Job Purpose

Provide a comprehensive social work assessment and protection service to children, young people, their families and carers, who are in need of care and protection. This will include Children in Need, Children Looked After, care leavers and those in need of safeguarding. To deliver the day to day operation of social work services, and accessing and facilitating resources to manage risk and meet identified needs.

Job Specific Outcomes

Plan, organise and be accountable for prompt referral, case co-ordination and implementation of care and protection plans on a day-to-day basis, working with children/young people and their families and carers in one or more social work specialist areas to deliver social services to a range of individuals. These include children/young people who are looked after, with complex needs, care leavers, those children/young people and families requiring post adoptive services, individuals affected by domestic violence, substance misuse, mental health and adverse childhood experiences. This can also include children/young people and families who live off island.

Holistically assess individual needs and develop and design care and intervention plans that treat each person as a unique individual, in order to protect, promote and monitor the safety and welfare of children/young people their families and carers. To promote the voice of the child and upholding and promoting their rights under the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child. This is in partnership with the child/young person, their families and carers in order to improve outcomes.

Deliver appropriate, open, accurate and straightforward communication to children/young people, their families and carers, clearly explaining service policies and the professional role and responsibilities of the social work team including any statutory intervention which may prove necessary, in order to establish and maintain the trust and confidence of children/young people, their families and carers.

Challenge and report dangerous, abusive, discriminatory or exploitative behaviour or practice, including potential criminal offences, in order to ensure the wellbeing of children/young people, their families and carers is safeguarded at all times. To work within a line management structure and take responsibility for escalation to line managers when this is required.

Statutory Responsibilities

The postholder will have to comply with all relevant Government Laws, such as the Children (Jersey) Law 2002 and Adoption Jersey Law 1961, Financial Directions, and other relevant Codes of Practice.

To be responsible for your own health and safety and that of your colleagues, in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work (Jersey) Law, 1989

To work in accordance with the Data Protection (Jersey) Law;

This role is politically restricted. The jobholder is not permitted to undertake political activity involving standing for election to the States or as a Parish Constable, or publicly supporting someone who is standing for election or playing a public part in any political manner.

Person specification

Describe the knowledge, skills, experience, and qualifications required to perform the job to a satisfactory standard.

It is important to convey what the job requires, rather than what an individual might have, as these may be different. For example, you may have a postgraduate level qualification, however, an A’ Level standard qualification is the requirement for the job.

Attributes

ESSENTIAL:

A professional qualification in Social Work (e.g. Degree, Diploma or equivalent in Social Work).

Registered with the appropriate UK professional governing body i.e. Social Work England and locally, must also register under the Health Care (Registration) (Jersey) Law 1995.

Knowledge

ESSENTIAL:

Specialist knowledge in social work underpinned by theory and relevant practical experience.

An understanding of children’s & adult Safeguarding issues. Good understanding of the management of risk and supporting vulnerable children/young people, families and carers in the community.

Understands how to assess and manage risk when making complex decisions that may be disputed in court.

Practical knowledge of assessing and arranging delivery of social care plans for caseload children/young people, their families and carers.

Understanding of therapeutic services, their arrangement and provision.

Practical understanding of legislation relating to their specialist area of social work, the general workings of civil courts and the conducting of police investigations into related criminal activity.

Understands how to maintain records according to confidentiality and data protection protocols. 

DESIRABLE:

Knowledge of the range of services provided both within CYPES, Health and Community Services, by other States Departments and by private and voluntary sector providers.

Knowledge of the range of services provided both within CYPES, Health and Community Services, by other States Departments and by private and voluntary sector providers

Technical Work Based Skills

ESSENTIAL:

Able to demonstrate a range of information technology skills i.e. an ability to effectively use IT equipment and role critical software.

Ability to attain Enhanced DBS clearance.

DESIRABLE:

Safeguarding certificated.

General skills / attributes

ESSENTIAL:

Ability to work autonomously, with the capacity for independent, responsible, professional decision making, often whilst under considerable pressure.

Organisational and administrative skills.

Ability to take on board complex facts or situations requiring analysis, interpretation and comparison of a range of options in order to arrive at a complex judgement and to convey this in formally written reports, which may be produced at the requests of the Courts for a range of purposes.

Able to communicate calmly and clearly using a variety of media on sensitive and complex issues, including legislation, often in emotive situations.

Able to facilitate the involvement of a range of stakeholders (public and private sector) to deal effectively with complex issues relating to vulnerable children/young people, their families and carers.

Able to follow policy and understand the implications and ramifications for areas outside of their own area of responsibility.

Highly resilient – good coping mechanisms for dealing with challenging, stressful and emotional situations involving vulnerable children/young people their families and carers.

Experience

ESSENTIAL:

Experience of providing a social care service for children/young people, their families, carers and adults, which may be placements undertaken as part of the social work training.

Developing and implementing care packages.

Co-ordinating support services and advising carers and families.

Negotiating services for vulnerable children, young people with complex needs, children looked after care leavers, those children/young people and families requiring post adoption services, individuals affected by domestic violence, substance misuse, mental health and adverse childhood experiences.

DESIRABLE:

Discharging statutory social care functions on behalf of an organisation