Social Worker | Children’s Services
Location: Surrey
Service Area: Children & Families
Role Type: Social Care Qualified
Location: Surrey
About the Role
Surrey is committed to working alongside families, respecting their rights and strengths and working in partnership to identify needs and achieve positive change. Social Workers are supported to develop strong motivational practice, helping parents identify changes they want to make and supporting families to achieve sustainable outcomes.
You will manage a caseload of children, families and carers, undertaking assessments, safeguarding work and care planning while keeping children safely within their families wherever possible.
Key Responsibilities
Triage contacts and determine whether they meet the threshold for statutory social work assessment.
Undertake assessments of children's and families' needs, strengths and risks.
Develop SMART plans with children, young people and families.
Work with partner agencies through Child in Need and Core Group meetings.
Undertake Child Protection investigations following multi-agency strategy discussions.
Develop plans to reduce risk and protect children from significant harm.
Where necessary, contribute to S20 arrangements and legal proceedings.
Support effective care planning where children cannot safely remain within their families.
Work with fostering, adoption and commissioning colleagues to identify appropriate placements.
Promote stable placements, sibling relationships and positive outcomes for children.
Maintain accurate, timely and analytical case records.
Demonstrate confident professional judgement around risk and decision-making.
Provide information, advice and guidance and signpost families to appropriate services.
Identify and respond appropriately to safeguarding concerns.
Share professional knowledge and expertise with colleagues.
Where appropriately trained, provide reflective supervision to non-professionally qualified staff.
Work inclusively and promote equality of opportunity.
Requirements
Qualified Social Worker with relevant children's social care experience.
Strong understanding of safeguarding, assessment and risk management.
Experience working with children, families and partner agencies.
Ability to undertake proportionate assessments and develop effective plans.
Confident professional judgement and decision-making skills.
Strong recording, analysis and case management skills.
Commitment to partnership working and strengths-based, motivational practice.
Commitment to safeguarding, equality, diversity and the welfare of children
