Social Worker - Children in Care

The Children in Care and Care Leaving Service provides assessment, care planning and ongoing support for children and young people aged 0–18, including Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children, who are in the care of the Local Authority. The service is responsible for delivering high-quality care and placements for some of our most vulnerable children and young people, ensuring their safety, stability and wellbeing.

We also support care leavers aged 16–25, helping young people including Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children to develop the skills, confidence and resilience needed to live fulfilling and independent lives.

Our commitment to strong practice and positive outcomes was recognised by Ofsted, who rated our Windsor and Maidenhead services as Good
.

This is a 12-month fixed-term position offering hybrid working, with a minimum of two days per week in the office and the remaining time working from home, providing flexibility while maintaining strong team collaboration and service delivery.

The Social Work Practitioner - CIC is to pursue the best possible outcomes for children and young people through good value arrangements, secure stability and permanence for vulnerable children and young people and to safeguard and promote the welfare of our vulnerable young people. They will manage an agreed caseload of children and young people in compliance with casework objectives, statutory and departmental policy and procedural requirements, consistently maintaining the highest level of professional standards, including the most complex cases.

• The Social Work practitioner will undertake direct social work responsibilities as an allocated worker to the children, young people and Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children assigned, driving long term care planning, focus being on stability and supporting our young people to achieve their full potential.
• Duties will also include investigating concerns regarding a child or young person's safety or wellbeing, make an assessment of the risk and protective factors in the family and decide on the most appropriate course of action to improve outcomes for children.
• The Practitioner will ensure that they provide high quality reports which can also be within the Court arena, they will support and prepare workers in the Court process, including giving evidence as required.
• The practitioner can also take lead on specialist areas to aid service improvement directed by the Team Manager or Associate Director of Corporate Parenting. The Social Work Practitioner will maintain an awareness of own professional limitations and knowledge gaps.
• To make effective use of supervision and appraisal as an opportunity to critically reflect on casework and to identify learning and development needs to continually improve upon practice; and to support continual professional development.

If you wish to have an informal discussion about this role please contact Catriona Hall on catriona.hall

• Educated to a degree level with a relevant professional qualification in social work.
• Active Social Work England registration and proven evidence of continuing professional development.
• Strong knowledge and experience of supporting children within the of the legal framework relating to Safeguarding, Children in Care and Asylum-seeking children.
• Expert knowledge of relevant theory that informs practice delivery.
• Experience of building strong partnerships, maintaining relationships and co-producing solutions to challenges across a diverse set of stakeholders, including children, young people and their families.
• Advocating the voices of those we are working with.
• Experience of keeping and maintaining records (in accordance with local policy) and producing accurate reports, presentations, written updates to a range of stakeholders (which may include families, children or young people).
• Experience of addressing specific equality or diversity issues.