The posting
Job Purpose
To provide a comprehensive social work service for children with disabilities and their families. The post will be expected to work in a variety of settings within a framework of relevant legislation and procedures, supporting children, young people, families and groups within the community. The Child to Adult Team is a specialist team that will require a post holder to work across both adults and children's social work practice and legislative requirements, ensuring the child/young person receives continuity of support from the same practitioner throughout their involvement. Social Workers will take responsibility for a caseload according to qualifications and experience and be expected to deliver social work support to the highest standards.
Principal Accountabilities
To form, develop and maintain professional relationships with children and young people with disabilities and their families through direct casework, supervision, shared activity and counselling, in such a way that the child/young person's family's needs are met.
To provide a service, which meets primary needs, promotes development, and assists behavioural difficulties and vulnerabilities.
To identify and assess risk of abuse, failure to protect, or harm to children.
To advise senior managers as to any concerns in respect of children/young people with particular reference to there being at risk of abuse or harm.
To identify, contribute to and suggest ideas for good practice and its development, and to take a lead in a special area of responsibility.
To value, recognise and respect the diversity, expertise and experience of individuals, families and carers and enable them to make informed decisions and express their needs.
To challenge discrimination, disadvantage and other forms of inequality, injustice and oppressive practice.
To maximise the financial and material resources available to service users and carer(s) from all possible sources and ensure value for money care packages.
Ensure that service users and carers are aware of the Department's Complaints procedures.
To case manage child protection work.
To understand the changing culture, health and social needs of the locality to inform current and future practice and service provision.
To establish good practice by example.
To provide verbal and written information to aid care planning activities and to provide evidence for assessment of need and care plan approaches.
To implement designated actions from care plans.
To gather and interpret information on agreed criteria related to the care of a client or implementation of procedures.
To lead meetings to define care planning activities and to evaluate evidence for assessment of need and care plan approaches To set up mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating delegated actions from care plans.
To derive and interpret information related to the care of a service user or implementation of procedures.
To communicate effectively and in the best interests of the client in case conferences, planning meetings, discussions with clients/families, inter-agency personnel, team members and in staff supervision.
If required, to give evidence in court in relation to care.
To work within established protocols, negotiate expectations/roles in liaison with others, e.g. in the key worker role / in multi-agency working.
To represent the Team as required on behalf of a service user - this includes representing individuals and the dept/team in meetings/conference.
To attend child protection meetings.
To appropriately challenge the judgements and decisions of others where there is evidence that the needs of those you are working with are not being met.
Administration & Record-keeping.
To produce clear, precise and understandable records, reports and other documentation within the framework of record-keeping laid down by the Department and Team Management including the preparation and provision of specialist reports as required.
To ensure that legislation and procedures are adhered to.
To monitor and check standards.
Service Improvement ideas & Implementation of Changes
To contribute ideas on improvements to system and service delivery based on a monitored approach.
To update self on professional developments, and continually improve own skills and manage own professional development.
To adhere to all policies and procedures of the Team, the Department and the Local Authority, with particular regard to Health & Safety, Lone Working Policy, Equal Opportunities and Anti-Discriminatory Practice.
To identify, contribute to and suggest ideas for good practice and their development. To implement agreed principles of good practice.
Person Specification
Professional Qualification
Social Work Degree Qualification Essential
Knowledge and Experience
The post holder needs to be knowledgeable and understand the following
* Children Act 1989 and 2004
* Social Services and Well Being Act (2014) Wales
* Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000
* Mental Health Act
* Children and Adoption Act 2005 * Health and Safety Legislation
* Mental Capacity Act * Human Rights Act
* All Wales Child Protection Procedures
* Domestic Violence Legislation
* Child-care Procedures.
*Adult Care Social Care Legislation and Procedures. Essential
Experience of liaising with external agencies. Ability to work under general guidance and direction to ensure outcomes are met.
A high standard of communication skills - verbal and written.
Ability to work as part of a team. Essential
Experience of liaising with external agencies Essential
Ability to work under general guidance and direction to ensure outcomes are met.
