Social Care Officer

Main Purpose of the Job

To work flexibly as part of the CWD short breaks team with an allocated caseload to assess the eligibility and need for a short break, secure the right provision to meet the need and ensure this is reviewed in line with regulatory requirements so that there is assurance that the short breaks plan is meeting the identified needs for the child and their family. You will provide a high quality, systemic and restorative service as part of the team and will report to the children with disabilities senior practitioner and/or team leader. You will work collaboratively and creatively with families, colleagues across education health and social care, partner and provider agencies, the voluntary and community sector, and other groups to assess the need for, design, implement and coordinate short break interventions for children and young people with SEND and their families and review the impact of this on the intended outcomes.

You will be committed to Stockport’s coproduction Charter and the outcomes framework for children and families:

• I feel safe
• I feel part of my local community
• My voice is heard and acted upon
• I enjoy good health and wellbeing
• I am happy and have people I can trust
• I am confident and able to reach my goals
• The people who love and care for me are enabled to do this

Key Responsibilities

• To have a positive commitment to improve the outcomes for children with SEND through inclusion.
• To ensure an effective, coordinated timely and helpful response to children, young people and families who are eligible and in need of CWD short break support.
• To seek to understand the nature of enquiries about or requests for a CWD short break so that the right information, advice and signposting to the local offer and appropriate universal opportunities can be given.
• When more than universal offer may be needed, to undertake assessments of the eligibility for a short break and child and family’s needs.
• To work in a person-centred and co-productive way.
• To always consider the voice of the infant, child and young person in the context of their family and community functioning.
• To identify and secure the right provision to meet the assessed needs and follow the procedure for any funding or resources required from the CWD short breaks panel.
• To review the effectiveness of the short breaks plan in meeting the needs and intended outcomes for the child and their family and provide reports to the panel.
• To work with others to secure the best outcomes for the children you are allocated to work with.
• Prepare, write and record assessments, plans, case notes and maintain accurate written records on the case management system that are appropriate for the audience and in accordance with Stockport Family recording policy.
• To provide written and verbal reports to the CWD short breaks resource panel.
• To work with colleagues in the brokerage service to ensure new short breaks plans involving direct payments are set up in accordance with legislation and policy.
• To work with direct payment auditors to ensure correct financial spend in accordance with short breaks plans.
• To attend and contribute to multiagency meetings for children and families where they receive a short break as part of the child’s early help, TAC or CP plan.
• To offer specialist CWD short breaks knowledge and support to all Stockport Family teams and colleagues, so that the CWD short breaks offer is understood and eligible children who need a short break are enabled to access the right provision to meet their needs.
• To ensure that the short break plan links to any SEN support plan and provide social and care needs advice, and where appropriate attend and contribute to SEN support reviews, EHCP needs assessment and EHCP Annual reviews.
• To link with early years settings, schools and colleges, contributing to team around the early years and team around the school so that awareness, understanding knowledge and expertise about CWD short breaks is available within Stockport’s education community.
• To work collaboratively and creatively with schools, colleges, other agencies, the voluntary and community sector, and other groups, to coordinate interventions for children and young people.
• To understand and embrace restorative practice and a strengths-based approach to work with children, families and communities.
• To work in accordance with legislative requirements and local, regional and national policy and procedures.
• To participate in individual and group supervision and contribute to service development and improvement.
• To undertake working duties in line with Stockport Family’s operating hours and be flexible as required.
• To work positively and inclusively with colleagues and customers so that the Council provides a workplace to deliver a service that does not discriminate against people on the grounds of their age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage, civil partnership, pregnancy, maternity, race, religion, belief, sex, or sexual orientation.
• To fulfil personal requirements, where appropriate, with regards to Council policies and procedures, standards of attendance, health, safety and welfare, customer care, emergency, evacuation, security and promotion of the Council’s priorities.

Additional Information

The responsibilities set out in this document, in the advert and any additional information are intended to provide a flavour of the work you will carry out. It is not possible to include everything you will be asked to undertake, and we expect all colleagues to work flexibly according to business needs and to enhance your own development. Your skills, abilities and training needs will be taken into account and discussed with you when any significant changes to your role are needed. In line with our flexible approach you may be required to work from home for a proportion of your time or from any of the Council's sites across the borough.

The Council is an inclusive employer and holds the Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant accreditations. If you have a disability, we will support you by implementing reasonable adjustments to enable you to perform your role.

If you’re ready to be part of a dynamic team dedicated to creating positive change in social care, I’d love to hear from you. Feel free to reach out for more details or to apply.