Social Worker NEW

Job Title: Social Worker

Job Purpose:

To assist people to lead fulfilled and meaningful lives.

To work within current legislation and Council policy, procedures and practice to assess, commission and review services, including planned interventions, for a specific client group.

To work within the statutory guidance and policy/procedural framework to assist in protecting those who are at risk or vulnerable.

To contribute to the development and maintenance of workable systems to ensure quality of service across the city and the identification of people particularly at risk.

To work positively with colleagues in the statutory and independent sector to ensure an appropriate multi-agency approach.

Duties and Responsibilities

Job Specific Requirements

1. To review and update knowledge of legal, policy and procedural frameworks and demonstrate professional competence in social work practice as laid down in the Code of Practice for Social Workers
2. To work with individuals, families and/or advocates enabling them to clarify their needs.
3. To assist users to enhance their independence.
4. To assess needs, risks and options, taking into account legal and other requirements, including the protection of vulnerable adults.
5. To assess, identify, plan, implement and review the circumstances of individuals and their families and the need for procedural and legal intervention to meet their immediate needs.To work with providers to build relationships to enhance the quality of care provided.
6. To prepare for and participate in decision-making forums.
7. To manage and prioritise the workload, carry out duties using accountable professional judgement.
8. To monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of work, using professional and managerial supervision and support to improve practice.
9. To contribute to the identification and agreement of outcomes required of the service.
10. To work with colleagues to agree a team approach to individual cases.
11. To participate in duty rotas as appropriate.
12. To record unmet or inappropriately met needs in line with Council policy and procedure.
13. To participate in supervision, appraisal and team meetings, identifying issues and possible solutions where discussion and decision required.
14. To work within the budget framework of the service to identify specific packages of care to respond to individual assessments.
15. To record and share client data in line with Council policy and procedure.
16. To use corporate systems to support core business and care management process.
17. To offer specific advice to social workers and other care professionals in areas of specialist knowledge.
18. To provide casework supervision to team members below Grade 8.
19. To work independently of direct support e.g. attendance at court without the presence of a team manager.
20. To assist in practice development and special projects within the team.
21. To undertake complex and high-risk cases or arrange complex or high value packages of care.
22. To provide consistent guidance to other team members.
23. To complete joint work with less experienced staff or other colleagues in highly complex cases involving the liberty or safety of service users.
24. To provide supervision to students and support other staff with students on placement to ensure good quality placements and development of the workforce.
25. To organise and plan duty rotas as required.
26. To support the Team Manager in the identification of trends on unmet or inappropriately met needs.
27. To contribute to team meetings, service development days and training as appropriate.
28. To work with the Team Manager to ensure team and staff training needs are reviewed annually and contribute to the development of the Service Training Plan.
29. To assist in identifying precise service needs to contribute to the annual service planning and commissioning process.
30. To deputise for the Team Manager in respect of specific duties.
31. To be passionate about developing opportunities to improve the lives of people living with dementia.

1. To participate actively in supporting the principles and practice of equality of opportunity as stated in the Councils Equal Opportunities Policy.
2. To take reasonable care for the health and safety of yourself and other persons who may be affected by your acts or omissions and to comply with all health and safety legislation as appropriate.
3. To, as a statutory duty, adhere to the Councils Corporate Safeguarding Policy and associated policies and procedures and to report concerns regarding the safety and wellbeing of adults at risk. In order to support you in this, you are required to access safeguarding training at the level which is relevant to this post.
4. As a term of your employment you may be required to undertake such other duties and/or times of work as may reasonably be required of you, commensurate with your grade or general level of responsibility within the organisation.
5. Although you will be provided with a base, you will be required to work from various locations in accordance with the needs of the role.

Person Specification

Education & Training

A good general education

Degree in Social Work or Equivalent

Experience / Knowledge

Essential:

Experience of working with and assessment of Adults who require support services.

Desirable:

Experience of working with adults living with dementia.

Experience of managing a caseload of ranging complexity and problems and competing demands.

Able to offer advice and support to social care staff on a range of complex case management issues.

Experience of supervision of staff.

Skills and Abilities

Ability to give clear written and verbal accounts of casework issues.

Ability to write clear, concise records and reports.

Skills in assessment and analysis of risk.

Ability to communicate effectively and creatively with vulnerable adults in a non-judgemental manner.

Ability to work as part of a team.

Ability to effectively organise work within a framework where time and service delivery targets are set.

Advocacy Skills

An ability to work with staff and managers at all levels and in a variety of disciplines and with agencies.

Knowledge of relevant legislation, policies and procedures.

Desirable:

Experience of supporting social care staff to meet performance targets set.

Experience of supporting social care staff to achieve quality outcomes.

Personal Attributes

Commitment to the Councils Equal Opportunities Policy.

Commitment to principle of partnership.

Non-judgemental and caring attitude.

Understanding of the value and importance of supervision and ability to accept supervision.

Commitment to using information technology systems.