Fostering Supervising Social Worker

Job Title

Supervising Social Worker

Responsible to

Fostering Service Manager

Salary

To be negotiated
 Range £37k-£42K dependent on experience

Overall Purpose/Aim:

To represent Foster Care Values (FCV) Vision and Values while providing a comprehensive and flexible social work service to foster carers and children/young people as required.

Core Tasks

Support and Supervision of Foster Carers

• Recruit, access and monitor the continued suitability and competence of Foster Carers ensuring they provide a safe, nurturing and learning environment for children/young people
• Ensure that carers fully understand the fostering task, competencies to be achieved and the standards expected, including complaints and representation procedures as detailed in the FCV policies and procedures
• Provide and record regular supervision to allocated foster carers in line with FCV Operational Standards, as to frequency and content and undertake such additional support visits/telephone contact with foster carers as placement agreements/contracts may specify
• Work in partnership to help identify any needs within the foster family e.g. respite, activities, therapy, holidays with all members of the child's network, including contributing to all relevant meetings and any other tasks defined
• Contribute to Foster Carer Annual Reviews, within required timescales, providing written evidence of competence. Presenting Annual Review Reports to Review Panel as required
• Social Workers should ensure that all of their Carers have an accurate and up to date Form F available that meets the needs of CIW, internal compliance and customers and update these as appropriate and in accordance with policies and procedures
• Identify learning and development needs of Foster Carers. Document these in the Personal Professional Development Plan (PPDP) and recommend actions required to address them
• Attend meetings to support Foster Carers, children and young people
• Support Foster Carers in preparing children and young people for independent or semi-independent living
• Assist in the delivery of core training for Foster Carers and "Skills to Foster"
• Ensure Foster Carers are aware of wider support systems available e.g. Fostering Network and FISS
• Undertake the completion of Form F Assessments as required to a high standard which reflects 'best practice' and be responsible for presenting completed Form F's to Fostering Panel

Safeguarding Children and Young People

• Ensure each child has an accurate and up to date Care Plan on file and that Carers have a copy available for reference
• Work in partnership with the relevant authority to ensure that the child and young person's needs as identified in the Care Plan and placement agreement are met
• Ensure each child has a placement agreement on file and that Carers have a copy available for reference if appropriate
• Ensure that comprehensive case recordings are completed and maintained within policy timeframes
• Demonstrate a sound knowledge of child Safeguarding procedures
• Participate in negotiation between FCV and Local Authorities to ensure that each child or young person placed is carefully matched with a Foster Carer capable of meeting their needs
• Complete and follow through paperwork and procedures in relation to Critical Incidents and Notifiable Events
• Ensure the necessary Risk Assessments are completed in line with FCV policies and procedures
• Ensure that children and young people are informed of their rights and assisted in using the complaints procedures of FCV and their Local Authority where needed.
• Ensure compliance with the Social Care Wales, or equivalent body, requirements necessary to retain job title and registration
• Attend social, educational and leisure activities relating to the support of children, young people and Foster Carers
• In consultation with line manager, ensure that learning and development needs meet the requirements of professional development
• Participate in the Out of Hours duty system

Business/Commercial

• Attend meetings and/or provide reports for Commissioning Teams to address individual packages of care
• Contribute towards the growth and development of the business by implementing key area identified through supervision
• Demonstrate a sound knowledge of the different placement packages and identify recharges where appropriate

Administration

• Take responsibility for administration in relation to the social work task to include file administration, typing of all communication, reports and case recordings and comply with database compliance policies and procedures
• Ensure compliance with security and confidentiality procedures

Additional Duties

• The post holder will be expected to demonstrate that FCV's Values are at the centre of all they do
• The post holder will be expected to undertake training and development deemed necessary for the pursuance of the post
• The post holder will be expected to ensure to comply with Equal Opportunities Policy and Procedure in all employment practices
• The post holder will be expected to comply with the no smoking policy in place and ensure that Health & Safety is observed in the course of employment
• Ensuring compliance with safeguarding procedures, throughout all work within the Company, keeping the Registered Manager informed of work in progress and inform a Senior Manager immediately of any child protection matter or serious complaint
• Provide practice learning opportunities including supervision and support of students in consultation with the management team
• Adhere to the principles of the Data Protection Act

It is the nature of work of Foster Care Values that tasks and responsibilities are, in many circumstances, unpredictable and varied. All staff are, therefore, expected to work in a flexible way when the occasion arises where tasks are not specifically covered in the Job Description and have to be undertaken.