AP - Community (£38.38ph)

Location:  Wirral CH412YA

Contract: Ongoing  

Rate: £38.38

Start: ASAP  

About the Role: 

Working within the Standards of conduct, performance and ethics as described by Social Work England, ensuring compliance with legal, organisational and multi-agency requirements. Take a lead role in ensuring that all operational social work practice involving safeguarding, adult protection and high level risk is of the highest possible standard and in accordance with relevant legislation and agreed policy, procedures and guidance. 

Main duties and responsibilities:

• Manage a case load where circumstances and needs have indicated high levels of risk and complexity, multiple incidents of safeguarding, critical decision making in relation to investigation and protection arrangements and recourse to legal applications (court of protection).
• Work alongside practitioners on cases where there are particularly high levels of complexity or risk.
• Ensure that individuals and carers are involved in timely assessment support planning and review processes, and that care and support plans are person centred and focussed on individual outcomes.
• Ensure that effective risk management, decision making and preventative work is undertaken to promote independence of individuals and carers whilst taking into account the need to safeguard people effectively.
• Work closely with the Safeguarding Officers to develop best professional practice, policy and procedural developments and implement an induction programme for all new staff in relation to safeguarding.
• Chair Adult protection operational meetings where there are particularly high levels of complexity or risk.
• Ensure that complex cases that involve partners and their respective legal, statutory and regulatory functions are referred to the Safeguarding Unit for wider consideration.
• Support interventions that may require complex court work (court of protection).
• Take a constructive approach towards innovation and changes in methods of working which best improve the outcomes for individuals.
• Contribute to the development of safeguarding interventions related to the personalisation of social care and the implementation of these arrangements.
• Lead on specific projects including service developments as required.
• Authorise and quality assure reports, assessments & court documentation to ensure appropriate evaluation of risk & present evidence based statements to Court.
• Establish peer review learning initiatives in operational services and promote best practice and high standards of practice.
• Respond to Councillors queries and attend Committee meetings when necessary.
• Contribute to the development of plans and the service on an operational and strategic basis.
• Authorise the commitment of resources within defined levels of delegation where required. 

Role Specific Knowledge and Skills:

• Social Work qualification e.g. Degree in Social Work; DipSW.
• Be registered with Social Work England and able to evidence this.
• Evidence of continuing professional development in line with PCF.
• Relevant post-qualifying/vocational training courses.
• Requirement to undertake the practice educator award.

Knowledge & Skills:

• Up to date in depth knowledge of all legislation relevant to the Service Area including legislation relating to safeguarding, mental capacity and associated issues.
• Substantial post-qualification experience of working with children and/or adults in a statutory health or social care setting.
• Able to demonstrate practice which supports the core principles of Social Work England.
• Understanding of confidentiality and data protection requirements.
• Able to communicate verbally and in writing with a range of people including families and professionals.
• Awareness of current practice issues and challenges facing Social Workers.
• Willingness to move across teams according to the needs of the service.
• Sound assessment and interviewing skills.
• Able to work effectively in partnership.
• Able to plan, prioritise and organise own workload and time.
• Commitment to anti-discriminatory practice.
• Understanding of equal opportunities in relation to people who use services.

Experience:

• Working in a professional capacity in a multi-agency team.
• Working with vulnerable individuals, carers and families in a Local Authority setting and ability to do so irrespective of their circumstances and background.
• Supervising, supporting and mentoring others including delivering training.
• Chairing meetings.
• Arranging support plans and/or packages of care.
• Joint working
• Undertaking safeguarding investigations, assessing and managing risk and planning appropriate interventions.
• Involving people who use services and carers in consultation and partnership.