At a Glance
- Tasks: Support children and families, ensuring safe and positive family time.
- Company: Join Together for Children Sunderland, dedicated to improving social care services.
- Benefits: Flexible hours, inclusive culture, and opportunities for personal growth.
- Other info: Dynamic team environment with a focus on collaboration and community impact.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in children's lives and support families in need.
- Qualifications: Level 3 qualification in childcare or social care and driving licence required.
Team/Service Area: Children’s Social Care
Salary/Grade: Grade 5
Line Manager: Team Manager, Children with Disabilities
Direct Reports: 0
Location: Sandhill Centre, Grindon Lane, Sunderland, SR3 4EN
About Us
Established in 2017, Together for Children Sunderland is on a mission to improve services in social care, early help and education and engage the whole community in giving children and young people in Sunderland the best possible opportunity to thrive. Our dedicated workforce strives to make a difference, irrespective of our work vocation or specialism. We value diversity and actively seek candidates from all backgrounds, including various ages, disabilities, neurodiverse individuals, gender identities, sexual orientations, religions, beliefs, races, and cultural backgrounds. Our inclusive workplace culture fosters collaboration and excellence.
About the Role
To work with children, young people and families, providing support and interventions to make children safer so they can live at home where it is safe to do so. If children can’t remain living at home intervention and support with their network to find the best alternative care arrangements. To support rehabilitation home to parents/carers when this is the plan. To facilitate and supervise family time between cared for children and their parents and family, the aim is to promote safe, positive and purposeful family time and to ensure that the child or young person is safeguarded during the supervised family time session. To support social workers who have case responsibility for children who are subject to Child Protection Plans (CP) or Child in Need Plans (CIN) and Cared for Plans (CLA), this will include family support work, direct work with children including life story work, and facilitating and supervising family time between looked after children and their parents and family.
Key Responsibilities
- To contribute to the delivery of the Edge of Care program, Child in Need, Child Protection Plans and Cared for Children Plans as directed by the allocated social worker and team manager.
- To supervise family time between cared for children and their families to ensure children benefit from safe, meaningful family time with family members, at times when they must live apart.
- To sensitively manage the supervision of family time sessions, having the ability to engage with children and adults to redirect challenging behaviour to more positive engagement.
- To transport children as required, ensuring that family time arrangements are met in a venue, which may include travelling outside of the City of Sunderland.
- To ensure case recording is accurate and up to date, in order that high quality reports are produced for meetings and reviews.
- To establish effective working relationships with children, families and professionals to achieve best outcomes for children.
- To be proactive and solution focused to ensure that family time takes place as planned and to communicate any changes verbally and in writing with all parties.
- To plan and organise workload, ensuring transport and venue arrangements are in place to make best use of available resources, identifying gaps and working flexibly to find solutions.
- To understand the impact of domestic abuse on children and young people and work with families in conjunction with the social worker to develop each individual plan.
Additional Information/Other Requirements
- To be able to meet the travelling requirements of the post.
- To be able to work flexible hours as required by the post, including evening and weekends.
Our Expectations
- Comply with Together for Children’s Code of Conduct, People policies and procedures, Health and Safety Policy and EDI Statement.
- Uphold all relevant professional policies, standards and legislative requirements.
- Adhere to the Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR principles in relation to the management and handling of personal and/or sensitive information and respect the privacy of personal information managed by Together for Children Sunderland.
- Comply with the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
This job description is a guide to the duties you will be expected to perform. It is not an exhaustive list, and you may be required to undertake other tasks and duties not listed that are reasonably commensurate with the job role and grade of the post. Where a fundamental change to the job description is needed this will be discussed with the postholder prior to any changes being made.
Person Specification – Child and Family Worker
The requirements for this post and how candidates will be assessed are set out below.
Essential Requirements
- Qualifications: Current driving licence and access to a car or means to mobility support. Relevant level 3 qualification (NVQ Level 3, in childcare, social care or equivalent) or the ability to work towards this within a reasonable timescale.
Experience
- Working with children in need and their families (formal and informal).
- Working in a team.
- Good communication skills.
- Customer Service.
- Good report writing and recording skills.
- Direct work with children & Families.
Knowledge and Understanding
- Children’s Social Care procedures.
- Children’s Safeguarding procedures.
- Knowledge of social, emotional and developmental needs of young people.
