Child & Family Worker (G7)

Job Description

Job Title : Child & Family Worker (G7)
Job Category : Social Care – Unqualified
Location : West Sussex County Council
Hours Per Week : 37.50
Start Date : Immediate start
Start Time : 09:00
End Time : 17:30
Salary: £14.17

Location: Bridge House, Worthing covering central area of WSCC (Worthing/Horsham)
Hours per week: 37.5 – Monday to Friday, 9:00 – 5:30, with some degree of flexibility required
Salary: This is a graded role (G7)
Duration: 6 months

The successful candidate will need to have a UK driving license and their own car.

This is a standard Child and Family Worker role but is bespoke, in that the priority within this is to support a Social Worker in transporting and attending all home visits and meetings away from the office.

OFSTED UPDATE: In May 2023 Ofsted Inspectors praised West Sussex County Council’s Children’s Services for its ‘relentless approach to improving practice,’ giving the service an overall rating of ‘requires improvement’, with ‘good’ judgements for children in care and leadership and management. The judgements on children needing help and protection and children leaving care are they ‘require improvement to be good’. This rating is up from the last full inspection of Children’s Services back in 2019, when all areas were rated as inadequate.
Inspectors recognised the ‘strong, determined and cohesive leadership team’ who have made significant improvements since 2019 and their commitment and focus to make further improvements.

Key Skills:
1. Good communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to organise and present information clearly, concisely and accurately in ways that promote understanding, both verbally and in writing, including the ability to persuade and successfully convince others of the need to take a specific course of action and gain the trust of service users.
2. Ability to analyse and interpret information in order to manage casework with children / young people and their families, assessing needs, setting objectives and reviewing progress.
3. Ability to engage and intervene in partnership with children/young people, their families and other external agencies in order to effect positive and lasting change. Ability to work in an empowering way, focusing on collective strengths and resources, e.g. using a solution focused approach, and responding flexibly to diverse groups and service users whilst maintaining confidentiality.
4. Ability to prioritise and manage own workload, co-ordinating a range of tasks in a clear and logical way to meet agreed deadlines, whilst working
towards clear goals. Able to reflect on own practice and learn from experience, taking responsibility for proactive professional development.
5. Ability to maintain clear, accurate records of all work undertaken and produce case reports and correspondence for a variety of audiences including meetings, conferences, court panels and other agencies.
6. Sound and accurate IT skills, including report writing, maintaining accurate records, ensuring confidentiality, and protecting information.

Qualifications, knowledge and experience:
• GCSE English and Maths, or equivalent qualification or experience operating at this level of literacy and numeracy.
• QCF Level 3 Diploma for the Children and Young People’s Workforce (or equivalent), or demonstrable equivalent comparable experience.
• An understanding of systems, procedures and policies relevant to Children’s
Social Care e.g. child protection and safeguarding procedures, practice and policy. Desirable
• Knowledge and understanding of the development of children and young people, and age-appropriate behaviour.

Job Description & Person Specification
• An understanding of a range of interventions that can be used with children, young people and families to achieve change.
• Sound and accurate IT knowledge e.g. Microsoft Office, in order to produce written reports.
• Experience of providing advice and guidance to others.
• Significant experience of using a range of direct work interventions in working with children, young people and their families.
• Experience of working with children/young people and their families in crisis or complex situations. Desirable
• Experience of using assessment planning and reviewing processes.
• Experience of working in a Social Care Environment. Desirable
• Experience of forming effective working relationships within a multiagency setting.
• Requirement to communicate in English with members of the public
• Valid and full driving licence