Senior Social Worker (Justice) - Newkirkgate Social Work Centre in Edinburgh

Women’s Justice Senior Social Worker - Fixed term until 31/03/2027

Willow Service

Salary: £47,639 - £56,392

Hours: 36 per week

Edinburgh Justice Services are committed to providing high quality services while ensuring a compassionate approach to people accessing our services and supporting staff wellbeing. We offer a high level of training to support continuous professional development and to deliver a broad range of interventions, including established accredited group work programmes. We are implementing Trauma Informed Care and Restorative Justice practice models and interventions across our services.

This is an exciting and unique opportunity to be part of the Willow Service operating in the Women’s Justice Centre where we offer trauma informed, gender specific services. Women that are aged 18 and above can attend as part of a statutory order or voluntarily, including women entitled to support due to their partner’s/ex-partner’s involvement with the Caledonian system.

The team is multi-disciplinary; including support workers, social workers, psychologists, nursing staff as well as 3rd sector partners and peer supporters, all of whom contribute to the delivery of a range of interventions and support offered to the women in an integrated way. This includes one to one and group work interventions as well as community outreach support.

Accountable to the Team Leader, the post holder will:

• Ensure a high quality of practice is provided and maintained, appropriate services are delivered to meet service users’ needs within the Council’s statutory obligations, policies and procedures;
• Provide professional support, supervision and leadership to a group of staff, whilst maintaining a direct involvement in social work practice;
• Represent and promote the Council at multi-agency meetings, with local community groups and be a department representative at a range of information sharing and risk planning forums.

The post is open to female candidates only (Occupational Requirement exception under Equality Act 2010). If you would like to have an informal discussion about this post and service please email Kate.White@edinburgh.gov.uk or Sarah.Fletcher@edinburgh.gov.uk (Willow Team Leaders).

Candidates will have a Social Work qualification recognised by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) and be registered, or eligible to register, with the SSSC. In addition, they will be trained in and have extensive experience of using risk assessment tools and leading risk management processes.

This post is regulated work with children and/or protected adults under the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007. The preferred candidate will be required to join the PVG Scheme or undergo a PVG Scheme update check. Where an individual has spent a continuous period of 3 months or more out with the UK in the last 5 years, an Overseas Criminal Record Check will be required. You will be required to provide this check. An unconditional offer of employment and commencement in the post will be subject to the outcome of both these pre-employment checks being deemed satisfactory.

We are committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce where everyone feels valued and able to be their best. We particularly encourage applications from women for senior roles, as well as people from minority ethnic backgrounds, people with disabilities or neurodivergent people, care experienced people, carers and LGBT+ people across all levels of the organisation, all of whom are currently underrepresented. All applicants will be considered fairly based on skills and experience. Disabled and care-experienced applicants who meet the minimum job criteria will be guaranteed an interview.

As part of our goal to improve organisational culture and create a great place to work together for the people of Edinburgh, we want to make sure we're recruiting the best people. We’re interested not only in your skills and experience but also in your approach to work. Therefore, part of our interview process will be an assessment of how you would bring Our Behaviours of Respect, Integrity and Flexibility into your ways of working.

You can find out more on Our Behaviours web page.

Our salary range typically reflects the initial starting salary and annually increases until it reaches the top of the range.

Happy to talk flexible working.

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