Advanced Social Work Practitioner WR5 2NP

Job Title:

Advanced Social Work Practitioner

Directorate & Section/Unit:
Children’s Social Care

Salary Grade: PO2

Reporting to:
Practice Manager

Management Responsibility for: ASWP Team (SQA Service)

Purpose of job:

Drive service improvements in order to secure continuous improvement in services to children and young people.

The Senior Management Team will identify service priorities and ask Advanced Social Work Practitioners to:

• Support, mentor and assess newly qualified social workers in their assisted and supported year in employment (ASYE).
• Define the standards of practice and performance for the area of service/specialism so that staff can provide high quality services in line with the standards of practice and established/statutory timescales.
• Intervene in areas of poor practice and/or performance to secure a lasting improvement in service and individual performance.
• Deal with stage 1 complaints.
• Identify areas for learning and development in practice and assist in improvement through support, guidance and mentoring.
• Provide reflective supervision and support on complex cases/assessments where this would lead to practice improvements.
• Secure timely and effective intervention in complex cases by supporting the resolution of factors that inhibit children, young people and their families from accessing the services that will impact effectively on their lives. Intervene where practice is poor or where partner organisations are failing in their responsibilities.
• Provide and deliver training and development opportunities to staff and teams to improve practice and outcomes for children and young people.
• Carry out targeted audit activity responding to service need.

• To maintain personal and professional development to meet the changing demands of the job, participate in appropriate training activities and encourage and support staff in their development and training.
• To undertake other such duties, training and/or hours of work as may be reasonably required and which are consistent with the general level of responsibility of this job.
• To undertake health and safety duties commensurate with the job and/or as detailed in the Directorate’s Health and Safety Policy.
• The duties described in this job description must be carried out in a manner which promotes equality of opportunity, dignity and due respect for all employees and service users and is consistent with the Council’s Equal Opportunities Policy.
• Working with some vulnerable children, young people and adults can, at times, be emotionally challenging for which appropriate support will be provided through management supervision. The post holder must be able to deal with such mental demands.
• This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and / previously met the definition of Regulated Activity (as defined by the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006) and is therefore subject to an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check (as defined by the Police Act).
• This post meets Regulated Activity (as defined by the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 as amended by the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012) and is subject to an enhanced Criminal Records Check (CRB) and the relevant children and/ adults barred list(s) checks.

• WCF reserves the right to alter the content of this job description, after consultation to reflect changes to the job or services provided, without altering the general character or level of responsibility.

• A professional qualification in social work.
• Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) registration.

Reasonable adjustments will be considered as required by the Equality Act.