Role of a Safeguarding Social Worker | Closed

You will be part of a team of social workers committed to improving outcomes for looked after children at Shining Stars Fostering Agency. You will play a crucial role in the safeguarding of children by delivering interventions and direct work with children and foster families, undertaking risk assessments, attending strategy meetings, stability and disruption meetings. Safeguarding children and young people is a key priority for the agency and you will be expected to work closely with placing local authorities to make sure we are providing the best support possible. Effective record-keeping and report-writing skills are essential to the role. Alongside being organised and committed to teamwork.

Summary of job description:

The Applicant’s main duties will be:

• Devise Risk Assessments for each looked after child in Shining Stars fostering agency.
• Read new referral reports on foster children being placed with Shining Stars and assess risk factors that need to be incorporated on their Risk Assessment.
• Identify historic or potential concerns, trigger points or patterns relating to potential incidences of e.g. self-harm, behaviour issues or missing episodes.
• Discuss presenting or potential risks with supervising social workers and with the foster carers during the period of devising a Risk Assessment.
• Add information and assess any new concerns from the SSW or foster carer that has arisen within the new placement when devising the initial Risk assessment.
• Develop an excel database incorporating all existing and new Shining Stars looked after children and maintain up to date records.
• Assess individual risk factors, situations / circumstances and identify potential risks.
• Share, inform and discuss potential risks or concerns with the SSW and child social worker.
• Regularly monitor and review each foster child’s changing circumstances / situation and update their Risk assessment as necessary.
• Devise a Missing Child Risk Assessment for foster children missing from foster placement. Maintain and update as required.
• Devise Behaviour Risk Assessments for foster children with presenting difficulties and strategies discussed to be followed. Maintain and update as required.
• Discuss issues of new or changing concerns with the supervising social worker, foster carer and child social worker or request a meeting as necessary to share concerns.
• Attend Professional meetings or Missing / Strategy meetings to share information, concerns and contribute towards the future plans to Safeguard the foster child.
• Continually assess new levels of risk, patterns of behaviour, missing episodes and update information accordingly.

You will be / have:

• Candidates will hold a social work qualification; DIPSW or equivalent.
• Candidates will require a DBS and full driving licence.
• Current Social Work England registration
• It will be beneficial to have had experience of statutory work with children and families within a safeguarding role, or transferable skills from another area of social care, e.g. the voluntary sector.
• Effective report writing skills. As noted there will be an expectation to complete detailed risk assessments.
• The right candidates will be energetic and open to learning and development;
• have good inter-personal skills which they can employ with children and other professionals.
• Candidates will be able to contribute to a healthy work environment through developing themselves and supporting others within an area of work which can be demanding but also very rewarding. You must be an excellent team player, committed and willing to contribute to the organisation’s development.