Sanctuary Social Care is currently looking for an experienced and dedicated Supervising Social Worker to work full-time in Croydon. The ideal candidate will possess highly developed specialist knowledge of social work practice in children's services and be registered with the HCPC.
The salary for this permanent Social Worker job is £32,000 to £37,000 per annum.
Duties:
- Manages fostering resources in an allocated area, recruiting, assessing, supervising and training and supporting foster carers and their placements.
- Promoting and ensuring that the organisation provides quality, professional services for local authorities placing children and young people
- Recruits and assesses prospective foster carers in accordance with organisational policies and procedures, under the supervision of the Registered Manager.
- Initiates and carries out local recruitment activities analysing the effectiveness of methods used, in conjunction with the Registered Manager
- Undertake initial visits
- Carries out stringent assessment and completion of Form F assessments to standard, presenting reports to Panel
- Supports freelance assessors assigned to the foster care applicants as required
- Ensures that Foster Carer Agreements and necessary documentation is completed prior to placement
- Supervises and supports allocated foster carers and their placements, completing necessary documentation through:
- Assisting with the matching of referrals of looked after children and their requirements with approved foster carers
- Visiting and maintaining contact with them in accordance with guidelines or as necessary
- Ensuring that foster carers are familiar with and comply with the organisations policies and procedure
- Working flexibly to ensure an appropriate level of support is offered and maintained, assisting with duty and responding outside of normal hours if required
- Ensuring that statutory and safeguarding requirements are adhered to
- Identifying and advising the line manager, or a member of the senior management team, of problems arising with carers and their placements, ensuring appropriate action may follow
- Reporting significant issues and/or complaints, incidents, allegations in accordance with Schedule 8 notifications to a senior manager and responsible authority immediately
- Undertaking annual reviews of foster carers in accord with the procedures laid down by the organisation and in conjunction with their senior manager
- Recognising opportunities offered by foster carers to their knowledge and performance competences
- Co-ordinating support groups for foster carers and their families
- Actively promotes training and development of foster carers, self and colleagues:
- Supports and identifies the training and development needs of foster carers, monitoring achievement and attendance at training sessions.
- Undertake training in liaison with colleagues
- Takes responsibility for own professional continuing development and participates in the organisations training initiatives
- Shares knowledge with colleagues
- Maintains and makes full use of the agency's recording and information systems ensuring:
- Relevant information is recorded promptly and appropriately
- Accurate checks and reports are prepared and presented as required
- Full and appropriate use is made of the agency's network and IT equipment
- Promotes the agency externally, ensuring that the agency's policy to offer a professional, high-quality fostering service to its customers is recognised and achieved through:
- Representing the organisation to placing local authorities and other relevant organisations
- Establishing new links and contacts with local authorities
Requirements of the Social Worker:
- Degree or equivalent in social work
- Current HCPC registration
- Significant senior level frontline experience within children's services
- Demonstrable experience of social work practice with children and young people in an assessment, care management and/or fostering setting
- Good working knowledge of relevant legislation and standards
- A sound knowledge of issues related to fostering
- Knowledge of social work methods and experience of working with children and young people
- To be proficient in word processing, internet and email
- To be eligible to work in the UK
- Experience of managing caseloads and meeting deadlines
- Experience of safeguarding processes within children's services
- Experience of working with Looked After Children/Young People
- Experience of undertaking assessments of prospective foster carers
- Experience of recruiting foster carers
- Experience of supporting and/or supervising foster carers
- Experience of working for an IFA
- Current driving licence and use of a car suitable to the requirements of the post along with fully comprehensive insurance to permit business use
Contact:
This Social Worker job is advertised by Neil Clements; if you are interested in this position please click above to apply now.
Due to the high volume of applications we receive, regretfully we are only able to respond to candidates who meet our clients' requirements.
Reasonable Adjustments:
If you consider yourself to have a disability or require any reasonable adjustment during the recruitment process or within the workplace, please highlight this at the earliest opportunity. With this information, we will provide appropriate support to you throughout the process and into your work placement.
