Social Worker - Leaving Care Team in Kingston upon Thames

This role is subject to a £3,000 annual market supplement.

About the role

Achieving for Children is a Community Interest Company with a public sector ethos, combined with the freedom to innovate — enabling us to do things differently. As a not-for-profit social enterprise owned by three local authorities (Windsor & Maidenhead, Kingston and Richmond), we offer the freedoms of a social enterprise with the employment benefits of local government.

The Leaving Care service works across Kingston and Richmond to support young people from the age of 16 who are looked after, have recently left care (up to the age of 25) or who are unaccompanied asylum seeking children, to become independent and inspire them to set ambitious goals for themselves — goals such as having the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to live independently, having appropriate accommodation options, access to education, training and employment, a healthy lifestyle, and social networks that will sustain them throughout their lives.

About the Role

Social Workers in the Leaving Care service support young people who are looked after (LAC) and Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) from around age 16, working with the Permanence Team to transfer cases at the most appropriate point for the young person. Social Workers lead on the identification of needs and pathway planning, and provide direct support to young people to achieve their aims. Social Workers will carry some cases beyond the young person's 18th birthday but may increasingly hand over support for older young people to Personal Advisors, as appropriate for each case.

Key responsibilities include:

• Managing an agreed caseload of young people in compliance with casework objectives, statutory and departmental policy and procedural requirements, consistently maintaining the highest level of professional standards, including undertaking statutory case holding responsibilities for children who are looked after
• Where the child is looked after, ensuring the review and supervision of care arrangements in accordance with statutory regulation and producing written reports and other documentation for this purpose
• Reviewing plans and using relevant Assessment Frameworks and tools in collaboration with the individual to robustly assess their needs and develop corresponding Pathway Plans setting out clear goals and who is going to provide assistance
• Ensuring that the mental, physical and sexual health needs of young people are assessed and met, and assisting them in accessing health services as well as local leisure facilities, social networks and other community facilities and links
• Ensuring that young people who are seeking asylum, or who have an unresolved immigration status, have good quality legal representation and helping with the resettlement process

About you

Achieving for Children is looking for a dedicated and experienced Social Worker who is passionate about supporting young people to achieve independence and set ambitious goals for their futures. The successful candidate will bring a strong commitment to professional standards and a genuine desire to make a difference to some of the most vulnerable young people in our communities.

The ideal candidate will:

• Hold a degree-level qualification with a relevant professional qualification in social work
• Hold a postgraduate qualification in a relevant field, such as social work, leadership and management (desirable)
• Hold active HCPC registration with proven evidence of continuing professional development
• Have experience of working with looked after children and/or care leavers
• Have knowledge of relevant Assessment Frameworks and pathway planning processes
• Have experience of working with Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) or young people with unresolved immigration status
• Demonstrate the ability to manage a caseload in compliance with statutory and departmental policy and procedural requirements
• Show commitment to promoting the mental, physical and sexual health needs of young people

Achieving for Children is committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds bring important and positive contributions and can improve the way services are delivered. They particularly welcome applications from sections of the community who are currently underrepresented within their teams and are proud to be a Disability Confident employer.

This post is exempt under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Appointment will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

About Kingston upon Thames

Achieving for Children (AfC) is a community interest company (a not-for-profit social enterprise) created in 2014 by the Royal Borough of Kingston and the London Borough of Richmond to provide their children’s services. In 2017, the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead joined AfC as our third owner.

We deliver the full range of children’s services for the three councils. Achieving for Children is a great place to work for those looking for a new challenge. Our offer to you includes:

A role in an organisation that is supportive

An induction offer that starts before you join and includes a welcome event on your first day of employment.

29 days annual leave, increasing to 33 days after two years and 35 days after four years

Local Government salary and pension scheme (LGPS or Teachers Pension)

Hybrid or mobile working and the technology and equipment to facilitate this

Positions available in three of the most desirable boroughs in the south - discrete relocation packages are available for selected roles

Travel assistance package for business use, including car and cycle mileage reimbursement, annual season ticket loan or business Oyster cards

Two days accredited Signs of Safety Foundation Training

12 protected Development Days each year for all staff

Access to a huge range of additional professional development opportunities as part of our regional Social Work Teaching Partnership

On occasions we are in the position to offer some additional financial payments for particularly hard to place roles in selected service areas of AfC.

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