Salary: £42,262 - £47,460 (including local weighting and market supplement)
Hours: Full time
Contract: Permanent

The Slough Children Looked After Teams are looking for passionate and dedicated Social Workers who want to make a real difference to the lives of our children.

You’ll receive exceptional management support, flexible working, bespoke training opportunities and a chance to do things differently.  We’re proud to have created a place where social workers can flourish and develop to their fullest potential and feel listened to.  Our young people are looking for social workers who are honest, approachable and can be themselves.  If this sounds like you and you’re looking for a challenge, we’d love to hear from you.

Our Children Looked After teams work with children from 0 to 18 years of age whose care plan is to achieve permanency via adoption or long-term care.  As a Social Worker in the Children Looked After Teams, this provides an opportunity for you to develop good relationships with children and young people and have a positive impact on their lives.  You would have an allocation of children and young people with whom you care plan, safeguard and support to achieve their best potential.  You would also have the opportunity of working with Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children and be supported to develop your skills and knowledge in completing age assessments.  We, as a Service, actively listen to the child’s voice and promote children and young people’s choices, safety and fulfilment.

For this role, you’ll need to be a Social Work England registered social worker with a professional social work qualification, or equivalent, and have demonstrable experience of working within a busy service.

Main Accountabilities

• Promote and safeguard the wellbeing and interests of the child / young person at all times and throughout all aspects of work.
• Be responsible for managing an independent workload, ensuring legislative requirements are met to a high standard and within required timescales.
• Thoroughly assess, critically analyse, plan and implement suitable interventions for complex cases that fulfil statutory regulations, instigating proceedings and taking cases to court as required whilst effectively managing risk at all time and seeking support from senior team members when required.
• Produce concise, well-structured assessments, plans and reports, clearly recording and reporting analysis and judgements and ensuring that all recommendations are followed.
• Where cases are to be transferred to another service or partners, ensure that there is a clearly recorded transfer plan.
• Maintain accurate, up to date, evidence-based records safely and confidentially, in line with statutory requirements.
• Work with children, young people and families/carers to develop effective relationships through meaningful and purposeful direct work, actively seeking and understanding their needs and views to promote their participation in decision making and inform practice in assessment and planning in individual cases.
• Work in partnership with colleagues and other agencies to deliver accessible and effective services, empowering parents and carers to develop and maintain safe parenting practices, leading meetings to achieve outcomes for children.
• Be responsible for own individual performance in line with national standards, service and team specific performance indicators and actions required to address areas for improvement.
• Be responsible for own professional development keeping pace with national, regional and local policy initiatives, attending training to maintain professional development and ensuring the receipt of regular supervision.
• Participate in and learn from routine observation, review and auditing activity conducted by the Team Manager and Assistant Team Manager to secure the highest possible standards of social work practice.
• With the agreement of the Assistant Team Manager, identify resources where required and available to promote child/family wellbeing.
• Develop and maintain effective internal and external working relationships to achieve optimal outcomes for children and young people, ensuring a joined-up approach to relationships to other team members and managers.
• Represent Slough Children First’s values and be part of setting a positive culture within your team, service and Slough Children First; challenge behaviour when it is not aligned with our values and take appropriate action; support a professional in a respectful and child-focused environment which supports Slough Children First’s vision.
• Ensure all interventions are conducted within an anti-discriminatory framework, and take into account issues such as race, gender, sexuality, disability etc, and deliver appropriate services to the diverse communities of Slough.
• Provide cover for the work of other team members and take on other additional duties, as required.

Person specification

Education, Training and Experience

Professional Social Work Degree or equivalent (essential)
Demonstrable Post qualifying experience as a social worker working with children and families (essential)
Social Work England registered (essential)

General and Specific Knowledge

Knowledge and application of the legal framework and assessment process in Children’s Social Care (essential)
Knowledge and understanding of the values and principles underpinning the involvement of children, young people and families/carers, including the right to access independent advocacy and complaints processes (essential)
Ability to communicate effectively, verbally and in writing, to a range of audiences including children, young people, parents and carers and professional colleagues (essential)
Knowledge and application of social work interventions in at least one area of practice (essential)
Ability to gather and assess information to inform judgement in complex situations and in response to challenge, clearly reporting and recording analysis (essential)
Ability to use a range of interventions effectively and evaluate them in practice to ensure that the correct outcomes are achieved (essential)
Ability to manage and prioritise own workload independently, maintaining professionalism in challenging circumstances and seeking support and suggesting solutions for workload difficulties (essential)
Acceptance and commitment to the principles of human rights and equality and how they underpin practice (essential)
Understands and has experience of the statutory framework underpinning social work (essential)
Computer literate with knowledge of Microsoft Office packages (essential)
Some experience in using electronic case management skills (essential)
Current UK driving license and access to a vehicle (desirable)

Apply online

If you would like to apply for this post, please click here to submit your CV and apply online. Once submitted, we’ll be in touch shortly to discuss your application. If you have any questions, please email recruitment@sloughchildrenfirst.co.uk.

Good luck!

