Qualified social worker needed for a Leaving Care team in South West London.

Duties:

1. To manage an agreed caseload of young people in compliance with casework objectives, statutory and departmental policy and procedural requirements, consistently maintaining the highest level of professional standards, including undertaking statutory case holding responsibilities for children who are looked after.
2. To safeguard and promote the welfare of young people, giving due consideration to their race, culture, religion and linguistic background.
3. Where the child is looked after, to ensure the review and supervision of care arrangements in accordance with statutory regulation and to produce written reports and other documentation for this purpose.
4. To ensure that procedures for children with safeguarding plans and procedures for young people looked after are consistently applied.
5. To use relevant Assessment Frameworks and tools in collaboration with the individual to robustly assess their needs and to develop corresponding Pathway Plans setting out clear goals and who is going to provide assistance.
6. To undertake direct social work responsibilities as an allocated worker to the children and young people assigned, implementing plans and providing assistance and support to help them achieve their aims, using appropriate interventions and casework methods.
7. To review Plans at no less than six monthly intervals, in collaboration with the individual.
8. To proactively work as a broker for young people, securing the collaboration of other agencies and individuals.
9. Ensure the mental, physical and sexual health needs and young people are assessed and met and to assist them in accessing health services as well as local leisure facilities, social networks and other community facilities and links.
10. Identify accommodation needs and assist young people in securing appropriate accommodation options.
11. Ensure the educational, training and employment needs of young people are assessed and met.
12. Identify needs and assist young people to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to live independently, including to manage their money.
13. Ensuring that young people who are seeking asylum, or who have an unresolved immigration status, have good quality legal representation to help them with their applications and to maintain contact with the immigration authorities.
14. Helping young people with the resettlement process and transition to benefits after they are granted leave to remain in the UK.
15. To make effective use, as agreed by the Team Manager, of financial support provided under departmental budgets.
16. To work as a member of the team and act as duty social worker as required by the Head of Leaving Care and Team Leader Leaving Care.

Recording and reporting

7. To maintain accurate and up to date case records which comply with departmental policy and procedures, ensuring service users are aware of their right to access information.
8. To ensure that young people's views are fully recorded during assessment processes and in the drawing up and review of Pathway Plans.
9. Collect and collate data as required to support reporting on performance measures and improve outcomes.

Communications

1. To establish and maintain good communication across social care, housing services in Kingston and Richmond, the Home Office, local Jobcentres, and relevant health and educational providers, and with other agencies/departments, to facilitate the effective planning for and provision of support to young people.
2. Promote mechanisms to seek out, listen to and respond to the views and ideas of managers, employees, partners and other stakeholders (particularly children, young people and their families) in order to ensure services are relevant, responsive and truly focused on meeting identified needs.
3. Engage in and promote effective networking at local, regional and national levels to ensure that services are responsive to national developments and leading practice; seek out opportunities to promote the work and services of Achieving for Children in order to develop and grow the business.
4. To attend and contribute to team meetings and to attend meetings and forums associated with the service as required, and to contribute to the development or team practice, procedures, policy and services.
5. To ensure that customers are given the necessary advice and support to make use of the comments and complaints procedures.

General

5. To demonstrate a commitment to own personal and professional development.
6. To participate in arrangements for supervision, appraisal and training in accordance with departmental policy and procedure.
7. To ensure that the highest quality services are provided to Achieving for Children clients, responsive to the expressed needs and aspirations of Council residents/users regardless of backgrounds, lifestyles and abilities.
8. To champion diversity and equality in all aspects of service delivery and people management.
9. To commit to the wellbeing of staff and actively promote Achieving for Children Health and Safety policies
10. To undertake any other duties commensurate with the grade of the post, as may be required from time to time, including attending meetings outside of normal working hours.