Job Overview

As an important part of the Fostering team, a social worker would provide comprehensive social work assessments and support for children and young people in foster care as well as their family and carers.

The Fostering social worker will deliver day-to-day operations of social work services and access/facilitate resources to manage risk and meet the identified needs whilst working alongside other departments in the service to support those in need of safeguarding and/or intervention.

For an informal discussion please contact Sarah Wakeham at s.wakeham@health.gov.je

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.

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 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. 

Personal 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 e.g Social Work England and locally, must also register under the Health Care (Registration) (Jersey) Law 1995.