Salary: £49,467 - £54,537 (including local weighting & market supplement)
Hours: 37 hours per week
Contract: Permanent

At Slough Children First we offer exceptional support, flexible working and a chance to do things differently. We are proud to have created a place where social work can flourish. Our young people are looking for social workers who are down-to-earth, honest, approachable and who can be themselves. If this sounds like you, we would love to hear from you.

As a senior social worker within our Referral and Assessment Service, you will be responsible for undertaking social work on allocated cases and producing outcome-based plans that reflect the needs of and risks to children and their families. You will develop effective relationships with children, young people and their families to improve the impact of work and determine the level of service available.

For this role you will need to be a Social Work England registered social worker with a professional social work qualification, or equivalent, and at least four years' experience. You will need to have direct management experience within children's social services where you can demonstrate strong and successful leadership and the ability to maximise the potential of others and implement service improvements.

Main Accountabilities

• Responsible for undertaking social work on allocated cases producing outcome based plans, having regard to the needs of, and risks to, children and their families.
• To develop effective relationships with CYP and their families to improve impact of work and determine the level of service available ensuring written plans are agreed with the CYP and their families and reflect their views.
• To determine, using evidence based practice how these needs will be met subject to resources, statutory responsibilities, within the framework of council policies and procedures.
• To be responsible for effective Individual performance in line with national standards and performance indicators, including receiving regular supervision.
• Responsible for participating in routine auditing activity across the service to secure the highest possible standards of social work practice and record keeping and to act in accordance with requirements of the Quality Assurance Framework.
• To ensure that the needs of service users/carers from all communities are addressed, and that close attention is paid to equalities issues in all aspects of work. To ensure access to translation and interpretation services as necessary.
• To complete financial assessments and, where appropriate, to determine contributions and levels of need/service.
• With the agreement of the Social Work Team Manager/Practice Manager, to identify resources required and available to promote child/family well being.
• To develop and maintain effective working relationships at appropriate levels with other relevant partner agencies e.g. voluntary, community, schools, police, health other statutory agencies/local resource networks and internal partners.
• To maintain, monitor and review accurate records of all work undertaken ensuring recording information is accurate and up to date, including comprehensive use of the Integrated Children’s System.
• To work effectively move casework to other areas of service as appropriate with a clear transfer plan.
• To contribute to the development of services to children and families and to attend and contribute positively to team meetings to promote the delivery of integrated and effective services.
• To identify own individual learning needs and ensure that practice reflects contemporary thinking. To ensure regular reflection of skills and abilities and use supervision and approval to identify future and plan to meet future needs.
• To provide cover for the work of other team members and undertake projects and other additional duties commensurate with the level of the job. (The nature of these will vary according to experience, competencies and the grade of the post).

Person specification

• Professional Social Work Degree or equivalent (Essential)
• Social Work England Registered (Essential)
• DBS Check (Enhanced)
• Indicative post graduate experience (2+ years)
• Professional Standards (Essential)
• Knowledge and Skills for Child and Family Social Workers – issued by DfE (Essential)
• Ability to write reports to a high standard (Essential)
• Understanding of children and families legal framework and assessment process (Essential)
• Understanding and experience of child protection procedures (Essential)
• Current UK driving licence (Desirable)
• Access to own vehicle (insured for work purposes) (Desirable)
• Management experience (Not required)
• Postgraduate qualification in relevant Social work discipline (Desirable)

Apply Online

If you would like to apply for this post, please apply at Careers | Slough Childrens First (postingpanda.uk) to submit your CV and apply online. Once submitted, we’ll be in touch shortly to discuss your application. If you have any questions, please email recruitment@sloughchildrenfirst.co.uk.

Good luck!

Salary: £49,467 -£54,537 (including local weighting & market supplement)
Hours: 37 hours per week
Contract: Permanent

At Slough Children First we offer exceptional support, flexible working and a chance to do things differently. We are proud to have created a place where social work can flourish. Our young people are looking for social workers who are down-to-earth, honest, approachable and who can be themselves. If this sounds like you, we would love to hear from you.

As a senior social worker within our Safeguarding and Family Support Service, you will respond to urgent Priority 1 and 2 child protection referrals with the aim of keeping children and young people safe from the risk of significant harm. You will gather information, assess and prioritise all decisions about the most appropriate response under S47 of the Children Act. You will carry out assessments on children and young people who have been sexually abused, as well as those who use sexually abusive behaviour. You will work to secure permanency within the family, either in the community or through court processes. The most vital aspect of your role is to help make the child’s journey as smooth and safe as possible, whether that’s through PLO, court, adoption and post adoption and to prevent a ‘cycle’ of being in and out of care.

For this role you will need to be a Social Work England registered social worker with a professional social work qualification, or equivalent, and at least four years' experience. You will need to have direct management experience within children's social services where you can demonstrate strong and successful leadership and the ability to maximise the potential of others and implement service improvements.

