Senior Practitioner – Children and Young People with Disabilities, Mid Essex

The Service consists of the Children with Disabilities Teams, Young People with Disabilities Teams, Child and Family Support Services Teams, Preparation for Adulthood Advisors Teams, Occupational Therapy Teams and a Core Service Development support team. This is an exciting and vibrant service which is in an ongoing phase of service improvement and development to enhance positive outcomes for children and young people with disabilities (from birth up to age 25) and their families and embracing the SEND reforms.

The Children with Disabilities Team works with young people and their families from the age of 0 - 16 years.

We are currently looking for a Senior Practitioner to work in the Young People with Disabilities Mid team, Based in County Hall, Chelmsford and working in the mid Essex geographical area.

Working to the Children Act 1989 and 2004, Children and Families Act 2014, Care Act 2014, Mental Capacity Act 2005, including all other relevant legislation pertinent to supporting children, young people and adults with Disabilities within the remit of Social Care.

The Role

The Senior Practitioner role requires leadership in the team, providing both support and mentoring to newly qualified or less experienced staff, overseeing Duty, compiling reports for Team manager and wider service as required and deputising for the Team Manager when needed. They will oversee the review of some child in need plans particularly prior to closure and will have responsibility to lead in a practice area. There will be good opportunities for own professional development and for being part of developing the team and service. There is an ethos of openness to the development of new ideas, particularly to reinforce our relationship-based focus, with service users, within the staff group and with partner agencies.

The successful candidate will be expected to bring developed social work skills and high standards of practice to their own caseload as well as providing modelling, advice and support to colleagues. They will be committed to systemic, relationship based social work, providing effective, innovative interventions and with the ability to build good partnerships, both with our external partners and within the organisation.

Preparation for Adulthood

Undertaking Transitions Assessments, Mental Capacity Assessments (including Deprivation of Liberty), Community Care assessments, Implementation of needs assessed Care and Support plans, Review of support Packages, and Adults Safeguarding Enquiries. Supporting Young People through the transition from Children’s services into adulthood is the focus of our work, including school and college leaving (Education, Health and Care Plans) in partnership with colleagues from the Education Statutory Assessment Service, accommodation (residential / supported living, day services, developing daily Living independence skills, work experience/employment) and completing Continuing Health care Checklists and participating in Continuing Health care Decision Tool meetings in partnership with colleagues from the CCG.

The role of senior practitioner in the young people with disabilities team is currently an evolving one in this service but includes the following:

• Is to manage a more complex caseload of children 0-16 young people with disabilities requiring assessment of their needs, advice, support and development of care and support plans and support packages in accordance with practice guidance and relevant legislation.
• Within this team you will provide an integrated service to help families meet the needs of their children/young adults, build their resilience and support young people progress from childhood into adulthood.
• To monitor unmet needs and look at ways of developing/accessing family and friend support networks, universal services and statutory services to meet them, providing relevant information to the team manager.
• To assist the team manager in managing the team as required, including chairing meetings, supervising team members/overseeing Social Work practice groups within the team and linking with practice groups across the teams to facilitate learning and practice development and to support team members with making decisions around complex child/Young person issues in the manager's absence, supervising duty and deputising for the manager as and when required.
• To be committed to the development of the services for children and young people with disabilities and their families by way of team/service and organisation projects.
• To maintain an up-to-date record of activity on systems case files, produce reports, attend meetings and reviews and give verbal presentations as required. To participate actively in case discussions, case conferences, care and support planning meetings, safeguarding meetings and conferences as required and to support team members with these
• To liaise and build up working relationships with other teams within Essex County Council, members of other statutory organisations and members of voluntary agencies in order to plan support for the Children and young people allocated to the team and to implement support plans
• To offer advice and information about services available within and outside the Department and act as an advocate for service users where relevant and necessary.
• To be aware of events and development opportunities to improve our knowledge and expertise in the service area.
• To seek training and development opportunities to improve our knowledge and expertise
• To undertake such other duties as may be reasonably required by the team manager

Please note that for this team, experience in Adults Social Care is particularly desirable.

Duties

• Senior Practitioners will provide a source of specialist advice and professional expertise for social workers, contributing to the development of practice standards and the four key principles.
• Accountable for assessment of complex social care needs and provision of support for vulnerable adults to ensure they are safe and have good outcomes to promote independence.
• Accountable for working within the statutory legal framework, policy and guidance and determining when the threshold for statutory intervention has been reached in line with legislative and organisational standards.
• Responsible for managing a complex caseload, maintaining accurate and timely data, reports and presentations as required.
• Responsible for participating in a range of case conferences, court attendance, meetings, and statutory reviews, pro-actively taking the lead when a social care perspective is required.
• Accountable for conducting assessments and plan responses which safeguard vulnerable adults, including intervention as required.
• Builds strong effective working relationships across the Council, with partners and members of voluntary agencies.
• Significant experience of social work, demonstrating a comprehensive and up to date understanding of all relevant legislation, regulations, and guidance.
• Experience of mentoring both newly qualified and experienced staff and being a subject matter expert in professional practice.
• Experience of chairing meetings involving clients, family members and/or carers and other multi-agency professionals.
• Developing strong relationships with partners, other agencies, and the local community to achieve joint objectives and offer a supportive framework for children and vulnerable adults.
• Understanding of the financial implications of care packages commissioned.
• Proven track record of clear decision making in order to highlight and limit the potential risks associated with intervention.

The Experience You Will Bring 

• Diploma in Social Work, CQSW, CSS or equivalent.
• Social Work England Registration as a registered social worker
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• IT/Word Processing Skills
• Evidence of recent practice at an experienced social worker level, supported by comprehensive working knowledge and experience within the field of practice in Children Services
• Preferably with experience of Child Protection work including section 47 investigations and assessments since the implementation of the Children’s Act 1989.Considerable, recent experience of communicating with children of all ages and working in partnership with parents and/or carers.
• Experience in planning activities and programmes for children, young people, and parents.
• Experience of Court work in relation to Child Care matters and an understanding of the legal process.
• Detailed knowledge of current legislation pertinent to Child Protection (e.g., CA1989, CJA1991), Guidance and Regulations.
• Knowledge and understanding of child development, relating theory and practice.

The role requires you to be mobile throughout a wider operational area including travelling around the county of Essex and beyond, transporting service users and their belongings and to be able to do so in an emergency. Driving licence and car or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means is essential. 

To read more about us please visit: Children & Families

Please take a look at our ‘No Magic’ Children & Families video

Why Essex? 

Essex County Council has a location to be proud of. Our 1,300 square miles stretch from Constable Country to the Thames Estuary, from the dynamic M11 corridor to the traditional seaside resorts of Clacton and Walton. England’s oldest town, Colchester, and two of its newest – Basildon and Harlow – are right here. Along with the City of Chelmsford, the county town, they form our major population centres. It means real choice and makes Essex the ideal place for your career. Read more about us.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process.

We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. As part of our team, we kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, not only during the recruitment process but also throughout your time with us. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

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If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email daniel.warner@essex.gov.uk

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