Senior Supervising Social Worker

Salary: £43,043 – £48,113 (including local weighting of £965 and market supplement of £1500)
Hours: 37 hours per week
Contract: Permanent

We have a brilliant opportunity for those passionate to work directly with children and foster carers.

We are looking for a Senior Supervising Social Worker to join our IFA Service. As a Senior Supervising Social Worker you will make sure planned breaks from caring are provided for foster carers as appropriate. You will need to have fostering experience to provide supervision to a caseload of foster carers.

For this role you’ll need to have 4 years experience of working as a Social Worker within children’s services. You will have a good understanding of the National Minimum Standards and Fostering Services Regulations.

Main Accountabilities

• Ensure the child/ren placed with foster carers are safeguarded and foster carers are fully aware of their duties and responsibilities in line with all regulations and standards and with policies, procedures (including with regard to allegations), guidance and financial, legal and insurance information
• Build positive relationships with foster carers and the child/ren placed with them
• Provide supervision to a caseload of foster carers
• Provide assessment, case planning and review of the foster carers ensuring timelines are met as laid down by the IFA and within the National Minimum Standards for Fostering in terms of completing these pieces of work
• Complete initial visits, initial enquiries, participate in the skills to foster training and all events that promote fostering
• complete references and checks for potential and approved foster carers
• Complete Form F assessments within timescales for Stages 1 and 2
• Undertake direct work with children to understand their lived experience within the foster placement
• Give support and guidance to foster carers to help them manage their responses and feelings arising from caring for children, particularly when challenging behaviour is presented
• understand the needs of the foster carers own child/ren
• Ensure planned breaks from caring are provided for foster carers as appropriate
• Work with other partners and stakeholders to ensure the voice of the child and their wishes and feelings are taken into account in aspects of their care
• Report concerns, identify risks, respond to care plans and move children on in accordance with their needs in agreement with the Practice Manager and Services Manager
• Ensure foster carers receive appropriate training in order to provide care and support, health and safety, enjoyment, education and preparation for the future of the child/ren in their care
• Provide support and guidance to ensure foster carers access the correct stakeholders when ensuring the child/ren achieve their full potential in educational attainment
• Ensure all assessments are robust and fit for purpose
• Promote and safeguard the wellbeing and interests of the child/young person at all times and through all aspects of work
• Be responsible for managing a complex and independent workload, ensuring legislative requirements are me to a high standard and within required timescales
• Act as a senior professional, using knowledge and experience in a specialist area and from own professional experience to provide advice, support and ‘critical friend’ challenge on cases to colleagues to support them in their work
• Take responsibility for a student working in Slough Children First, carrying out their supervision alongside the Fostering Practice Manager
• Be willing to work towards the Practice Educator Professional Standards for social work, especially stage 2
• Ensure foster carers understand contact arrangements with the child/rens family
• Ensure all trackers, systems and reposts are updated in a timely manner including ICS/Charms and that they are accurate
• Write reposts using chronological order
• Take part in recruitment and activity events
• Arrange and deliver Skills to Foster to potential foster carers
• Deliver training to approved foster carers on a variety of issues
• Complete assessments for potential foster carers and present to panel
• Ensure children’s files are kept up to date and accurate
• Actively participate in supervision and appraisal processes
• Actively participate in team meetings or any other meetings internally/externally
• Provide duty cover in the office as allocated
• Provide cover of the out-of-hours duty telephone line when allocated, ensuring ability to respond to any requirements needed
• Generate leads for potential new foster carers and home from home carers
• Ensure the safeguarding of children/young people in line with the role and responsibilities
• Undertake any other duties as commensurate with the level of responsibility of the role
• Attend all mandatory training in line with the requirements of the role as advised by your manager and other training as and when required
• Adhere to all SCF policies and procedures at all times
• Positively demonstrate the values and behaviours required by SCF at all times
• Ensure own Health & Safety while carrying out the duties and responsibilities of the role and report and issues, accidents or near missed appropriately
• Adhere to all legislation in terms of practice, policies and procedures for the role including the National Minimum Standards for Fostering and SWE standards

Person specification

Education, Training & Experience

• Must have 4 years experience of working as a Social Worker within children’s services (Essential)
• Must have a good understanding of the National Minimum Standards and Fostering Services Regulations (Essential)
• Knowledge of the Childrens Act 2004 (Essential)
• Social Work England registered – this role is a Regulated Activity (Essential)
• Relevant degree (Essential)
• Commitment to CPD (Essential)

General & Specific Knowledge

• Strong verbal and written communication skills (Essential)
• Ability to build good working relationships and maintain them (Essential)
• Excellent listening skills in order to translate verbal discussion into written reports and assessments (Essential)
• Solution focused with consideration to the feelings and wishes of the child/ren and the foster carers (Essential)
• Thorough understanding of safeguarding child/ren (Essential)
• Excellent eye for detail (Essential)
• Ability to work within frameworks and to timescales (Essential)
• Ability to write analytical reports that are fit to purpose (Essential)
• Ability to have a flexible approach to working hours (Essential)
• A satisfactory DBS check (Essential)
• Full clean UK driving license (Essential)
• Access to own vehicle (Desirable)
• Understanding of and commitment to equality and diversity (Desirable)

If you would like to apply for this post, please use the application form to submit your CV and apply online. Once submitted we will be in touch shortly to discuss your application. If you have any questions, please email recruitment@sloughchildrenfirst.co.uk. The deadline for submitted applications is 11pm on Sunday 11th September 2022. 

Good luck!