Social Worker inHounslow inHounslow PUBLISHED 8 AUG 2024

About Us At Hounslow



We’d love you to join us at the London Borough of Hounslow! Our people are deeply committed to providing excellent services to our residents, doing all we can to make lives as good as they can be.

We are an outstanding council, serving an outstanding borough. With brilliant, visionary leadership, a dynamic Cabinet and a can-do culture, we’ve built strong partnerships which have transformed how we serve one of London’s most diverse boroughs. Hounslow is the world in one place and full of potential. We are stepping up for our residents like never before.



About Our Commitment To Diversity And Inclusion



We live by five core values: Lead with Heart, Do New, Pass on the Power, Harness the Mix and Be a Rock. All our work has equality, diversity and inclusion at its very heart, best articulated in “Harness the Mix”. It's about breaking down barriers between our parts and people and unlocking the problem-solving power of our amazing mix of minds. We serve a diverse community, we have a diverse workforce and we are committed to being an inclusive employer.

We work hard to create representation across our workforce and leadership community, we have thriving employee network groups and our learning and development programmes help us lead, model and breathe ways of working that eliminate inequality, inequity, injustice and bias.

As part of this and under our commitments as a Disability Confident Employer, we make reasonable adjustments to accommodate our candidates. There’s space for you to tell us what you need within our application form.



Our Benefits




About The Role


This is an exciting opportunity to be part of The Adoption and Permanency team (APT) as a kinship Social Worker.

The APT Social Workers are primarily involved in completing Eligibility Criteria Assessments and Special Guardianship Assessments of family, friends and connected persons who offer alternate care to children as part of permanency planning. Majority of the work is part of care proceedings and pre proceedings so it is good opportunity to learn about the pre proceedings and care proceeding processes. The team also supports placements under Reg 24 and take these cases to the Fostering Panel for approval as kinship foster carers. There is close working together with children’s teams across the borough.

There is regular supervision, case discussion and management oversight offered to support robust assessment.

The team is small and stable and offers a supportive friendly work environment.



About The Team You’ll Be Working In



The Adoption and Permanency team (APT) consist of a Team Manager, Assistant Team Manager for the 4 posts for Special Guardianship and Kinship Social Workers, 1.5 panel administrator/ADM admin officer and 1 Business Support Officer. SG post order support has moved to the region therefore is close co-ordination and partnership working with Adopt London West.



Key Responsibilities:

• To undertake eligibility assessments of alternative carers in order to analyse if they can be prospective Special Guardians for children subject pre proceedings or part of family court proceedings.
• To undertake a Special Guardianship assessment in the regulated timescales, as part of both pre proceedings and family court proceedings. This includes carrying out timely the statutory checks, interviews, and tracking DBS checks.
• To give oral evidence in court regarding eligibility assessments and Special Guardianship assessments where necessary. To communicate effectively with legal for filing timely reports.
• To provide clear verbal and written reports to Fostering panel if required. Also, to attend Fostering panel, or professionals’ meetings as relevant.
  
  

About You



Your Skills:

• To be willing to learn and have good assessment skills in undertaking evidence based analytical assessments. To have some understanding of the needs and experiences of children, and those subject to pre and care proceedings.
• To have good communication skills and be able to work collaboratively with professionals from both within Children’s Services and other relevant agencies to ensure the assessment is evidence based as well as analytical.
• To be able to maintain up to date case recordings on the system and ensure all relevant documents are uploaded.
• To have some understanding or be willing to learn about the Special Guardianship Regulations and Recommendations to achieve best practice in the child protection and family justice systems June 2020, National Minimum Standards, Fostering Regulations, Care Standards Act, and Care Planning and Review (England) Regulations 2. This information will be shared with you, and you will be guided through the process to ensure you are working within the regulations.
  
  

Professional Qualifications:

• Qualified Social Work Degree.
• Registration with Social Work England.
• To fulfil the duties and responsibilities of a qualified Social Work post in Hounslow’s Adoption and Permanence Team. The main purpose of the role is to prepare, assess and support alternative carers in accordance with legislative requirements and departmental policies.
• Within this role you will work to maintain high standards of professional practice, working at all times in the best interests of children and young people.
• Prior experience of working with or in a kinship team will be welcomed but is not essential.
  
  

Essential For The Role:



Enhanced DBS

We value diversity in its broadest sense. We're committed to creating an inclusive culture where everyone is able to be themselves, give of their best and reach their full potential. We believe that a diverse workforce helps us to better understand our communities and deliver the best services for our residents. We want to receive applications from all regardless of age, gender identity, disability, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief, race or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status or social economic background. We want to harness the mix and ensure that everybody