Transitions Social Worker

St Helena Island, South Atlantic 2 years FTC available immediately. Total package value up to £59k per annum depending on experience and qualifications. The package is inclusive of International Supplement based on family status, Relocation costs and Pension contribution.

This is an exciting opportunity to take a lead role in supporting children and young people as they prepare for and move into adulthood. Working across Children’s and Adult Social Care, you will provide continuity for young people during this important stage of their lives, ensuring that transition planning begins early, is coordinated effectively and keeps the young person at the centre of decision making.

You will manage a caseload of children, young people and young adults, including care leavers and young people with additional needs, disabilities and complex needs, supporting them through transition into adulthood and, where appropriate, Adult Social Care services. You will undertake high quality assessments of need, risk, strengths and circumstances and develop, implement and review plans that support young people to achieve positive outcomes.

Your work will consider all aspects of preparation for adulthood, including independent living skills, accommodation, education, training and employment, health and wellbeing, relationships, finances, community participation and the development of sustainable support networks. For young people with additional needs or disabilities, you will work closely with the young person, their family and professionals to understand their likely needs in adulthood and ensure that appropriate assessments and transition planning take place in good time.

You will help ensure continuity between Children’s and Adult Social Care and support young people and their families to understand how services and support may change as they move into adulthood. You will also have responsibility for supporting care experienced young people and care leavers, including pathway planning, preparation for independence and ensuring that young people receive appropriate advice, guidance and practical support as they establish their adult lives. Safeguarding will remain an important part of the role.

You will identify and respond appropriately to concerns affecting children and vulnerable young adults, undertake risk assessments and contribute to safeguarding processes where required. You will need to understand the different legal and practice frameworks that apply to children and adults and be confident working with complexity, risk and competing priorities.

Effective transition planning requires strong partnership working. You will work closely with colleagues across Children’s and Adult Social Care and with education, health, housing, employment services and other agencies to develop coordinated plans around individual young people. You will chair and contribute to multi-agency meetings and ensure that the voice, wishes and aspirations of young people are clearly reflected throughout assessment and planning.

You will prepare assessments, pathway plans, care and support plans, reports and other professional documentation to a high standard and within required timescales. Where necessary, you will contribute to court, safeguarding and other statutory processes.

Alongside your casework responsibilities, you will have an important role in helping to develop and strengthen St Helena’s approach to transition planning, sharing your knowledge and experience with colleagues and supporting continued improvements in practice across Children’s and Adult Social Care.

You will be a UK Qualified Social Worker with a BA/MA Honours degree or DipSW and you must have a current registration with Social Work England or equivalent. You will have recent post-qualifying social work experience and experience of working with children, young people and/or adults with complex needs. Experience within transitions, children with disabilities, leaving care, care experienced young people, Adult Social Care or another relevant area of social work practice would be particularly valuable.

You will need a good understanding of safeguarding children and adults, assessment and care planning, multi-agency working and strengths-based and person-centred practice. You should be confident working directly with young people and families, managing complex situations and balancing risk while promoting independence, choice and positive outcomes. An enhanced disclosure will be sought and you will need a full UK Driving Licence.

In addition, you must demonstrate our core values of fairness, integrity and teamwork and use your diverse expertise and experiences to ensure your time on the Island has the broadest benefit to St Helena. As an officer funded through the Technical Co-Operation Programme, you will be expected to share your knowledge and skills beyond the workplace, contributing to workforce, community and capacity development in St Helena.

Our Benefits Package Includes:

• Economy class flights from your home country to St Helena at the start and end of the tour of duty
• Mid-term fare-paid flights for tours of 18 months or more
• A freight allowance of up to a standard 20ft container at the start and end of the tour of duty
• An International Supplement, full details of which are in the Overseas Vacancy Information
• Relocation Allowances, full details of which are in the Overseas Vacancy Information
• Annual Pension Contribution of 7.5% of the basic aggregate salary
• Employees and accompanying dependant/s will be entitled to medical and dental treatment under the SHG Public Health Scheme at the rate applied to resident St Helenians.
• Free schooling for dependent children from 3 to 16 years
• Annual Leave of 30 days per annum (with an additional 9 days of public holidays).

The appointment will be subject to:

• Satisfactory employment references
• DBS check
• Satisfactory medical and dental clearances

The Public Service positively accepts applications from all members of the community regardless of race, gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, and will consider all applications on the basis of merit, in accordance with the person specification.