Swiis Foster Care - Supervising Social Worker - Dorset

Location: Covering the Dorset area

Job Types: Permanent

Working Hours: 37.5 Hours Per Week Monday - Friday

Pay: Up to £42,000.00 per year to include car allowance

Participation in out-of-hours rota: Yes

Annual Leave Entitlement: 30 days (plus birthday)

Responsible To: Registered/Deputy Manager

Main Purpose of Job

To represent Swiis Values while providing a comprehensive and flexible social work service to foster carers and children/young people as required, in compliance with all regulatory requirements and Social Work England Standards of practice.

• Support and Supervision of Foster Carers
• Manage and supervise a caseload of approved foster carers.
• Monitor and evaluate the continued suitability and competence of Foster Carers ensuring they provide a safe, healthy, nurturing and learning environment for children/young people.
• Ensure that carers fully understand the fostering task, competencies to be achieved and the standards expected, including complaints and representation procedures as detailed in the Swiis policies and procedures.
• Support Foster Carers to evidence their competence against the TSD Standards and complete the workbook within specified timescales, assess evidence provided and sign off each standard where sufficient evidence has been provided.
• Provide and record regular supervision to allocated foster carers in line with Swiis’s operational procedures, as to frequency and content; and undertake such additional support visits/telephone contact with foster carers as placement agreements/contracts may specify or require.
• Work in partnership to help identify any needs within the foster family e.g. respite, activities, holidays, with all members of the child’s network, including contributing to all relevant meetings and any other tasks defined.
• Contribute to foster carer annual reviews, within required timescales, providing written evidence of competence. Presenting annual review reports to Swiis panel as required.
• Identify learning and development needs of foster carers. Document these in the Personal Professional Development Plan (PPDP) and recommend actions required to address them.
• Undertake re-assessments of current foster carers where necessary.
• Attend any meetings to support foster carers, children and young people.
• Support foster carers in preparing children and young people for independent or semi-independent living.
• Assisting with or delivering foster carer workshops and support groups.
• Participate in the Out of Hours duty system.

• Safeguarding Children and Young People
• Social Workers must ensure each child has an accurate and up to date care plan on file and that carers have a copy available for reference.
• Work in partnership with the relevant authority to ensure that the child and young person’s needs, as identified in the care plan and placement agreement, are met.
• Ensure that each child/young person has in place a current Placement Plan (with delegated authority), a Health & Personal Education Plan, and where appropriate, a Pathway Plan.
• Individual risk assessment and safe caring documents are completed for all children/young people, including behaviour management plans where appropriate.
• Ensure each child has a placement agreement on file and that carers have a copy available for reference if appropriate.
• Ensure that comprehensive case recordings are completed and maintained within policy timeframes and added to the relevant agency database.
• Demonstrate a sound knowledge of fostering regulations & child safeguarding procedures.
• Participate in negotiations between Swiis and Local Authorities to ensure that each child or young person placed is carefully matched with a foster carer capable of meeting their needs.
• Ensure all paperwork and procedures in relation to critical incidents and notifiable events are completed.
• Ensure compliance with the Social Work England, or equivalent body, requirements necessary to retain the job title and registration.
• Attend social, educational, and leisure activities relating to the support of children, young people, and foster carers.
• In consultation with the line manager, ensure that learning and development needs meet the requirements of professional development.
• Ensure that all foster carers and household members, support persons, etc aged 18+ have an up-to-date DBS.
• Attend meetings and/or provide reports for commissioning or care teams to address individual needs and care packages.

• Administration
• Take responsibility for administration in relation to the social work task to include file administration, typing of all communication, reports and case recordings and comply with database compliance policies and procedures, ensuring that all requirements of the system are met.
• Maintain data management of all information regarding foster carers and children in line with Data Protection and Swiis storage, retention, archive, policy.
• Ensure our recordkeeping and data processing procedures comply with GDPR requirements and agency Policy related to data protection.

• Additional Duties
• The post holder will be expected to demonstrate that Swiis’ Values are at the heart of all they do.
• The post holder will be expected to undertake training and development deemed necessary for the pursuance of the post.
• The post holder will be expected to reach a minimum basic standard of I.T. competence to be able to use Company electronic systems effectively.
• The post holder will be expected to ensure to comply with Equal Opportunities Policy and Procedure in all employment practices.

• Health & Safety Responsibilities
• Be familiar with the Company’s Health and Safety Policy and ensure that all relevant rules and procedures are conformed to at all times.
• Identify all risks to health and safety and take suitable and adequate measures to eliminate, reduce or control those risks.
• Ensure that all employees are aware of the safety, fire and first aid facilities and procedures.
• Ensure that staff specifically nominated to carry out duties as part of the health and safety policy are adequately trained, supported and have the resources to carry out their role i.e. first aid personnel, safety officers, fire wardens, safety representatives.
• Personally undertake health and safety training and periodically review and update own level of awareness of health and safety.
• Ensure the proper use of all equipment issued in the interest of health, safety or welfare i.e. protective clothing, hands-free mobile telephone kit, lifting equipment.
• Ensure that any situation that represents a danger and all accidents/incidents are dealt with promptly and sufficiently by the appropriate person.
• Take responsibility for own health and safety and that of others by following health and safety systems and procedures and keeping all work areas clean and tidy.
• Take responsibility for fire prevention i.e. ensure that staff do not smoke in offices and cars, overload electrical circuits, wedge open or block fire doors etc.

• Driving (if applicable)
• Acquire, maintain, tax and adequately insure a vehicle fit for business purpose reporting any change in vehicle or insurance cover immediately to HR.
• Maintain a full current licence and report any endorsements or disqualification immediately.
• Obey all applicable road safety legislation.
• Plan journeys to avoid travelling in adverse weather conditions and for excessive hours taking a break at least every two hours.
• Ensure that passengers are carried only in accordance with the vehicle manufacturer’s design specification with a seat for everyone and seat belts worn on all journeys.
• Avoid the use, where possible, of hands-free mobile telephones, whilst driving.