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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, permanent (37 hours)

Location: Worthing

As of 01 February 2022, the first phase of our service redesign to move to the Family Safeguarding Model has begun. As such, our previous Family Support & Protection teams have become our Family Safeguarding teams. We’re seeking dedicated and experienced Social Workers to join us across our locations of Horsham, Chichester, Burgess Hill, Bognor Regis or Crawley.

Family Safeguarding is a strengths-based model and a new way of working with families so that they can stay together, and children can remain safely at home. We will help families to identify what changes need to be made in their daily life and support them to achieve these.

The Family Safeguarding Model is based on multi-disciplinary joint children’s and adult teams. The model will therefore be implemented by building on the skills mix of our current children’s social work teams by adding the expertise of community mental health staff, domestic abuse specialists and substance misuse workers. In addition to this the offer will be enhanced by co-locating the teams with early help teams.

Social Workers in our Family Safeguarding teams will undertake meaningful, evidence-based interventions that contribute to improved levels of engagement and safeguarding with parents and children. All of our current staff are currently undergoing training on the new model and motivational interview. You will work within a positive, nurturing environment where successes are celebrated and individuals within the team are supported to grow and develop.

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 one year 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 CAFHE03802.

For an informal conversation or for further information regarding the role, please contact Wanda Parker at [email protected].

For issues or queries regarding your application please contact [email protected].

To apply, please follow the links below to upload your CV and Cover Letter. In your cover letter please outline your motivations for applying and explaining the skills and experience you can bring to the role (please refer to the key skills) 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, HCPC registration, an enhanced DBS check, 5 years referencing and a health check.

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, this can be found on our application help page.