The Role

Our Multi-agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) service is looking to recruit a Social Worker to help play a key role in achieving positive outcomes for children in Wandsworth. Come and join us!

In Wandsworth we want our social workers and practitioners to feel confident in their practice and supported to manage the emotional demands of their role. Our shared vision and values to improve outcomes for children and families will drive practice.

Our outstanding practice framework will support us collectively to do that. We want to apply solutions to complex problems in the simplest way. Having a robust practice framework will enable a shared language, understanding and value base from which we can all work creatively with children and families to achieve the best outcomes for them.

About us

Our MASH in Wandsworth is the Front Door for referrals into our Early Help Services and Children’s Social Care. We are a co-located service with partners from the Police, Health, Education, IDVA Services and Housing. Within MASH we have specialist workers in Substance Misuse, NRPF, and Special Educational Needs to support our work with children, young people and their families.

Our social work practice with children and families is so important. It can be both incredibly challenging and hugely rewarding. The responsibility of working with families where the decisions you make and the power of your influence has the ability to shape and change lives, can be difficult. You will have access to a linked Family and Systemic Psychotherapist and a Practice Specialist for consultation to support you in your role.

How we will support you

We will support you in your practice and decision making so you never feel alone. Our culture of high support, high challenge provides our workforce with relevant training and learning to undertake great practice and creates spaces for them to learn from others and receive appropriate challenge to help ensure that the decisions they make are the right ones for children and families. The relationship you will build with families in the MASH will be central to the help we can offer and how they will experience and receive this.

About the role

£32,427 to £44,658 per annum (subject to experience) plus, the following:

• £5,000 welcome bonus. (Paid in two instalments. The first £2,500 after 6 months on successful completion of your probation period and the second £2,500 after 12 months of employment) and a retention bonus.

As a qualified and professionally registered Social Worker with Social Work England, you will have excellent interpersonal and communication skills, be clear how to support and challenge agencies and colleagues to ensure children and young people receive the right service within the right framework. To be considered for the Social Worker role, your application will demonstrate that you:

• Have a thorough understanding of current legislation and the London Safeguarding Children Procedure and Practice Guidance and be committed to relational practice.
• Can work in a multi-disciplinary environment
• Relevant legislation, regulations and recognise and build on families’ strengths to create change.
• Are skilled in analysing information and understanding families’ experiences and contexts to ensure they receive the right services within the right framework.
• Are curious and have a commitment to supporting children and young people in Wandsworth in practice and in your recording.

Contact details

For an informal discussion, please contact Leila Hassan Farah, Service Manager on either email at Leila.farah@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk  or mobile at 07775 417 532.

Benefits

We recognise the importance of a good balance between work and home life so we do everything we can to accommodate flexible working including, working from home. Please just let us know in your application or at any stage throughout the process (and beyond) if these are options you’d like to explore.

We also offer a generous holiday allowance of 39 paid days (pro rata) including bank holidays and a wide range of learning and development opportunities. In addition, we offer a comprehensive range of staff benefits such as membership of the Local Government pension scheme, childcare vouchers, new technology scheme, interest-free loans on annual travel cards, discounts with many leisure activities, restaurants, shops and other establishments.

Indicative Recruitment Timeline

• Closing Date: 11:59pm on Sunday 9^th October 2022
• Shortlisting Date: week commencing 10^th October 2022
• Interview Date: week commencing 17^th October 2022

Useful Information: The closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. We strongly advise you to complete your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Please note that the advertised dates for interviews may change due to the current Covid-19 situation. If they do, we will let you know as soon as possible. Your health and wellbeing is our top priority. Should you become unwell due to Covid-19 during the recruitment process we would very much appreciate receiving an update from you as soon as possible.

Equality Statement

Richmond and Wandsworth Councils are committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds bring important and positive contributions to the Councils and can improve the way we deliver services. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer.

At Wandsworth, we particularly welcome applications from sections of the community who are currently underrepresented within our teams, including black and ethnic minority communities. We understand the value of what a diverse workforce brings to our local authority and therefore, strongly encouraging candidates from these backgrounds to apply to this position. 

Important Information

This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) helps employers make safer recruitment decisions and prevent unsuitable people from working with vulnerable groups, including children. It replaces the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA).

How to apply?

To be considered for interview your application must highlight your knowledge, skills and experience listed in the Job Profiles located at the bottom of the advert.

Richmond and Wandsworth Councils