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We are committed to improving our services for the children and families we support in West Sussex. 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’.

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.

For further information about us and about working in Children’s Social Care at West Sussex County Council, please visit Careers in children's social work in West Sussex.

Salary: £39,837 - £52,368 (market supplements included)
Working Pattern: Full-time
Location: Crawley & Mid-Sussex

We’re seeking dedicated and experienced Social Workers to join our Assessment and Intervention team. Our Assessment and Intervention team supports the delivery of the Family Safeguarding Model within West Sussex.

Our Assessment and Intervention service is a fast paced, busy and supportive team completing child and family assessments, Section 47 enquiries and progressing Children to Initial Child protection conference and Initial Child in Need review where they will then transfer to our Family Safeguarding Teams for longer term intervention. Assessment and Intervention is at the forefront of producing the best outcomes for children, ensuring they are safe, and their voices are heard within all the work we do, with specialist social workers focussing on clear plans and interventions with families. We ensure a strong link with our Early Help colleagues to promote local community support for children and families when social care no longer needs to be involved.

As an experienced Social Worker within Assessment and Intervention you will be working to deliver first class support to vulnerable children and their families. We are looking for emotionally intelligent, organised, resilient individuals who can evidence the value they could add to our team ensuring interventions with children are undertaken in a timely way. As part of your role, you will be on a duty cycle with your team to respond to urgent and new referrals received from our MASH team. We continue to promote a combination of remote and office-based working with the expectation that social workers will be office based for the week their team is on duty. The current duty cycle is one week outside of four.

Key Skills:

• Able to analyse and interpret complex information and data, prioritise needs and formulate plans for intervention and service provision.
• Able to work proactively as a member of the team to make accurate assessments of needs and negotiate and implement effective outcomes.
• Able to work in partnership with carers, colleagues and external agencies to deliver an effective service.
• Able to communicate clearly and effectively in both written and oral format, including the ability to explain complicated information to a wide range of people and use negotiation and persuasion skills to encourage others to adopt a course of action they may not wish to take.
• Able to recognise limits of own accountability and responsibility and seek appropriate support, advice and supervision.

Qualifications and/or experience:

• A recognised Social Work qualification e.g. Degree in Social Work, Post Graduate Certificate in Social Work, DipSW, CQSW or equivalent as recognised by the relevant professional body.
• Completion of relevant post qualifying training.
• Evidence of at least two years experience post qualification working in the UK within front line operational practice.
• Registration with the relevant professional registration body and maintaining registration with that body.
• Knowledge of theoretical Social Work concepts and practices, with demonstrable examples of dealing with a breadth of complex issues and situations, for example, attachment, impact of developmental trauma and child development, motivational interviewing, relational practice, solution-focussed interventions and systemic working. A good understanding of anti-oppressive, anti-discriminatory and anti-racist practice in social work.
• Experience of effective partnership working and forming effective working relationships with individuals and colleagues, focusing on the needs and handling conflict and disagreement.
• Experience of effectively coaching and supervising others, acting as practice role model and promoting exemplary practice.
• Experience of managing levels of risk within a caseload of complex cases.
• Readiness to work towards Practice Educator Professional Standards (PEPS) qualification at Stage one or equivalent.
• Valid, full driving licence.

We offer small practice teams of Social Workers managed by a Team Manager and supported by Child & Family Workers as well as additional flexible administrative support from Coordinators embedded within the service.

We provide regular group supervision and peer learning alongside specialist roles within the team to focus on the most vulnerable children. As a Social Worker, you’ll have a minimum of 5 CPD and training days per year with access to excellent learning and development provisions such as Research in Practice and Community Care Inform, Social Work England fees paid and annual leave up to 29 days, as well as the option to buy up to 3 additional days.

As an employer we recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive and dynamic working environment where employees can achieve their full potential, achieve a healthy work-life balance and are rewarded for the work they do. For a full list of the benefits offered to you as a West Sussex County Council employee, please visit our Rewards and Benefits page.

The reference number for this role is CAFHE03701.

For an informal conversation or further information regarding the role, please contact Lesley Irving at [email protected].

To apply, upload your CV and complete the application explaining the skills and experience you can bring to the role ensuring that any gaps in employment are covered in your CV. Please ensure you have saved the job description attached to the main advert on our website as, once the job has closed, you may not have the opportunity to download again.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. This post is subject to Social Work England registration, an enhanced DBS check, 5 years referencing and a health check. You must be able to travel throughout the county including to locations that are not always accessible by public transport.

West Sussex County Council is an equal opportunities employer committed to promoting an environment that is inclusive and free from all forms of unlawful or unfair discrimination and values the diversity of its people. We actively welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and take every possible step to ensure that no individual will be disadvantaged.

For information regarding your eligibility to apply for this role under our Disability or Veteran’s Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please visit our help applying for jobs page.