Senior Social Worker - Child Protection

Senior Social Worker – Safeguarding Team – Kingston

Location: Achieving for Children – Kingston upon Thames
Pay/Salary: Up to £39.04 per hour (Umbrella)
Office Working: Hybrid – 3 days per week in the Kingston office
Contract: Locum | 36 hours per week

We are currently working with Achieving for Children to recruit Senior Social Workers for their Kingston Safeguarding Team. This is a long-term locum opportunity within a service supporting children and families across Child in Need, Child Protection and Court proceedings.

As a Senior Social Worker, you'll manage a more complex caseload with greater autonomy around decision-making and case progression. The team retains responsibility for cases through Public Law Outline and Care Proceedings until the final order is granted and a permanency plan has been agreed.

Achieving for Children works within the Signs of Safety practice model, with a strong focus on working collaboratively with families and their wider networks to create sustainable change and keep children safely at home wherever possible.

Duties

• Managing a complex caseload across Child in Need and Child Protection.
• Managing cases through PLO and Care Proceedings until final order.
• Undertaking Child Protection investigations and assessments.
• Completing high-quality assessments, threshold decisions and care planning.
• Undertaking home visits and direct work with children, young people and parents.
• Preparing reports and evidence for Court proceedings.
• Chairing meetings and ensuring plans progress within statutory timescales.
• Assessing and managing complex safeguarding risks.
• Working closely with families and their wider support networks using Signs of Safety.
• Supervising and supporting Student Social Workers and/or ASYEs.
• Leading peer supervision and contributing to learning and development across the team.
• Deputising for the Team Leader within the sub-team when required.
• Working collaboratively with specialist professionals to prevent escalation and achieve sustainable outcomes.

The service provides quick access to Family Support Workers, Social Work Assistants, Family Coaches, Domestic Abuse specialists, Adult Mental Health specialists, Drug and Alcohol specialists and a Systemic Family Psychotherapist. Senior Social Workers also receive reflective supervision every four weeks.

What you need

• Social Work Qualification.
• Social Work England registration.
• Enhanced DBS (provided by us).
• Significant post-qualifying experience within Children's Social Care.
• Strong experience across CIN, CP and Court Work.
• Experience undertaking Child Protection investigations and complex assessments.
• Strong knowledge of the Children Act and relevant statutory guidance.
• Experience managing complex risk and progressing cases within statutory timescales.
• Confidence completing direct work with children and families.
• Experience supporting, mentoring or supervising other practitioners.
• Strong assessment, analytical and Court report-writing skills.
• Ability to attend the Kingston office 3 days per week and live within a reasonable distance to respond to cases when working remotely.

Why use us?

At Sheldon Phillips, you are not just a number on a board, you are someone we get to know, creating a personal job search that is as individual as you are. Our expert team are trained to ensure that your needs are met, our compliance procedures are quick and efficient, while making sure you find the job you really want.

If you are interested in this Senior Social Worker role in a Safeguarding Team within Kingston, give Rhys Rafferty a call on 07595 063297 or email rrafferty@sheldon-phillips.com.

Referral Bonus: Know someone who would be a great fit? Refer them to Sheldon Phillips and, if we successfully place them into a locum role, you'll receive a £300 referral bonus as a thank you. Terms and conditions apply.