Main Accountabilities

• Responsible for undertaking social work on allocated cases producing outcome based plans, having regard to the needs of, and risks to, children and their families.
• To develop effective relationships with CYP and their families to improve impact of work and determine the level of service available ensuring written plans are agreed with the CYP and their families and reflect their views.
• To determine, using evidence based practice how these needs will be met subject to resources, statutory responsibilities, within the framework of council policies and procedures.
• To be responsible for effective Individual performance in line with national standards and performance indicators, including receiving regular supervision.
• Responsible for participating in routine auditing activity across the service to secure the highest possible standards of social work practice and record keeping and to act in accordance with requirements of the Quality Assurance Framework.
• To ensure that the needs of service users/carers from all communities are addressed, and that close attention is paid to equalities issues in all aspects of work. To ensure access to translation and interpretation services as necessary.
• To complete financial assessments and, where appropriate, to determine contributions and levels of need/service.
• With the agreement of the Social Work Team Manager/Practice Manager, to identify resources required and available to promote child/family well being.
• To develop and maintain effective working relationships at appropriate levels with other relevant partner agencies e.g. voluntary, community, schools, police, health other statutory agencies/local resource networks and internal partners.
• To maintain, monitor and review accurate records of all work undertaken ensuring recording information is accurate and up to date, including comprehensive use of the Integrated Children’s System.
• To work effectively move casework to other areas of service as appropriate with a clear transfer plan.
• To contribute to the development of services to children and families and to attend and contribute positively to team meetings to promote the delivery of integrated and effective services.
• To identify own individual learning needs and ensure that practice reflects contemporary thinking. To ensure regular reflection of skills and abilities and use supervision and approval to identify future and plan to meet future needs.
• To provide cover for the work of other team members and undertake projects and other additional duties commensurate with the level of the job. (The nature of these will vary according to experience, competencies and the grade of the post).

Person specification

• Professional Social Work Degree or equivalent (Essential)
• Social Work England Registered (Essential)
• DBS Check (Enhanced)
• Indicative post graduate experience (2+ years)
• Professional Standards (Essential)
• Knowledge and Skills for Child and Family Social Workers – issued by DfE (Essential)
• Ability to write reports to a high standard (Essential)
• Understanding of children and families legal framework and assessment process (Essential)
• Understanding and experience of child protection procedures (Essential)
• Current UK driving licence (Desirable)
• Access to own vehicle (insured for work purposes) (Desirable)
• Management experience (Not required)
• Postgraduate qualification in relevant Social work discipline (Desirable)

Apply Online

If you would like to apply for this post, please click here to submit your CV and apply online. Once submitted, we’ll be in touch shortly to discuss your application. If you have any questions, please email recruitment@sloughchildrenfirst.co.uk.

Good luck!

Slough Children First is looking for committed volunteers who want to work within our Exploitation and Youth Justice Service, previously known as the Youth Offending Team. This role will give you the opportunity to improve your knowledge, learn new skills and also to develop positive partnership working with the local community.

We are looking for volunteers in these areas:

• Panels for young people who are on court referral orders
• Appropriate Adult (representing young people)
• Activities and programmes
• Mentoring (young people)
• Supervising (reparation projects)

If you are enthusiastic, keen to learn and work with the local community, you can benefit from this opportunity.

Apply Online

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. This is an open advert with no end date. Applications will be shortlisted every two weeks.

Good luck!

Do you want to make a difference to a young person’s life? Do you have 2- 4 hours per month to spare?

The National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS) urgently requires more volunteers, so why not volunteer as a mentor/befriender for NYAS as an Independent Visitor for children and young people in care? As a volunteer you will:

• Have fun, take young people on outings and maybe share a hobby, sport or interest
• Offer support and a listening ear and be a positive influence in a young person’s life and help build self- esteem and confidence

You don’t need any special qualifications. NYAS is looking for reliable and dependable people from all walks of life and they will provide training and ongoing support. They will also pay expenses to a set limit

Here is what some of their young people and volunteers have to say about this rewarding role:

• I like how my Independent Visitor isn’t anything to do with social services and is here to support me
• They have boosted my confidence, now I feel like when I go places I can just relax and have fun
• My young person always looks forward to me coming, they have had such a disjointed life, I am a stable figure in their life and this has to be important for them, as everything else changes around them a lot.

If you are interested, please visit the NYAS website or call Linzi Bagshaw on 07484 075165.

Salary: £56,351 - £58,402 (including local weighting and market supplement)
Hours: Full time - 37 hours per week
Contract: Permanent

Be accountable for the day to day management of a team of Senior Social Workers, Social Workers and other professionals in the delivery of statutory and legislative duties and requirements.

Manage the team to safeguard and promote the welfare of vulnerable children and young people in Slough whilst effectively managing risk.

Ensure the key performance targets as they apply to the team, the service and Slough Children First are met.

Carry out this role in a collaborative manner that promotes equality of opportunity and joint working with other teams across Slough Children First and partners, while challenging and supporting the team to ensure timely and suitable outcomes for child, young people and their families and embedding Slough Children First’s values into the work of the team and peers.

Take a leading role in promoting, delivering and embracing Slough Children First’s values– Child focussed, Honest and respectful, Improving constantly, Looking ahead and Delivering together – to your team and peers to help deliver our vision of making our children safe, secure and successful.

Use all multi disciplinary resources available to ensure that the quality of practice with children, young people and families is of a consistently high quality, is cost effective and that quality service standards are met.

