Social Worker

**Salary**: £37,024 - £49,339 (£30,019 - £40,004 pro-rata) (market supplements included)
**Working Pattern**: Part-time, 30 hours per week
**Location**: Bognor Regis

As a Social Worker with the Children With Disabilities team you will offer a specialist social work service for disabled children and young people with complex needs. You will work with them, their families and other agencies to understand and meet theirassessed needs; supporting them to achieve their potential. Your role will include assessment, planning and interventions with children in need, looked after children and children in need of protection.

You will have a Social Work qualification and an understanding of the impact of disability on children's lives. We're looking for somebody who is passionate about making a difference and able to use creative and personalised strengths-based approaches toachieve positive outcomes for children. You will be able to work in partnership with disabled children and their families as well as colleagues in Children's and Adult's Services, Education, Health and the Voluntary & Community sector.

**Experience and Skills**

**Key Skills**:

- Able to analyse and interpret complex information and data, prioritise needs and formulate plans for intervention and service provision.
- Able to work proactively as a member of the team to make accurate assessments of needs and negotiate and implement effective outcomes.
- Able to work in partnership with carers, colleagues and external agencies to deliver an effective service.
- Able to communicate clearly and effectively in both written and oral format, including the ability to explain complicated information to a wide range of people and use negotiation and persuasion skills to encourage others to adopt a course of action theymay not wish to take.
- Able to recognise limits of own accountability and responsibility and seek appropriate support, advice and supervision.

**Qualifications and/or experience**:

- A recognised Social Work qualification e.g. Degree in Social Work, Post Graduate Certificate in Social Work, DipSW, CQSW or equivalent as recognised by the relevant professional body.
- Completion of relevant post qualifying training.
- Evidence of at least one year's experience post qualification.
- Registration with the relevant professional registration body and maintaining registration with that body.
- Knowledge of theoretical Social Work concepts and practices, with demonstrable examples of dealing with a breadth of complex issues and situations, for example, attachment, impact of developmental trauma and child development, motivational interviewing,relational practice, solution-focussed interventions and systemic working. A good understanding of anti-oppressive, anti-discriminatory and anti-racist practice in social work.
- Experience of effective partnership working and forming effective working relationships with individuals and colleagues, focusing on the needs and handling conflict and disagreement.
- Experience of effectively coaching and supervising others, acting as practice role model and promoting exemplary practice.
- Experience of managing levels of risk within a caseload of complex cases.
- Readiness to work towards Practice Educator Professional Standards (PEPS) qualification at Stage one or equivalent.
- Valid, full driving licence.

**Rewards and Benefits**

We offer small practice teams of Social Workers and Child & Family Workers, as well as additional flexible administrative support from Coordinators embedded within the service.

We provide regular group supervision and peer learning alongside specialist roles within the team to focus on the most vulnerable children. As a Social Worker, you'll have a minimum of 5 CPD and training days per year with access to excellent learning anddevelopment provisions such as Research in Practice and Community Care Inform, Social Work England fees paid and annual leave up to 29 days.

As an employer we recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive and dynamic working environment where employees can achieve their full potential, achieve a healthy work-life balance and are rewardedfor the work they do. For a full list of the benefits offered to you as a West Sussex County Council employee, please visit our website.

**Further Information