Advanced Social Work Practitioner - Family Safeguarding Team

Hours: 37 hours per week. Salary: Grade 12, £51,356 to £54,495 per annum (salary subject to experience). This is an exciting and rewarding time to join Child Friendly Dudley in new Advanced Social Work Practitioner roles which have been introduced across our social work teams. We are building on our established restorative practice model by redesigning our directorate and implementing the Family Safeguarding model to ensure we focus on children first and place them at the heart of all we do.

Advanced Practitioners will be pivotal in establishing consistently excellent social work practice in our teams. You will hold a caseload of some of our children needing the most skilled help, and share your expertise with others through modelling, coaching, reflective supervision and other learning activities. You will be a registered social worker with significant experience of working with children and families in a statutory social work setting including being able to evidence how you have intervened in areas of poor practice, demonstrated leading practice and developing the professional practice of team members. You will also have experience of formally supporting others in a social work or social care role, which may include practice education of students or ASYE social workers. You will be dynamic and driven to achieve strong outcomes for our children, skilled in providing support and challenge to colleagues and families and creating change.

We aim to create an inclusive working environment where everyone can achieve a healthy work/life balance. We are serious about our responsibility for personal and professional development and look to ensure that staff are equipped with the skills, knowledge and experience to succeed. The Councils Benefit Package is designed to boost and maintain the health, wellbeing and general quality of life of all our staff.

• Hold a caseload of children needing skilled social work intervention and contribute to the team’s practice excellence.
• Model, coach, provide reflective supervision and lead learning activities to improve professional practice within the team.
• Demonstrate leading practice and develop professional practice of team members and others in a social work or social care role (including practice education of students or ASYE social workers).
• Provide support and challenge to colleagues and families to drive positive outcomes for children.

• A competitive salary package, including a career progression scheme.
• A range of flexible working options, including flexitime and home-working, dependent on service requirements.
• A generous holiday allowance and special leave provisions.
• The Local Government Pension Scheme.
• A comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme – we are committed to supporting you.
• Bullying and Harassment and Dignity at Work policies to protect your everyday working life.

Qualified Social Worker with a minimum of 12 Months post-qualifying experience. If you have been qualified as a Social Worker less than 12 months, or have not yet completed your ASYE programme, contact the Centre for Professional Practice for vacancies and ASYE information. Experience in a statutory social work setting and ability to evidence interventions in areas of practice.

Additional information: We are recruiting Qualified Social Workers with a minimum of 12 Months post-qualifying experience. If you have previously been registered as a social worker in England but your registration has lapsed, you may contact the Centre for Professional Practice about a return to social work scheme.

For an informal discussion, please contact Karen Johnson, Head of Service - Family Safeguarding or Gayle Barry, Service Manager Family Safeguarding.

For more information on Dudley Children's Social Care, please visit the provided site and the promotional video link.

To demonstrate Dudley’s commitment to diversity and inclusion and to improve bias in the recruitment process, personal data will be anonymised when you apply. Please remove your name and date of birth from attachments prior to uploading. Online application forms will be accepted; online facilities are available at public libraries within the Dudley Borough. All applicants must provide documentation proving right to work in the UK. Dudley MBC does not currently sponsor candidates without the Right to Work in the UK.

If you require support completing an online or paper application form or interview techniques, please contact Dudley Adult and Community Learning or the HR Resourcing Team. If you have a disability and require assistance, please contact the HR Resourcing Team. If you experience a problem applying, follow the WM Jobs Help Page instructions, or contact the HR Resourcing Team.

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Note: we reserve the right to close this vacancy prior to the advertised date due to high applications.