Main Accountabilities

• As a member of Slough Children First’s management team, provide day to day management of the team, providing appropriate support and challenge to ensure the delivery of high quality services that safeguard the welfare of children and young people.
• Make effective day to day use of all available professional resources and use a range of theoretical, evidence based and practical approaches including systemic practice to develop and implement effective interventions and support for children and families both within and outside of the family home.
• Manage the distribution of caseloads to ensure that the child or young person’s needs are met appropriately.
• Support and challenge the team to meet the requirements around thresholds for cases, managing the preparation of high quality reports for court or other purposes, challenging, providing expert advice to guide the team through legal and organisational processes as required
• Support and challenge the team in the completion of assessments, plans, toolkits based on identified need, ensuring at each point risk is evaluated, decisions and management oversight are recorded on the case file and any issues or concerns are escalated to the Team Manager to address.
• Chair the first and transfer core groups and CIN meetings to a high standard, supporting social workers in further meetings as required.
• Co-work complex cases with team members as required without taking on a specific caseload of their own.
• Supervise social workers and non qualified staff in the team as per Slough Children First’s supervision policy, supporting and supervising social work students, acting as a mentor to support them through their professional training.
• Lead hub / group supervision to a high standard ensuring that all team members are aware of progress on cases.
• Provide day to day supervision on case work to a high standard.
• Understand what performance information, and audit outcomes are saying to positively impact on individual cases and support staff development.
• Promote direct work with children and young people, supporting all members of the team to actively seek the views of children and families to inform practice in assessment and planning in individual cases.
• Participate in quality assurance activities to support professional development of staff and improve the consistency of practice.
• Support the Team Manager to tackle under-performance, sickness absence and conduct both informally and formally and within Slough Children First’s policy frameworks.
• Contribute to Slough Children First’s development with knowledge of an area of specialist practice and to provide consultation, coaching and mentoring within the Team, and across the service as a whole as required.
• Develop and maintain own professional links and leads with partner agencies and the voluntary sector and support those of the Team Manager.
• Maintain own professional development through training and other suitable mechanisms and keep up to date with changes in national, regional and local policy initiatives that will impact on the delivery of services and respond accordingly.
• Represent Slough Children First’s values, leading by example in the delivery of these and setting a positive culture within your team, service and Slough Children First; challenge behaviour when it is not aligned with our values and take appropriate action; support a professional in a respectful and child-focussed environment which supports Slough Children First’s vision
• Ensure all interventions are conducted within an anti-discriminatory framework, and take into account issues such as race, gender, sexuality, disability etc, and deliver appropriate services to the diverse communities of Slough.
• Deputise for the Team Manager, undertake projects and other additional duties as required. Undertake work outside office hours as necessary.

Person specification

• Professional Social Work Degree or equivalent (Essential)
• Working knowledge of the legislative framework and relevant guidance and procedures as appropriate to the post. (Essential)
• Experience of managing newly qualified social workers and/or unqualified staff (Essential)
• Social Work England registered (Essential)
• Experience of delivering high quality services to children and in assessment of needs, case planning and/or case management, including complex cases. (Essential)
• Ability to analyse risk relating to child protection and to plan appropriate interventions.(Essential)
• Acceptance and commitment to the principles of human rights and equality and how they underpin practice (Essential)
• Demonstrable understanding and application of the statutory framework underpinning social work (Essential)
• Specialist knowledge of one or more key issues affecting children and their families. E.g. Domestic Abuse, Mental Health, Radicalisation, Neglect, Contextual Safeguarding (Essential)
• Evidence of continued professional development to enhance own knowledge and skills ad encouraging others to develop theirs (Essential)
• Computer literate with knowledge of Microsoft Office packages (Essential)
• Significant experience in the use of electronic case management systems (Essential)
• Post graduate qualification or equivalent, or the willingness to work towards (Desirable)
• Experience of co-ordinating and managing the work of a tea, balancing needs and resources to achieve a high quality service (Desirable)
• Experience in conducting appraisals/supervision that are reflective and strive towards the successful achievement of department/business objectives (Desirable)
• Experience of managing budgets (Desirable)
• Current UK driving license and access to a vehicle (Desirable)

Apply online

If you would like to apply for this post, please apply at Careers | Slough Childrens First (postingpanda.uk) to submit your CV and apply online. If you have any questions, please email recruitment@sloughchildrenfirst.co.uk.

The deadline for submitted applications is 13th December 2023.

Good luck!

Salary: £27,912 - £33,115 (including local weighting)
Hours: Full time 37 hours per week
Contract: Permanent

A fantastic opportunity has arisen for a part time Safeguarding Support Officer within our Quality Assurance Service!

As a Safeguarding Support Officer, you’ll arrange multi-agency Child Protection Conferences.  Safeguarding Business Support Officers are responsible for sending out conference invitations, typing and distributing minutes on a laptop, ensuring confidential information is stored/shared using Excel, Outlook and Word.   You’ll be the first line of contact for external and internal partners in relation to Child Protection Conferences, Children Looked After Reviews and other complex meetings.

You will have extensive administrative experience, which includes speed typing, and various Microsoft packages, as well as knowledge of GDPR.  You will ideally have experience of taking minutes on a laptop, though this is not essential as our minute taking is very different to the usual trained style, .  However, a fast typing speed is a must and you will need to be sufficiently confident to capture discussions taking place which could be with up to 12 professionals engaged in the meeting.

