Senior Practitioner (Children’s Services) – EDN26980

Job title:

Senior Practitioner (Children’s Services) – EDN26980

Company

Job description

CF Children, Education and Justice Services

Senior Practitioner (Children’s Services)
Waverley Court

Salary: £42,717 – £50,550 (pro-rata for part time)
Hours: 36 per week

The Council recognises the need to establish a clearer, more comprehensive remit for the role of the Senior Practitioner within Children and Families and Health and Social Care and formalise its acknowledgement of the key, ongoing contribution of the role to the improvement of social work service delivery by experienced social workers who have reached the required stage of personal and professional development.

The primary purpose of the Senior Practitioner role is to undertake direct/indirect work with service users, carers, and adopters, particularly where the demands of complex problems require advanced social work practice skills.

The role also has a key part to play in raising standards of social work practice through the application and sharing of advanced knowledge, skills and experience within the wider service area and the Council as a whole.

Whilst the Senior Practitioner job description is generic and provides for the full range of major tasks and job activities at this advanced level of social work practice across all service areas, the actual mix of tasks and activities of any individual Senior Practitioner post will depend on the objectives and nature of the service area specialism.

This post is regulated work with children and/or protected adults under the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007. The preferred candidate will be required to join the PVG Scheme or undergo a PVG Scheme update check. Where an individual has spent a continuous period of 3 months or more out with the UK in the last 5 years, an Overseas Criminal Record Check will be required. You will be required to provide this check. An unconditional offer of employment and commencement in the post will be subject to the outcome of both these pre-employment checks being deemed satisfactory.

We’re committed to creating a workplace culture where all our people feel valued, included and able to be their best at work, and we recognise the benefits that a diverse workforce with different values, beliefs, experience, and backgrounds brings to us as an organisation.

As part of our goal to improve our organisational culture and create a great place to work together for the people of Edinburgh, we want to make sure that we’re bringing the best people into our roles, not just in their skills and experience but also in their approach to work.

To help achieve this, we’re changing the way we interview and assess candidates by moving from a competency-based interview approach to a behavioural and technical (skills for the job) based approach. This new way of interviewing will allow us to assess how you think and how you would bring Our Behaviours of Respect, Integrity and Flexibility into your ways of working.

Our salary range typically reflects the initial starting salary and annually increases until it reaches the top of the range.

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Requirements

Use appropriate investigative analysis tools to ensure client needs are comprehensively identified and assessed.

Provide the lead on the most demanding and challenging cases, with particularly complex problems, including life threatening illnesses or where personal liberty and/or safety is at stake.

Compile comprehensive, concise, and relevant written reports based on analysis of complex evidence will support key recommendations and decisions in the management of individual cases. Balance observations and conclusions reached with a flexibility of approach where new evidence and the need to review assessment outcomes become apparent.

Draw on advanced social work practice skills and significant experience of managing complex cases to achieve an appropriate balance between the rights and responsibilities of individuals and relevant parties/agencies with the associated risk to them or the wider public.

In the provision of expert guidance and support to social workers, Council staff and other agency colleagues undertaking risk assessments, ensure conveyed in a clear and understandable format which meets the needs of specific audiences.

Create and implement tailored care plans to address the problems and needs of service users, both short-term and long-term, by various means, e.g. negotiating assistance from schools, or health providers, referring children/vulnerable adults and families for group work sessions etc.

Working within a multi-agency context, plan and deliver a range of integrated, flexible, and imaginative solutions for children/vulnerable adults within the hearing/care systems.

Take a lead within the team in developing training plans and commission or deliver training or other learning opportunities in conjunction with Team Leader/Team Manager.

Provide less experienced staff with structured support and encouragement to facilitate the development of their skills and abilities.

Function as a team resource by using advanced skills and experience to mentor staff, share specialist knowledge, support less experience colleagues in decision making and share responsibility for maintaining morale and upholding good professional standards.

Plan and prioritise workload effectively within a framework of against a background of changing legislative framework and Council policy.

Responsibilities

Ongoing contact with children/vulnerable adults, parents and carers and adopters whose cases are the post holder’s responsibility. This contact will be with individuals who are frequently difficult to engage with, vulnerable and/or seriously ill.

The post holder will regularly play a key role in child/vulnerable adult protection cases, dealing with police, courts, health etc. Regular professional contact with staff from other organisations e.g. negotiating packages of care.

Having responsibility for supporting staff with their cases requires ongoing contact with social workers and social work assistants/community care assistants, giving them guidance on cases, joint working including accompanying them on visits and to meetings where appropriate, and developing their skills and abilities.

The post holder also has a role in reviewing changing policy locally and nationally and developing training for staff, either delivering it personally or commissioning it from elsewhere.

The Individual

The following knowledge, skills, abilities, and recognised / required qualifications are necessary for the competent performance of all the duties and responsibilities of the job:

Degree in Social Work or equivalent is essential together with registration with the Scottish Social Services Council as a condition of continued employment.

Possession of a post social work registration qualification relevant to the specialist service area, e.g. Child Protection Certificate; Practice Learning qualification; Mental Health Officer Award; Certificate in Adult Protection, or other equivalent qualification, is essential.

Experience of taking full responsibility for the most complex cases and working within a multi-agency environment. Significant previous experience within senior practitioner specialism.

Ability to apply social work theory and research to the achievement of solutions to complex problems and client difficulties.

Extensive up to date working knowledge and understanding of social work legislation, principles and values is essential. Experience of managing and prioritising own work.

Experience of coaching, mentoring, or counselling others and the ability to develop others’ practice. Computer literacy and the ability to use in house data recording and reporting systems.

Ability to communicate coherently and concisely with a wide range of clients and professional staff; produce detailed written reports which address issues and clearly set out/justify recommendations.

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Expected salary

£42717 – 50550 per year

Location

Edinburgh

Job date

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 06:48:22 GMT

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