Referral Officer

The Children’s Service Contact Team is Islington’s central point of contact for all new referrals for Children’s Social Care, the various Targeted Services and Social Emotional Mental Health services. It is integral to Islington’s Multi‑Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) and some MASH partners are co‑located with the team. The Children’s Services Contact Team is required to deliver high quality responses to incoming contacts within the required timescales with the aim of achieving right service first time for children and families.

As a Referral Officer, you will be acting as the first point of contact for members of the public and professionals from partner agencies in the CSCT contact and referral process but also signposting to other services within LBI. You will support CSCT Managers, Senior Social Workers, Social Workers and MASH partner agency professionals in gathering relevant information from referrers, ensuring this information is inputted accurately and efficiently on our electronic system to allow prompt and effective decisions to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

Within CSCT, you will have the support of a Team Manager, two Practice Managers, two Senior Social Workers and a team of experienced social workers.

• Experience providing administrative support in a busy environment.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Ability to process information accurately when working under pressure.
• Good understanding of children’s services.
• Basic understanding of how to respond to concerns about a child.

• Take responsibility for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young persons/vulnerable adults in the care of the service, including undertaking regular Child Protection training at a level commensurate with the role.
• Create, maintain and improve administrative systems to enable the service to meet its aims of delivering a high‑quality service to children and families.
• Work cooperatively with the CSCT Team Manager, Practice Managers, Senior Social Workers, Social Workers and MASH partners to ensure the team meets its aim of ensuring contacts receive a rapid and appropriate response.
• Develop and maintain good working relationships with other teams within Children’s Social Care, other Council departments and clients referred to the service.
• Deal sensitively with enquiries or telephone messages, logging calls accurately and alerting social work staff or managers immediately to any issues requiring immediate attention.
• Carry out the skilled processing of contacts, ensuring accuracy throughout.
• Liaise with social work staff and managers to ensure contact information is up to date and screening information is accurate.
• Use appropriate databases, Microsoft Office and other ICT systems to produce reports, spreadsheets and other documents as required, supporting the service and assisting others in the use of information technology systems when required.
• Follow guidelines to produce standard written or electronic responses to enquiries from family members or professionals to tight deadlines.
• Undertake support tasks on projects as required.
• Undertake other duties commensurate with the grade of the post.

Any additional duties consistent with the grade and level of responsibility of this position, for which the holder possesses the required experience and/or training. Additional:
Carry out duties in the most efficient and effective manner. Achieve agreed service outcomes and personal goals set in your check‑in, as agreed by the line manager. Undertake training and constructively take part in meetings, supervision, seminars and other events designed to improve communication and assist with the effective development of the post and post holder. Carry out duties and responsibilities in accordance with the council’s commitment to customer service excellence and ensure compliance with the customer care standards.

Be committed to the Council’s core values of public service, quality, equality and empowerment and to demonstrate this commitment in the way duties are carried out. Ensure that duties are undertaken with due regard and compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation and other legislation. Carry out duties and responsibilities in accordance with the Council’s Health and Safety Policy and relevant Health and Safety legislation.

At all times to carry out responsibilities/duties within the framework of the Council’s Dignity for all Policy (Equal Opportunities Policy).