At a Glance
- Tasks: Support adolescents facing challenges and empower them to overcome difficulties.
- Company: Kent County Council, a Good Local Authority focused on youth support.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, generous retention package, flexible working, and professional development opportunities.
- Other info: Join a supportive team with excellent career growth and training in trauma-informed practices.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in young people's lives while developing your social work skills.
- Qualifications: Degree in social work and experience with children and families required.
The predicted salary is between 31124 - 38040 £ per year.
What will you be doing?
Do you want to work in a Good Local Authority? Ofsted have recently inspected Kent and were impressed with the Adolescent Service response and support to children at risk of contextualised harm. We are now looking for social workers who can lend their skills and experience to help us build on our successes.
The Integrated Adolescent Service recognises that adolescents should be given a bespoke offer of support. We want professionals capable of bringing understanding and emotional intelligence to everything they do. The service promotes a practice philosophy which seeks to empower young people and their families, building on individual strengths, and helping them to develop strategies which support them to understand, manage and respond to the difficulties they face.
Our practitioners need to be resilient and persistent; be solution-focused; look past challenging behaviours; build positive relationships with adolescents and their carers, and to inspire young people to reach their potential. We want practitioners who really care about adolescents and who understand the impact of trauma, and how to respond to contextual harm.
About us:
AST sit within an Integrated Adolescent Service which includes Youth Justice, Early Help, and Family Hub Youth Services. AST offers intensive social work support to adolescents and their families to manage complex situations including extra familial harm and family conflict. We offer co-working and co-location opportunities, and we have excellent relationships with key partners including Housing, Education, Health and the Police. We have posts available across the North and West of Kent.
Our generous retention package is up to 3,000 per annum, after a qualifying period. In specific circumstances a golden hello payment of 3,000 is available. Successful applicants will receive a base level salary starting from 47,990 dependent on evidenced skills and experience.
We have invested heavily in our core offer to staff, including evidenced based training in case formulation, contextual safeguarding and trauma-informed approaches. We also offer regular supervision to practitioners and managers to enhance how we support our workforce. Alongside this we promote flexible working, a good package of annual leave and employee support in recognition that all staff do a valuable job, and we wish to promote their wellbeing.
About you:
With a degree in social work – CQSW, DipSW or equivalent – you must be Social Work England registered and should have extensive post-qualification experiences of working with children and families. You will need an interest in working with children who have experienced adverse life events, or trauma. You will need an in-depth understanding of Children’s social work legislation, along with a willingness to learn and help others develop as a practitioner.
Your role will involve building up trust with hard-to-reach young people, empowering them and their families to develop effective long-term solutions to manage their family relationships and develop strategies to overcome the risks that adolescents face during this phase of their life. Where it is not safe for young people to remain living at home, we will continue to work with them and their families as well as their wider network to identify suitable safe alternatives.
This role will uniquely provide you with experience in working across the areas of assessment, children in need, child protection, contextual harm, looked after children, court work and rehabilitation home. We believe that this will provide you with a wide spectrum of skills and we are committed to putting in place personalised development plans with our workers to enable them to feel valued and supported in their career development.
In this respect we’ll support you to consolidate your skills and knowledge, assisting you to develop areas of specialist practice, including trauma-informed practice and contextual safeguarding. As a role model for good practice and champion for your area of expertise, you’ll set performance expectations, striking a balance between support and oversight.
As well as coaching and mentoring less experienced staff, you’ll have the opportunity to act as a Practice Assessor for ASYE and student social workers. You’ll share your knowledge and experience with the team in several ways, including assisted fieldwork, case audits and reviews. In addition, you’ll contribute to working groups and multi-agency forums to develop new initiatives.
In the Team Manager’s absence, you will be expected to provide management support to colleagues and act on the Team Manager’s behalf.
This role is subject to holding a Full UK Driving Licence – The Council is committed to making reasonable adjustments so whilst this job requires the jobholder to drive your application will still be considered if you are unable to drive due to a disability. This post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure Application to the Disclosure and Barring Service and you must be registered as a qualified Social Worker with Social Work England.
This post is considered by KCC to be a customer-facing position. The Council therefore has a statutory duty under Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) to ensure that post holders have a command of spoken English sufficient for the effective performance of the job requirements.
About you
For more information about this role please contact Ruth Bachrach, Service Manager on 03000 410013 or email ruth.bachrach@kent.gov.uk.
About us
Work that works for you and us - let's talk flexibility! KCC is committed to building a workforce which reflects the diversity of the county's working residents, encouraging applications from people of all ages, abilities, genders, sexual orientations, ethnic backgrounds, faiths and those with caring responsibilities, and aspires to create an inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves at work.
Please note - if you are interested, please apply soon as possible as the closing date for this advert may be earlier than stated should a number of suitably qualified candidates apply.
Senior Practitioner - Integrated Adolescent Service in Kent employer: Kent County Council
As a KPAS Attendance Officer with Kent County Council, you will be part of a dedicated team committed to improving school attendance for children and young people across West Kent. The Council fosters a supportive work culture that values diversity and inclusion, offering flexible working arrangements and opportunities for professional development. With a focus on making a meaningful impact in the community, this role provides a unique chance to engage with various stakeholders while enjoying the benefits of a collaborative and dynamic work environment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Practitioner - Integrated Adolescent Service in Kent
✨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 Kent County Council.
✨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 Kent County Council!
✨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 Kent County Council, 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 Kent County Council or be able to connect you with someone who’s hiring. Networking is key, especially in a full-time role where relationships matter.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Practitioner - Integrated Adolescent Service in Kent
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 Kent County Council:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Kent County Council! 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 Kent County Council
✨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.
