Social Work Assistant

3 months contract with a Southeast London based Local Authority.

Job Summary:

Fostering Service is seeking a fostering duty worker who has good communication skills and can respond to calls and emails from Foster Carer s as well as working alongside several Social Work Teams for an example Placements R&A FSS SGO Team LAC and Leaving Care.

A duty worker who can develop and maintain strong relationships with Foster Carer s Social Work Teams and Partner Agencies such as Health and Education. A duty worker who is professional sensitive and able to provide a helpful response to foster carers on the phone or via email whilst on Duty.

A duty worker who can provide information and advice to foster carers about relevant Resources and to refer them on as necessary in consultation with SSW s and Fostering Team Manager s.

A duty worker who is able to maintain accurate and relevant computerised records and undertake administrative duties including placement searches demographic enquiries updating records correspondence and maintenance of office systems.

A duty worker who will work very closely with the Placements Team with the view of identifying suitable placements for children who are looked after.

Key Duties/Accountabilities:

To carry a caseload of children and families work under the direction and supervision of the line manager.

To participate in the duty rota and undertaking the duty tasks.

To carry out some aspects of child in need assessments.

To provide information and advice to families/carers about relevant resources and to refer them on as necessary.

To identify the need for involvement from other services and agencies and carrying out timely referrals to these services/agencies.

To provide benefits and financial assessments checks for service users.

To have regular liaisons with voluntary and statutory agencies in relation to the specific family s needs.

To maintain accurate and relevant case recording including the use of IT and to deal with correspondence in accordance with departmental procedures. Maintain updated chronologies and periodic summaries on the child s ICS file.

To undertake regular home visits to children families and carers as part of a case work plan.

To implement case work plans as directed by the line manager. These cases may include Looked After Children Children in Need Children subject to Supervision order or Family assistance Orders.

To advise the line manager of developments and changes in the cases within supervision and according to need.

To be responsible for the preparation of appropriate reports for Looked After reviews relevant meetings and Court as required.

To participate with social workers with specific tasks in relation to their case work e.g. supervising contact escorting children practical parenting skills work joint visits to support the social worker.

To make presentation to relevant panels to access resources for the service users.

To present care plans for Looked After Children reviews and ensuring the identified needs in the care plan are met.

As part of the Looked After Child process visits to be carried out to the child in accordance with statutory timescales.

To ensure Looked After children on the caseload have updated Personal Education plans and Health Assessments.

Provide information when needed to Legal Planning meetings.

Arrange regular Child in Need meetings with families and relevant agencies to review and update the child/ren care plans. Ensure joint working with other agencies to achieve the targets identified for the child/ren.

To undertake and regularly update Core Assessment for the children on caseload.

To attend regular team meetings and other meetings/ Court as required.

To contribute with the whole team in ensuring that people from ethnic and other minorities are not discriminated against in the access to services and receive services that are appropriate to their needs.

To take responsibility for one s own and colleagues welfare by ensuring the team members are not knowingly exposed to risk or violence.

To attend training as required and to make use of the knowledge gained.

To attend contribute and participate fully in supervision in accordance with the department s supervision policy.

To ensure familiarity with all procedures affecting children and families work and particularly London Child Protection procedures.

Essential Experience Required:

This is a nonqualified social work role however were looking for a candidate who has some knowledge of the role of children s care the journey of the child and care planning.

The successful candidate would need to be organised hardworking and able to work in a fast past environment.

Excellent communication skills both verbally and in writing are essential and the successful candidate would have held a role previously interacting with other Teams children and families or foster carers.

Additional information to note:

This is an officebased role based at the Lewisham Fostering Hub in Catford SE6.

This position is subject to a DBS check.

The closing date for this position is Wednesday 12/06/2024.