- Commitment to achieving the best outcomes for children, their parents and their families.
Skills and Abilities
- Share information, obtain information and have dialogue with others, either in writing, in person or over the telephone.
- Work effectively within a busy team environment, be helpful and co-operative with others.
- Effectively risk manage within children’s service settings.
- Manage priorities and work demands displaying initiative and creativity.
- Effectively use a PC to write reports/assessments, record information or input data.
- Be confident on challenging other professionals appropriately.
- Self-motivated, resilient and committed to excellent work practice.
- Reliable and self-reliant and to seek guidance when appropriate.
- Meet the travel and transport requirements of the post; Work on a 7-day rota between the hours of 7am and 7pm to meet the needs of the service.
Other Requirements
- Commitment to Equal Opportunities.
5300163 – Child And Family Worker in Sunderland employer: Carrington Blake Recruitment
As a leading employer in Harrow, we pride ourselves on fostering a collaborative and inclusive work culture that prioritises employee development and engagement. Our commitment to professional growth is evident through tailored training programmes and leadership opportunities, ensuring that every team member can thrive while contributing to the Council's strategic objectives. With a focus on diversity and community impact, we offer a unique chance to make a meaningful difference in the lives of residents while enjoying a supportive and dynamic workplace.
Contact Details:
Carrington Blake Recruitment Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land 5300163 – Child And Family Worker in Sunderland
✨Dive into Local Community Groups
Social work thrives on community connections, so get involved in local groups or forums specific to your interests. Whether it’s volunteering at local shelters or joining community action boards, these are great ways to boost your visibility and make direct contacts that could lead to opportunities like the one at Carrington Blake Recruitment.
✨Attend Social Work Events and Workshops
Keep an eye out for workshops, seminars, or conferences in social work. These events are fantastic for meeting professionals in the field, learning about emerging trends, and spotting job openings. Plus, you might just bump into someone from Carrington Blake Recruitment!
✨Showcase Your Passion and Expertise
Use platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn to share your journey and insights into the social work sector. Whether it’s writing about your experiences or sharing relevant articles, this helps to establish you as an engaged professional. Potential employers, like Carrington Blake Recruitment, will notice your enthusiasm!
✨Leverage Your Network
Don’t hesitate to reach out to professors, mentors, or even past colleagues who are in social work. They might have inside knowledge about openings at Carrington Blake Recruitment or be able to connect you with someone who’s hiring. Networking is key, especially in a full-time role where relationships matter.
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Social Work:In your cover letter, let us see your passion for social work shine through! Talk about the experiences that made you want to pursue this career—whether it’s volunteering, personal experiences, or academic projects. We want to know why this field matters to you.
Emphasise Relevant Qualifications:Make sure your CV highlights any relevant qualifications, like degrees in social work or certifications like a DBS check. If you've done any workshops or training, don’t forget to include those as well. We're keen to see your commitment to your professional development!
Detail Your Experience with Clients:Since this is a hands-on field, detailing any direct experience you have with clients is crucial. Whether it's internships, volunteer roles, or previous jobs, highlight those experiences in your CV to show us you've got the practical skills necessary for the job!
Tailor Your Application to Carrington Blake Recruitment:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Carrington Blake Recruitment! Research our mission and values, and refer to them in your cover letter. This shows us that you understand our work and are genuinely interested in being a part of our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Carrington Blake Recruitment
✨Understanding the Role of Empathy
In social work, understanding and demonstrating empathy is key. Be prepared to share personal experiences or scenarios where you effectively showed compassion and support. This helps show that you genuinely care about the well-being of others, which is crucial in social work.
✨Demonstrating Knowledge of Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with the frameworks and models used in social work, such as the Strengths-Based Approach or the Ecological Perspective. Be ready to discuss how these frameworks apply to your work, especially if you can tie them into real-world examples or case studies you've encountered.
✨Showcasing Your Multi-Disciplinary Skills
In a full-time social work role, you'll often collaborate with healthcare professionals, educators, and law enforcement. Be prepared to describe your teamwork experiences and how you've effectively communicated with other disciplines to achieve the best outcomes for clients.
✨Preparing for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical social work situations, such as dealing with a crisis or managing a complex case. Think through your thought process for these scenarios beforehand, considering how you'd assess the situation and what steps you'd take, as this demonstrates your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