Main Accountabilities

• Coordinate the organisation of Reviews of Children Looked After by the Local Authority
• Coordinate Initial and Review Child Protection Conferences, including taking specialist minutes at these multi-agencies (usually Children’s Social Care, Police, Health and Education) complex meetings
• To ensure the Independent Reviewing Service and the Child Protection Service meets statutory timescales
• To attend multi-agency meetings and conferences, circulate documents and follow up action as necessary
• To establish and maintain good client/professional relationships both within Slough Children First and our professional partners by ensuring timely communication and critical updates regarding Looked After Children Reviews, Child Protection Conferences, and other complex multi-agency meetings, and procedures
• To maintain data collection systems to ensure data quality and accuracy in preparation of monthly quality assurance monitoring reports and returns
• To take accurate specialist minutes of complex multi-agency meetings and then produce records which reflect the main discussion but précis the information disclosed
• To be the first line of contact for external and internal partners in relation to the arrangements of Child Protection Conferences, Looked After Children Reviews, and other complex meetings
• To update partner agencies of children subject to Child Protection Plans, and Children Looked After ensuring data security is maintained
• Inputting of all invoices pertaining to the Safeguarding & Quality Assurance Unit
• To manage own workload in relation to data improvement efforts within the Independent Reviewing Service and Child Protection Service managed systems
• To work flexibly, adapt and develop the role as necessary to meet service needs
• To undertake any other tasks relevant to the Children’s Safeguarding and Quality Assurance Unit as required
• Supporting the smooth operational running of the Children’s Safeguarding and Quality Assurance Unit, including the support of key posts: Head of Service for Safeguarding and Quality Assurance; Complaints Manager; Child Protection Chair, Independent Reviewing Officers, Independent Reviewing Manager & Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)

Person specification

Education, Training and Experience

Demonstrable experience providing office administration and service support (essential)
Excellent written and verbal communication skills (essential)
Experience of working and communicating with multiagency organisations, internal staff and/or members of the public (essential)
Creating and maintaining computerized and manual information management systems (essential)
Experience of agenda planning, co-ordination and monitoring (essential)
Experience of attending and supporting multi-professional complex meetings (essential)
Understanding of good customer service particularly in relation to inter-agency partnerships (essential)
Knowledge of issues relating to data protection, data security, and confidentiality (essential)
Knowledge of and commitment to Equality and Diversity (essential)
Some knowledge of local government (desirable)
Educated to GCSE (grades A-C) or equivalent level with a good level of numeracy and literacy (essential)
Office skill based qualifications such as RSA, Pitman, NVQ Business (essential)

General and Specific Knowledge

Well developed written and oral communication skills and demonstration of attention to detail (essential)
Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information appropriately (essential)
Proven skills taking specialized minutes at complex multi professional meetings (essential)
Keyboard proficiency and good working knowledge of Microsoft Office software with the ability to provide information through electronic media, internet and intranet. Ability to learn and work on bespoke software (essential)
Proven accuracy in dealing with data and correspondence (essential)
Ability to import, export  writing queries and reports to extract information and use to write specialist reports for use in court and conference (essential)
Ability to project manage own workload and use own initiative in order to meet tight deadlines, while maintaining accuracy and quality of output (essential)

Apply online

If you would like to apply for this post, please apply at Careers | Slough Childrens First (postingpanda.uk) to submit your CV and apply online. Once submitted, we’ll 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 Sunday 19^th November 2023

Good luck!

Salary: £27,912 - £33,115 (including local weighting)
Hours: Full time 37 hours per week
Contract: Fixed term contract for 12 months

A fantastic opportunity has arisen for a part time Safeguarding Support Officer within our Quality Assurance Service!

As a Safeguarding Support Officer, you’ll arrange multi-agency Child Protection Conferences.  Safeguarding Business Support Officers are responsible for sending out conference invitations, typing and distributing minutes on a laptop, ensuring confidential information is stored/shared using Excel, Outlook and Word.   You’ll be the first line of contact for external and internal partners in relation to Child Protection Conferences, Children Looked After Reviews and other complex meetings.

You will have extensive administrative experience, which includes speed typing, and various Microsoft packages, as well as knowledge of GDPR.  You will ideally have experience of taking minutes on a laptop, though this is not essential as our minute taking is very different to the usual trained style, .  However, a fast typing speed is a must and you will need to be sufficiently confident to capture discussions taking place which could be with up to 12 professionals engaged in the meeting.

