Social Worker - Children in Care in Keynsham

At Bath & North East Somerset Council we have one overriding purpose – to improve people’s lives. Bath and North East Somerset Children’s Services are an innovative small Local Authority focused on therapeutic support. We are trauma informed, attachment focussed, relational. We adopt a systemic approach to practice. We are rated Good by OFSTED and have a continued vision and drive to improve further.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a qualified Social Worker to join our Children in Care Team, within the Care Outcomes Service. We are a dynamic and creative Local Authority, working hard to think differently about how we approach our work with children and families. We are deeply committed to providing tailored high-quality services and well thought out interventions. Our practice is values-driven with a strong ethos of child-focussed interventions.

About the role: You will work as part of an enthusiastic team consisting of a Team Manager, Deputy Team Managers, Senior Social Work Practitioners, qualified professional Social Workers, Family Support Practitioners and Administrative staff. This rewarding role will see you responding to, co-ordinating and delivering a range of social care services to children, young people and families in the Bath and North East Somerset area. Specifically, this role is working with children who are looked after and children who have a plan of adoption. We work closely with our colleagues across the service and have established partnerships with agencies across health, education and support services to ensure we can respond as effectively as possible to the needs of children, young people, and their families.

About you: The post holder will manage their own caseload, which will include children and families with complex needs. You will be able to evidence a strong ability to analyse information and formulate outcome focused plans for children and young people. Applicants must be confident in writing professional assessments/reports as well as presenting their evidence verbally. Applicants need to have very strong organisational skills to manage and prioritise their work effectively and in a timely way and will be committed to working as part of a team to support colleagues in delivering optimum services to children and families. We are seeking applications from social workers who have relevant experience and a specific interest in this area of work and are looking to enhance and further develop their skills and contribute to service development for our children in care population.

You can expect:

• A comprehensive induction
• Managed caseload
• Regular supervision – at a minimum of monthly one to one
• Reflective supervision to promote thoughtful and creative practice, supported by your peers and managers
• Monthly Peer Circles to ensure strong relationships and support between Social Workers across teams, and opportunities to share good practice
• Extensive training opportunities, which include SARI workshops around culturally sensitive practice, opportunities to join a 6-month long training in Systemic Practice delivered by the Centre for Systemic Social Work, attachment-based workshops, and trauma-informed workshops
• Excellent administrative support with 3 admin staff supporting the team
• Tri-annual Social Work Conferences with guest speakers who are experts in the field
• Paid Social Work England renewal membership
• Access to Research in Practice
• Laptop and iPhone to promote flexible working, to enhance your work-life balance
• Relocation Payments are available
• A stable leadership team
• A stable and committed team, with low rates of agency workers, and low vacancy rates
• Good practice to be recognised and celebrated through a quarterly newsletter

A relevant social work qualification

Knowledge of the legislative framework and legal proceedings that governs children’s services

Knowledge of theory and practice applicable to social work

IT skills to enable operation of standard electronic systems

Passion, commitment, and motivation to support the most vulnerable families in our area

Ideally you will have experience of safeguarding children, and/or working with children in care.

Interview date: TBC

No Agencies Please. Please note: that this advert may close earlier than the stated closing date due to high demand. We advise all interested candidates to apply as soon as possible.

About Bath and North East Somerset Council. Working at Bath and North East Somerset provides an opportunity to contribute to your community and make a positive impact on the lives of residents. Our values shape how we work to deliver public services, and how we communicate with the residents we serve. We care about the best outcomes for local people, through our public services.

We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join us. The Council is committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce. Applications for job-share, part-time and flexible working arrangements are welcomed and will be considered in line with business needs.

Please note that this role is subject to an Enhanced DBS Check. Safeguarding Statement: The Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable groups and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.