Social Worker / Senior Social Worker

Directorate:Children and Families Service

Section:Corporate Parenting 0-13 and Corporate Parenting 14-17

Hours: 37 hours per week, worked over five days duringnormal office hours, with flexibility in line with service needs

This advert is open to both internal and externalapplicants.

About us

We are a city ofstrengths, with a proud heritage and bright future. Working for Stoke-on-TrentCity Council is more than just a job; it is about making, protecting andimproving services for local people, reducing inequalities and improvingindependence for those who live and work in the city. That is where you comein. We are looking for people of the highest calibre, with the skills,knowledge and experience to help us deliver our compelling vision.

Stoke-on-TrentCity Council’s diverse and talented workforce is its greatest asset. Theskills, knowledge and experience of our employees are essential to deliveringour ambitions for the organisation and the city. We want to be an employerpeople are proud to work for, where staff are supported, developed and rewardedin an inclusive way that helps them excel and deliver the high-quality servicesour residents need.

We are growing anddeveloping our Children and Families workforce as part of an ambitiousprogramme of service transformation. We are looking for talented, committed andvalues-led professionals to join us.

The Role

We are recruitingSocial Workers and Senior Social Workers to join our Corporate Parenting 0-13and Corporate Parenting 14-17 teams. You will work with children and youngpeople in care, building consistent relationships and ensuring assessments,care plans and purposeful interventions support their safety, stability,permanence and life chances. Senior Social Workers will also provide practiceleadership, support colleagues and undertake additional mentoring, chairing anddeputising responsibilities.

AboutYou

• A recognised social workqualification and current registration with Social Work England, with acommitment to meeting ongoing registration and professional practice standards.
• Thorough knowledge ofchildren’s social care legislation and safeguarding guidance, child developmentand disability, statutory duties, assessment, intervention and care-planningmethods.
• Experience of direct work withchildren, young people and families, completing complex assessments and careplans, and working within corporate parenting, children in care and courtprocesses.
• A child-focused, relational andevidence-informed approach, with the professional judgement and resilience toanalyse risk, protective factors and unmet need and deliver purposefulinterventions.
• Strong relationship-building,written and verbal communication skills, including multi-agency working,high-quality reports and the confidence to present professional evidence incourt and statutory settings.
• For Senior Social Worker level,significant post-qualifying experience, expertise in complex casework and theability to mentor and develop others, chair meetings and provide cover for thePrincipal Manager are essential.

KeyResponsibilities

• Manage complex caseloads ofchildren and young people in care, completing timely assessments anddeveloping, implementing, monitoring and reviewing outcome-focused care plans.
• Deliver focused and purposefuldirect work that promotes children’s welfare and supports safety, stability,positive relationships, permanence and improved life chances.
• Ensure children and youngpeople, parents, carers and wider networks are fully involved in assessment andplanning, with their views reflected in clear records, decisions and sharedplans.
• Provide professional expertiseat multi-agency and statutory meetings, maintain accurate case and performanceinformation, and represent the local authority in court when required.
• Share learning, support socialwork students and allocate appropriate tasks to Social Work Assistants, whilecontributing to duty arrangements, supervision, service review and continuousprofessional development.
• At Senior Social Worker level,undertake the most complex casework, mentor Newly Qualified Social Workers andstudents, chair statutory meetings, support reflective supervision and deputisefor the Principal Manager when required.

Why JoinUs?

• Make a direct difference to thesafety, stability, permanence, well-being and long-term life chances ofchildren and young people in care.
• Develop within our CorporateParenting 0-13 and 14-17 services, where relational practice, reflectivesupervision, shared learning and progression are valued.
• Work alongside committedcolleagues and multi-agency partners, with opportunities to build expertise,support others and influence service improvement.

What weoffer

• A competitive salary based onyour skills, experience and talent.
• Hybrid and flexible workingoptions, where these are compatible with the needs of the role and service.
• Access to the Local GovernmentPension Scheme.
• Professional developmentthrough learning opportunities, regular training and apprenticeship andmanagement programmes.

Any offer ofemployment will be subject to the successful completion of requiredpre-employment checks. These may include:

• Right to Work in the UK.
• Proof of address.
• Satisfactory references.
• Occupational Health clearance.
• Evidence of relevantprofessional qualifications or registrations.
• A DBS check at the appropriatelevel.

Safeguarding

We are committedto safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people andvulnerable adults, and we expect all employees and volunteers to share thiscommitment. This position is exempt under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act1974 and the successful applicant will be subject to a criminal record checkfrom the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Additionalinformation

If an employee whois currently at risk of redundancy within the organisation applies for thisvacancy, their application will receive priority. If this happens, you will beadvised accordingly.

Your careermatters here. At Stoke-on-Trent City Council, we are committed to helping ourpeople thrive. From competitive pay and a supportive working environment toopportunities for development and career progression, we invest in ourworkforce because we know it is our greatest asset. We are building aninclusive organisation that reflects the communities we serve, where everyoneis welcomed, valued and encouraged to make a difference.

Equality,Diversity and Inclusion

At Stoke-on-TrentCity Council, we believe our strength comes from the diversity of ourcommunity, and we want our workforce to reflect that. We welcome applicationsfrom people of all backgrounds and experiences. We understand that some people,especially those from underrepresented or marginalised backgrounds, mayhesitate to apply if they do not meet every listed requirement. If this roleinterests you and you think you could be a good fit, we encourage you to apply.We are proud of what makes each of us unique and are committed to creating aworkplace where everyone feels included, can be themselves and can succeedtogether.

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