Change & Challenge Case Workers – People Department – London

Social Work Choice is recruiting for an Early Help Family Hub Service that is looking to recruit 2x Change and Challenge Caseworkers. The Change and Challenge Service, part of the Early Help Family Hub, supports the delivery of Phase 2 of the Government’s Troubled Families programme, which involves turning around the lives of 2,970 families. Families are eligible if they present concerns in two or more of the following areas: crime and anti‑social behaviour, poor school attendance, worklessness or financial exclusion, domestic violence and abuse, children in need or physical or mental health problems.

The CCS Caseworker will hold multiple complex cases and coordinate parenting programmes throughout the borough, as part of the duty and surgery team.

• Work in partnership with families by listening, offering advice and guidance to develop and enhance parenting skills.
• Deliver evidence‑based parenting programmes.
• Complete assessments using the Early Help Framework and make appropriate referrals to other services.
• Take the role of Lead Professional, coordinating services in the Team Around the Family (TAF) and act as the single point of contact when required.
• Work with relevant professionals in statutory and non‑statutory organisations.
• Support high‑risk families who do not meet the thresholds that trigger specialist services.
• Carry out direct one‑to‑one and group work at the CCS building, within family homes, schools and other community venues with CCS clients (Adults and Children) who may display very difficult, challenging, angry and aggressive behaviour.
• Work with CCS Management to deliver a high‑quality service to schools, partner agencies, parents/carers, their children and other family members, ensuring that criteria for the Troubled Families programme are met.
• Work with CCS Management to deliver all CCS plans and meet the highest standards in the Performance Management and Quality Assurance Framework.
• Maintain accurate records using a variety of programmes and systems such as Excel, Access, Liquid Logic, Civica, etc.
• Be responsible for the delivery of efficient, comprehensive coordinated activities and referrals involving CCS clients, aiming to meet local and national standards and the Enfield CCS Business Plan objectives.
• Maintain accurate records of all activities in accordance with target objectives and national standards.

Shortlisted candidates must have significant demonstrable experience in parenting and child care work and be educated to a very good standard, particularly with strong English and Maths. Further qualifications that demonstrate a commitment to continued personal and professional development are required. Candidates should possess a very good level of written and verbal communication and presentation skills, and be comfortable communicating with a wide range of stakeholders. Demonstrable knowledge and experience of IT use, especially Word package and database use, is essential.

Significant demonstrable experience of working with and assessing families, children, young people, and managing a large and complex caseload of clients with complex needs and often challenging behaviour. Candidates must be competent at delivering group and individual programmes, supporting and enabling people to challenge and change behaviour, developing positive lifestyles, preventing negative outcomes and achieving high‑quality outcomes that lower risk and prevent family breakdown. Experience in a very busy and challenging environment, meeting deadlines in a high‑performing service with high quality standards, is fundamental.

A DBS enhanced disclosure is required. Demonstrable training and experience in key areas such as parenting work, communication, child protection/safeguarding, law, assessment (particularly risk and protective factor assessment in relation to parenting and safeguarding), risk and case management, and IT/database use. Demonstrable knowledge and experience of performance management and quality assurance in delivering high‑quality services to parents/carers, children and young people. Experience of improving practice and driving high performance and quality is required. Considerable demonstrable experience of carrying out statutory assessment, particularly of assessing risk and protective factors in relation to parenting ability, welfare and safeguarding, and of writing detailed reports to advise on interventions.

Please contact us if you need any further information about this role on 020 3488 9350.