1018 Senior Practitioner Referral & Assessment - Kent

Job Location: Bromley, Kent
Job Role: Senior Practitioner Referral & Assessment
Client Group: Children’s Social Care
Salary: TBC
Job Type: Perm
Essential Experience and Qualifications: CQSW, DIPSW or equivalent. Registration with the General Social Care Council (GSCC) is mandatory from 1 April 2005.

Main Purpose of the Job

To discharge the authority’s responsibilities under the Children Act 1989 and other relevant legislation with respect to children in need, particularly those in need of protection and those looked after by the authority.

Summary of Responsibilities and Duties

1. With appropriate supervision, assess for and provide services to children and families in need within the framework of the appropriate legislation, regulations, departmental procedures and child care policy. This will include responsibility for children and families where needs are particularly complex and problematic.

2. To ensure that services are efficiently and effectively provided, liaising as necessary with other divisions, Council Departments, N.H.S. trusts, schools, carers, voluntary and independent sector providers.

3. To maintain high standards of professional practice within their own workload and to promote and enhance such practice within the team and division.

4. Senior Practitioners may be responsible for supervision of some staff (up to level III Social Workers) in the service and share the operational management of the service.

5. All postholders are expected to maintain professional standards of practice and to work in accordance with the Departmental vision, values, procedures and managerial guidance.

6. To manage a caseload of children and families, including:

• Making a comprehensive assessment of need, in partnership with the child, parents, other family members and professionals as appropriate in accordance with the National Assessment Framework.
• Planning, implementing and terminating interventions.
• Facilitating the provision and co-ordination of appropriate services.
• Making referrals to the Community Mental Health Team where adults have particularly complex or problematic needs and maintaining liaison with psychiatric services in order to promote timely and effective management of mental health problems.

7. Working within the Borough’s Child Protection guidelines to undertake key worker responsibilities towards children on the child protection register as outlined in para. 6, but additionally:

• Formulating and updating child protection plans, with appropriate guidance from the Group Manager.
• Providing reports to Child Protection Conferences.
• Making use of the legal framework including both criminal law and the Children Act in order to protect children. This may include giving evidence in court.

8. Undertaking responsibilities towards children looked after by the authority, including:

• Formulating and progressing care plans for looked after children in line with the Children and Families Division’s guidelines.
• Maintaining personal contact with looked after children at a rate no less than that laid down in Placement Regulations.
• Ensuring that the health and education needs of all LAC are met in accordance with National Standards.
• Ensuring that all procedural requirements with respect to reviewing, consultation and recording are adhered to.

9 To act as duty social worker as required by the Group Manager. This may involve providing advice and guidance to less experienced colleagues.

10 To make recommendations to the Group Manager (or other budget holder as appropriate) regarding financial expenditure entailed in care plans and to undertake delegated financial responsibilities.

11 To undertake appropriate training and to maintain a knowledge of changes to departmental procedure, legislation and regulations and of developments in professional practice.

12 To take responsibility within the team for the development of practice; to contribute to training; to have liaison responsibilities and to represent the team on working parties and other bodies as required.

13 To promote Equal Opportunities and anti-discriminatory practice in all areas of work within and outside the Council, in line with legislation and Council policy.

14 To undertake any other duties as may be required commensurate with the grading of the post in order to meet the changing needs of the service.

Essential Requirements

Skills and Abilities:

• Work within a framework of legislation, guidance, divisional policies and procedures and accountability to senior officers.
• Relate effectively to children, parents and carers, many of whom may be under stress.
• Include the ability to support and facilitate the work of more junior staff who are having to deal with particularly difficult situations.
• Work as a team member and to form professional partnerships with other staff within the Department, colleagues from other agencies, foster carers and residential workers and health and education professionals. This will include an ability to remain aware of the roles and responsibilities of others and to promote a positive image of the division and department.
• Analysing complex and problematic situations and in formulating, implementing and reviewing, alongside service users, appropriate assessment and intervention programmes.
• Communicating clearly orally and in writing, including an ability to maintain concise case records including Looked After Children documentation and to produce reports for case conferences, courts and other bodies.
• Manage working time effectively in order to meet both professional priorities and administrative requirements.
• Think creatively in meeting children’s and families’ needs, using family and community networks, voluntary sector and other external resources and provision where appropriate.
• Contribute to the overall development of the team e.g: making presentations and leading discussion in areas of professional practice; identifying opportunities for meeting need more effectively; promoting an appropriate and professional climate.
• Demonstrate appropriate understanding, knowledge and skills in valuing diversity

Knowledge:

• Comprehensive knowledge of the Children Act 1989 and other relevant legislation, regulations and guidance such as national assessment framework.
• Knowledge of the range of services which are available to children and families and of the organisational framework within which they are provided.
• Knowledge of child development and of family functioning and dynamics.
• Knowledge of methods of social work intervention.

Experience:

• Appropriate and relevant experience of children and families social work within a statutory, voluntary or independent sector organisation.

Qualifications:

• C.Q. S.W., Dip.S.W. or equivalent.
• Registration with the General Social Care Council (GSCC) is mandatory from 1 April 2005.

Other:

• To promote Equal Opportunities and anti-discriminatory practice in all areas of work within and outside the Council, in line with legislation and Council policy.
• Availability to undertake duties outside normal working hours in order to meet specific needs or objectives.

Special Requirements:

• A Satisfactory Criminal Record Bureau disclosure is required.