Main Accountabilities

• Coordinate the organisation of Reviews of Children Looked After by the Local Authority
• Coordinate Initial and Review Child Protection Conferences, including taking specialist minutes at these multi-agencies (usually Children’s Social Care, Police, Health and Education) complex meetings
• To ensure the Independent Reviewing Service and the Child Protection Service meets statutory timescales
• To attend multi-agency meetings and conferences, circulate documents and follow up action as necessary
• To establish and maintain good client/professional relationships both within Slough Children First and our professional partners by ensuring timely communication and critical updates regarding Looked After Children Reviews, Child Protection Conferences, and other complex multi-agency meetings, and procedures
• To maintain data collection systems to ensure data quality and accuracy in preparation of monthly quality assurance monitoring reports and returns
• To take accurate specialist minutes of complex multi-agency meetings and then produce records which reflect the main discussion but précis the information disclosed
• To be the first line of contact for external and internal partners in relation to the arrangements of Child Protection Conferences, Looked After Children Reviews, and other complex meetings
• To update partner agencies of children subject to Child Protection Plans, and Children Looked After ensuring data security is maintained
• Inputting of all invoices pertaining to the Safeguarding & Quality Assurance Unit
• To manage own workload in relation to data improvement efforts within the Independent Reviewing Service and Child Protection Service managed systems
• To work flexibly, adapt and develop the role as necessary to meet service needs
• To undertake any other tasks relevant to the Children’s Safeguarding and Quality Assurance Unit as required
• Supporting the smooth operational running of the Children’s Safeguarding and Quality Assurance Unit, including the support of key posts: Head of Service for Safeguarding and Quality Assurance; Complaints Manager; Child Protection Chair, Independent Reviewing Officers, Independent Reviewing Manager & Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)

Person specification

Education, Training and Experience

Demonstrable experience providing office administration and service support (essential)
Excellent written and verbal communication skills (essential)
Experience of working and communicating with multiagency organisations, internal staff and/or members of the public (essential)
Creating and maintaining computerized and manual information management systems (essential)
Experience of agenda planning, co-ordination and monitoring (essential)
Experience of attending and supporting multi-professional complex meetings (essential)
Understanding of good customer service particularly in relation to inter-agency partnerships (essential)
Knowledge of issues relating to data protection, data security, and confidentiality (essential)
Knowledge of and commitment to Equality and Diversity (essential)
Some knowledge of local government (desirable)
Educated to GCSE (grades A-C) or equivalent level with a good level of numeracy and literacy (essential)
Office skill based qualifications such as RSA, Pitman, NVQ Business (essential)

General and Specific Knowledge

Well developed written and oral communication skills and demonstration of attention to detail (essential)
Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information appropriately (essential)
Proven skills taking specialized minutes at complex multi professional meetings (essential)
Keyboard proficiency and good working knowledge of Microsoft Office software with the ability to provide information through electronic media, internet and intranet. Ability to learn and work on bespoke software (essential)
Proven accuracy in dealing with data and correspondence (essential)
Ability to import, export  writing queries and reports to extract information and use to write specialist reports for use in court and conference (essential)
Ability to project manage own workload and use own initiative in order to meet tight deadlines, while maintaining accuracy and quality of output (essential)

Apply online

If you would like to apply for this post, please apply at Careers | Slough Childrens First (postingpanda.uk) to submit your CV and apply online. Once submitted, we’ll 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 Sunday 19^th November 2023

Good luck!

Salary: £25,741 - £27,640  (including local weighting)
Hours: 37 hours per week
Contract: Permanent

Are you passionate about supporting a high functioning team with administrative tasks? If so, then we have a great opportunity for you as a Team Administrator in our MASH team. This is a fast-paced service working within tight timescales and if you are thriving for a challenge, this could be the role for you!

For this role, attention to detail is crucial as is the ability to produce high quality minutes of meetings. You’ll be required to take accurate minutes of a variety of meetings, some which can be complex.

You’ll be accurately dealing with correspondences which at times may contain confidential information. You'll provide high quality administrative support to the work of a team, so the team can deliver its statutory and legislative duties and requirements.

You'll promote, deliver and embrace our values – child focussed, honest and respectful, improving constantly, looking ahead and delivering together – to your team and peers to help deliver our vision of making our children safe, secure and successful.

If you're looking for a new challenge and want to be part of an exciting time for children's services in Slough, then come and join us.

Main Accountabilities

• Organise and co-ordinate support from external agencies to ensure effective multi-agency meetings within the team. To include booking rooms, sharing reports and key documents in advance and making sure the meetings are run effectively, ensuring all attendees know the location and are made aware of any changes and minutes are typed up and circulated promptly
• Arrange appointments for visits on behalf of social workers, Case Managers and Personal Advisors, including organising travel out of borough, purchasing tickets in advance to save costs and organising for an interpreter where required
• Have oversight of individual’s and the team calendar, checking all visits and meetings are covered, arranging cover for visits or meetings when staff are off or unable to attend by prioritising remaining staff’s calendars and duties
• Support the team manager and assistant team manager with their diaries
• Support the senior social worker to arrange and maintain a duty calendar for the team, dealing with changes to duty as required
• Scan and upload relevant casefile documentation to ICS/Child View/Charms and complete notifications and actions relevant for case files, liaising with other agencies as required to address individual case file actions
• As the first point of contact for the team, taking calls and screen for appropriate action to be taken, answering queries from families open to the team as appropriate
• Act as a point of contact and liaison for the team with other teams across SCF, and with organisations externally as appropriate
• Review team level data e.g. visits, assessments due and court dates, reminding social workers /relevant team members when actions are about to go out of timescale and escalating to managers as required
• Keep track of initial and review health assessments, dental assessments and immunisations for any Looked After Children in the team, being clear on the status of each child and supporting social workers to remain within timescale on actions
• Process invoices for the team and raise requisitions on Agresso as required
• Support the Service Co-ordinator and team managers by providing and circulating team level statistics as required
• Support the team manager to effectively track sickness and absence within the team by assisting with timely recording on Agresso
• Support panels and meetings as directed by the service co-ordinator, ensuring minutes are circulated promptly
• Know where all IT kit is for the team and provide information to the Service Co-ordinator upon request
• Work with the service co-ordinator to ensure all new starters receive a local induction as well as a corporate induction
• Use own initiative to identify actions and activities to support the development of a high functioning team
• Support the Team Manager and Service Co-ordinator with any necessary duties as commensurate with the level of the role, including providing cover for the work of other team administrators during annual leave and take on other additional duties, as required

