Social Worker | Separated Children and Families | Countywide

Lancashire County Council Children’s Services is a progressive and innovative workplace that embraces strengths-based approaches and the Family Safeguarding model of practice. This is an exciting time to join us as we undergo positive changes and develop our service.

As one of the largest local authorities, we provide numerous opportunities for career progression and professional development. Our supportive management team is dedicated to ensuring you thrive in your role as a Social Worker.

Lancashire County Council has an exciting opportunity to appoint a team of Social Work practitioners to support separated children and young people coming from all over the world via the National Transfer Scheme and spontaneous arrivals and support families who have no recourse to public funding. The team will sit within the Duty and Assessment structure and will support children and young people across Lancashire, throughout their children’s social care journey from assessment, through to leaving care and anything in-between. This is a new team in Lancashire, and offers a really exciting opportunity to come and join us and make a real difference.

Separated children and those with no recourse to public funds often have complex needs and have often experienced trauma either before, during or after their arrival in the UK. Additional issues are also likely to arise in relation to Separated Children, whether they have or have not been, or suspected of being, victims of exploitation, trafficking or modern slavery.

As a result of the issues faced by this cohort of children, it has been identified that Lancashire requires a team of social workers specialising in these two areas to ensure that we are providing the best possible support to children who are separated from their families and or have no recourse to public funds.

The successful candidates will, with the support of a Team Manager, help develop and embed the arrangements within Lancashire. They will have responsibility for assessing and transferring children from Kent intake unit via the National Transfer Scheme or undertaking initial age assessments of Young People who present spontaneously from Police referrals or from various dispersal Units across the County. The successful candidates will work with children using a strength based and trauma informed approach and will support children to overcome obstacles that this cohort of children often face.

The candidates will be required to have an understanding of the Law and procedures relating to assessing and supporting children and families within these two areas and will be required to undertake initial age assessment and ascertain the need for a full Merton age assessment as well as working closely with immigration partners and the Resettlement team in Lancashire.

This role will also involve working with internal and external partners to implement learning and development around separated migrant children and immigration issues relating to no recourse to public funds. It will allow you to support in raising the profile and develop understanding around private fostering within communities across Lancashire.

As a team, you will be the first point of contact for agencies regarding separated children, and therefore developing relationships with external partners is key to this role. This role is based on a 5 day working pattern, Monday-Friday.

We will offer you amazing team support, regular supervision, opportunities to build on existing skills and knowledge, great staff benefits, generous annual leave entitlements and the opportunity to flourish as part of an exciting team that is looking to bring real benefits to a key part of Lancashire County Council's Children’s Social Care Service.

In return Lancashire County Council offers a range of benefits, which can be found on LCC Vacancies website.

• There’s fabulous flexibility and the opportunity to create the work life balance you’ll love; 26 days annual leave, rising to 32 days with tenure plus 10 statutory/bank holidays and an additional 20 days that can be purchased too.
• An Employee Assistance Programme for your family and yourself plus a generous Local Authority Pension available.
• Finally, we have an enviable employee benefits platform which provides numerous discounts from your weekly shop to holidays and entertainment with salary sacrifice options on electronics, bicycles, white goods, and cars.

Development: we’ll provide support and development at each stage of your journey with us from induction through to personal and professional qualifications. There will be opportunities for career progression both vertically but also into other areas of the organisation if you wish. There’ll be time for reflection and interaction with your line manager, as well as peer support from those within the wider team.

Inclusivity: We are committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and have support groups available for everyone.

If you are interested in applying for this role, please submit the following with your application: CV/Resume. If you want to have a confidential chat before applying, please contact Lee Byrne at lee.byrne@lancashire.gov.uk to arrange a call. Please ensure you have uploaded and attached your supporting statement to evidence how you meet the criteria for the role. The panel may be unable to shortlist you for interview without this evidence.

The post you are applying for is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013). If successful you will be required to apply to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) for a 'disclosure'. Further information can be found on the 'Our Recruitment Process' tab.

You will be required to provide a car for use in connection with the duties of this post and must be insured for business use. However, we may consider you if you cannot drive because of a disability.

You must be registered (SWE) to be appointed as a Social Worker or have applied to register with the Social Care Council. For Social Worker/Care Manager positions where non social worker qualifications are accepted, registration is not required, and you will be appointed as a Care Manager.

We reserve the right to close down a vacancy early, before the closing date, if we receive sufficient applications.