legislation and guidance including the London Child Protection Procedures and the concept of significant harm and to take immediate steps to ensure the safety of children in situations of risk, and to report concerns as soon as possible using agreed procedures.

       • Acquire knowledge about different groups, races and cultures which inform service delivery and have regard for the particular needs of children from black and minority ethnic groups. 

       • Keep abreast of new and relevant legislation, guidance and regulations in order to assure a competent level of professional knowledge

General

       •Operate within the Council’s financial regulations, budgetary framework and the service’s delegated powers to minimise the risk of a breach and ensure that the service delivers value for money.

       • Ensure all financial transactions actioned are recorded and accounted for to the standards required.

       • Be committed to the Council’s core values of public service, quality, equality and empowerment.

       • This post may be required to carry out other reasonable duties commensurate with the grade, as requested by line manager.

       • This job description is not exhaustive and may change as the post or the needs of the Council develop.  Such changes will be subject to consultation between the post holder and their manager and, if necessary, further job evaluation.

       • Work with a degree of flexibility required to perform work not specifically referred to above although falling within the scope of the post at the appropriate grade.