Experienced Social Worker

The Service Family Support & Safeguarding Teams South Locality have exciting opportunities for qualified social workers to join our Children and Families Directorate, in one of our Family Support & Safeguarding Teams (FSS) based in Portsmouth City Council. We have been recognised by Ofsted as a "Good" Local Authority with "Outstanding" for our Family Safeguarding and Support teams.

The successful candidate will have an opportunity to be based within one of our Family Support & Safeguarding Teams. Within this team you will be working to provide support under children in need or in need of protection where necessary, or when children have come into the care of Children's Social Care. You may be involved in working with families under Public Law Outline (PLO) or within care proceedings. All of this will be undertaken with the support of your manager.

You will be supported in your practice by your Service and Team Leaders, your peers and our Stronger Futures Academy. You will be offered Restorative Practice and Motivational Interviewing training in your first year of employment and we have a comprehensive continuing professional development pathway to meet the standards of Social Work England.

The Role

You will be based at the South Locality, Civic Offices, Portsmouth. This is a fully office-based role with little opportunity for hybrid working.

Responsibilities include

• As a Social Worker in our team, you will work to ensure the children and families we work with maximise their potential and achieve the best possible outcomes available to them.
• You will do this through:

• The provision of timely, high-quality assessments which generate clear plans that enable services and intervention to be targeted effectively.
• Ensuring that children and families who experience our service receive a quality service that is responsive to the wishes and feelings of children.
• Promoting participation of service users, and respecting difference.
• Ensuring planning results in timely, permanent care arrangements that allow children and young people to reach their absolute potential.

If this reflects who you are, how you work, or how you would like to work, then this could be the role that meets and exceeds your expectations of social work.

The ideal candidate

• A social work qualification (degree, diploma or equivalent) and be registered with Social Work England.
• A good working knowledge of theory and legislation including the Children Act 89/04 amongst others and be prepared to understand the legislation and guidance which relates to this specialist post.
• Have substantial post-qualifying, relevant experience.
• Demonstrate understanding of the issues which relate to children and their families.
• Be an excellent communicator who is equally comfortable speaking with children and other professionals from external partners and agencies.
• Have excellent analytical skills to aid you in your assessment of children's needs.
• Be someone who enjoys a busy atmosphere who can cope with competing demands and be resilient enough to manage the stresses (with support) that come from this.
• Have the motivation and integrity to achieve outstanding outcomes for children.
• Understand anti-oppressive practice and the legislative framework around this and be restorative in your thinking.
• Be people-focused, centring the child and parent, empowering them to make informed choices and respecting their needs and wishes in equal measure.
• Value diversity and being inclusive, and work with people in a way that respects and acknowledges difference.

Please see the Job profile for the full details of this role.

If you would like to discuss this role in more detail with the hiring manager, please contact Vicky Williams at vicky.williams@portsmouthcc.gov.uk.

Application process

We anonymise applications during application & shortlisting to ensure only relevant information is considered. As part of your application we ask that you complete a personal statement, this statement is crucial and is where you must demonstrate how you meet the requirements of the job against each of the points described in the 'Who is the Person' points on the Job Profile using examples from your experience or transferable skills. This might be through qualifications or descriptive examples from your work/personal experience.

We are a disability confident employer and Armed Forces Covenant gold standard. More information can be found at Equality, diversity and inclusion - Careers portal.

You will need to demonstrate that you have the Right to Work in the UK. No post will be offered without it.

We are committed to our values of respect, integrity, collaboration, inclusivity and being people-focussed. These values set out how we can contribute to the success of the council and our own success as individuals.

About Portsmouth City Council

What we can offer you: Portsmouth City Council is a unique organisation, committed to making a difference, and is guided by core values that set who we are as people, what we stand for, and how we act.

Portsmouth City Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and young people, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS Disclosure at Enhanced level will be required prior to any offer of employment and this post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Every post is subject to PCC and Portsmouth Safeguarding Children Partnership safer recruitment procedures.

Should you require any support in completing the application form please contact recruit@portsmouthcc.gov.uk or call the recruitment team on 023 92 616800.