Person specification

Experience

• High level administrative skills including experience of diary management (Essential)
• Knowledge and understanding of the services provided by children’s social care (Essential)
• Knowledge and understanding of legislation, policy and guidance relating to Children and Young People’s service work including Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018 (Desirable)

Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrable understanding of appropriate verbal communication skills, including the ability to deal with members of the public and staff in a sensitive and professional manner both over the phone and face to face (Essential)
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information appropriately (Essential)
• Good information technology skills to include but not limited to: Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook), Agresso (or equivalent) and electronic casefile management systems (Essential)
• Can deal with data and analyse it accurately to inform the work of the team and ensure statutory deadlines are met (Essential)
• Flexible, adaptable and able to work using own initiative to ensure both self and others are organised (Essential)
• Ability to prioritise own and work of the team managing conflicting priorities and multiple pieces of work to achieve targets and statutory deadlines (Essential)
• Understanding of what good customer service looks and feels like to both to colleagues within SCF and externally (Essential)
• Clear understanding of and commitment to equality and diversity. (Essential)

Qualifications/Training 

• Educated to GCSE or equivalent level with a good level of numeracy and literacy (Essential)
• Commitment to personal and professional development (Essential)
• Office skills based qualifications such as RSA, Pitmans, NVQ Business Administration Level 3, BTEC or equivalent (Desirable)

Apply online

If you would like to apply for this post, please apply at Careers | Slough Childrens First (postingpanda.uk) to submit your CV and apply online. Once submitted, we’ll 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 06the December 2023.

Good luck!

Salary: £34,063 - £38,375 (including local weighting)
Hours: Full time - 37 hours per week
Contract: Permanent

We are looking for a Participation Officer to join Slough Children First.

As a Participation Officer you'll  work directly with and support care-experienced young people to ensure their views and experiences shape Slough Children First’s policy and campaigning activity, delivering innovative, meaningful and co-produced participation work which creates real change.

Main Accountabilities

• Coordinate Slough Children First’s participation activity which ensures that care-experienced young people’s views are heard and acted upon by decision-makers and inform the development of SCF’s strategies and practices.
• Lead the delivery of engaging and participatory workshops and other 1-1 and group activities with children, young people and young adults, using principles of coproduction to design and create new outputs which advance our policy, campaigns and communications priorities.
• Support with enabling a diverse and active community of care-experienced people - particularly those who are most seldom-heard – to engage in this work.
• Work closely with Operational Services to ensure all young people can effectively and safely share their experiences and expertise with us and decision-makers in the care system.
• Build trusting relationships with young people so they feel comfortable and always supported, addressing the power dynamics which impact on the experiences and effectiveness of this work.
• Support the development of a strategy for regular communication with our community, including facilitating peer to peer communications, to keep members feeling engaged and empowered.
• Ensure participants are supported with relevant skill development and training opportunities to contribute happily and effectively.
• Develop strong relationships and work collaboratively with relevant colleagues in the statutory and voluntary sectors to support the involvement of a wider community of care experienced young people.
• Enhance the wider staff team’s knowledge and practice in effective and innovative participation approaches – particularly through digital/online means.
• Contribute to monitoring, evaluation and reporting of the impact of our participation work and outcomes for participants.

Person specification

Education, Training & Experience

• Proven experience of working with children and young people, particularly those in vulnerable circumstances, including those with experience of care or social work (Essential)
• Demonstrable experience from either paid or voluntary roles in a participation, youth work, education, or other relevant setting (Essential)
• A qualification applicable to the role (e.g., in youth and community work, teaching, social work, etc.) (Essential)

General & Specific Knowledge

• Planning and delivering (online) workshops and other participation activity to engage groups of young people in delivering creative outputs (Essential)

Apply online

If you would like to apply for this post, please apply at Careers | Slough Childrens First (postingpanda.uk) to submit your CV and apply online. If you have any questions, please email recruitment@sloughchildrenfirst.co.uk.

The deadline for submitted applications is 26th December 2023. Interviews will be on 29th December 2023. 

Good luck!

Salary: £34,063 - £38,375 (including local weighting)
Hours: Full time - 37 hours per week
Contract: Fixed term for 12 months

We are looking for a Personal Advisor to join our Leaving Care team on a fixed term for 12 months.

Main Accountabilities

• Ensure that service users are placed at the heart of the service, treated courteously and fairly, and are consulted on all aspects of the service provision.
• Manage and monitor a workload of cases (of Eligible, Relevant, Former Relevant and Qualifying Care Leavers) as directed and organise work activities taking into account the need to prioritise tasks and responsibilities, ensuring statutory and Service responsibilities are undertaken within timescales.
• Attend the young peoples’ Care Plan Reviews prior to their 18th birthday, of young people who are in care. To help to draw up the Pathway Plans for young people and to make sure that it develops with the young person’s changing needs and that it is implemented.
• Advise, mentor, support and empower young people leaving care aged 18 to 25 years.
• Stay ‘In Touch’ with young people leaving care from 18 to 25 years old and ensure that they receive the advice and support to which they are entitled.
• Keep in touch with care leavers who do not choose to have face to face contact and offer regular support, and to maintain reviews of their Pathway Plans even if they choose not to attend.
• Promote and maintain relationships with carers and families, during care and when young people leave care.
• Routinely undertake interviews, observations and information gathering and to analyse, summarise and evaluate this information into an assessment of the Care Leavers needs.
• On the basis of young peoples’ assessed needs; devise, implement and review the Pathway Plan in conjunction with Care Leavers and significant others.
• Encourage Care Leavers to increase their educational attainments to give greater chances of employment and achievement, and to liaise with schools, colleges and universities to ensure that Care Leavers are given the support and recognition that they are entitled to.
• Take the lead role in liaising and working in partnership with other agencies and services who have compatible duties and obligations to Care Leavers, such as housing services and education departments, Youth Offending Team, Health, Benefits Agency, employment services, voluntary and independent sector providers, promoting multi-disciplinary service provision to Care Leavers.
• Liaise with Housing Providers to determine and acquire the most suitable needs led accommodation, and to support the Care Leaver moving in, equipping and sustaining their home through the use of their Leaving Care Grant.
• Liaise with statutory agencies (e.g. Jobcentre Plus, Housing Benefit) to ensure the financial needs and entitlements of Care Leavers are met.
• Maintain up to date and accurate electronic case records in accordance with departmental and statutory requirements, and able to provide concise and accurate information about the Care Leaver’s circumstances and plans.
• Aware of the principles of the data protection legislation and of the current partnership codes of practice covering the recording and sharing of information about young people.
• Develop and maintain good working relationships with other professionals within the Service, and partner agencies to ensure an integrated, holistic and multidisciplinary approach to the needs of Care Leavers.
• Carry out the responsibilities of the post with due regard to the Organisation's Equality Policy to ensure that the diverse needs of Care Leavers are identified and met.
• Under the direction of the Team Manager undertake specific pieces of work in relation to customer feedback or representations, complaints, multi-agency projects or service developments to improve service delivery.
• Work within a flexible framework in order to meet the demands of the Service this will include working outside of the usual 9-5 hours. This will be on a rota basis to ensure that Care leavers are able to access support required in the evenings and at weekends.

Person Specification

Experience of direct work with young people and their families and ability to work with challenging and resistant service users. (Desirable)
Record of building sustained relationships with young people and families. (Desirable)
Experience of working with young people, families and carers, and identifying their needs. (Desirable)
Experience of implementing service plans on the basis of assessed needs.(Essential)
Experience of multi-agency working and using multi-disciplinary resources to meet needs. (Essential)
Knowledge of the Children Act 1989 and other relevant legislation affecting young people and of Care Planning Regulations. (Essential)
Knowledge of child and adolescent development and the particular difficulties and disadvantages associated with transition to adulthood for children in Public Care. (Essential)
Knowledge of relevant legislation and should possess a sound demonstrable understanding of human growth and development  (Essential)
Working knowledge of the range of issues that care leavers might expect to face as they make their transition to adulthood and the legal framework affecting care leavers guidance. (Essential)
Ability to adapt approach in the best interests of young people Working knowledge of relevant legislation (Children Act, Care Leavers Regulations, etc.). (Essential)
Experience of using social work tools and frameworks. (Essential)
Experience of working with Care Leavers and children in public care. (Essential)
Specific knowledge / experience in respect of Benefits, housing, health, education and employment, emotional, behavioural and relationship difficulties. (Essential)
Awareness and understanding of latest research and consultations in respect of Care Leavers. (Essential)
Knowledge of theory and practice around change and loss. (Essential)
Qualification in Children/Care work e.g. CQSW, NNEB, NVQ Level 3 in child or Social care, Youth work or equivalent. (Essential)
Demonstrate they are working towards a professional qualification. It is desirable that any such professional qualification should be in a children’s or youth related field. (Essential) 
Ability to negotiate, challenge and manage conflict (Essential)
Ability to exercise individual judgement and to consult where and when necessary (Essential)
Time management and setting and working to deadlines (Essential)
Ability to be flexible and responsive to individual needs and use a variety of working and practice tools. (Essential)
Ability to present reports at meetings and to young people (Essential)
Ability to use focussed intervention and communication to improve outcomes for young people (Essential)
The post-holder requires to be a licence holder and car owner. (Essential)
As our care leavers are placed across the UK, the role will also involve some out of out of borough visits. (Essential)
Ability to perform the duties of the post with reasonable adjustments as required. (Essential)

Apply online

If you would like to apply for this post, please apply at Careers | Slough Childrens First (postingpanda.uk) to submit your CV and apply online. If you have any questions, please email recruitment@sloughchildrenfirst.co.uk.

The deadline for submitted applications is 17th December 2023. Interviews will be held on  20th December 2023. 

Good luck!