Principal Social Worker

About The Service

With effect from 1st April 2021, this role attracts a market supplement of £5,000 (full time equivalent). (£42,890 – £45,876) This payment is reviewed on a 12 monthly basis.

Cardiff are seeking to build upon the success of recruiting social workers by ensuring that we have the very best principal social workers to coach and support our workers, enabling them to grow and develop. In pursuit of this we have increased the number of principal social workers are seeking to recruit permanent workers with a passion and drive to delivery only the ‘very best’ service to our children and their families and carers.

The proverb ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ is as relevant to a major city such as Cardiff as it is anywhere – the challenge is to identify, engage and work collaboratively with our communities to achieve this. Cardiff’s locality model allows social workers and support staff to work within the local communities and get to know the specific needs of the communities we support. Working in partnership with other statutory and non-statutory agencies and the 3rd sector we provide the right level of assistance to our families at the right time, empowering families to reach out to these support networks in order to reduce the long term needs of individuals and the communities they live in.

Cardiff as the capital of Wales offers not only the experience of working in a vibrant, and successful city but also offers easy access to the fabulous South Wales region’s coastline and countryside with worldwide standing. Whether you choose to live in the city or within commuting distance, you have plenty of choice in accommodation, with excellent transport routes. For those practitioners seeking to broaden their experience working with Children and their families, Cardiff has so much to offer, through exciting opportunities to develop practice knowledge in areas that can only be found in the capital city, working with children and families from a diversity of backgrounds and experiences.

Cardiff is a forward thinking organisation that is looking at remote and innovative ways of working with flexibility to work at home, in the office and supporting safe face-to-face contact with families and children.

Cardiff Children’s services are leaders in practice and have been chosen as the location for key pilot projects including Family Drug and Alcohol Courts. We are forward thinking and seeking to embrace new models of working to ensure success in supporting children and young people experiencing mental health crisis and children involved with criminal exploitation. Our new ways of working have led us to develop multi-disciplinary teams.

Cardiff supports the learning and development of individuals through leadership and management development opportunities whilst actively involving staff in the auditing and review of proactive learning that enables continuous development of the service and individuals within a nurturing and supportive culture.

There is a key focus on shifting the balance of care ensuring that only those children for whom risks cannot be mitigated are placed outside their family network. This is being achieved through clear analysis of the presenting issues and seeking to tailor support to meet the needs of family which might include daily support in the home and or the use of respite. Cardiff are committed to working with families through statutory intervention and sharing parental responsibility only where the risks dictate and not as a result of access to resources/services.

About the job
Benefits offered

Cardiff is frequently found at the top of lists of best cities in the UK to live in so come join us and see what we can offer.

• A generous annual leave entitlement starting at 27 days per year to a maximum of 32 days per year after 5 years, with the option to purchase additional annual leave to a maximum of 10 days.
• Our working culture is flexible, with a flexi scheme allowing you to work to a schedule that suits you Hybrid working – supporting you to flexibly deliver your role whether on visits, from an office or your home
• Access to the Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan Pension Fundwhich is part of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), offering a reputable, secure and flexible pension plan for peace of mind.

This is just some of what Cardiff has to offer, take a look at our Social Work website for more information about all our benefits and hear from some of our social workers, talking about why cardiff is the place to be.

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Cardiff Safeguarding and Children looked after teams are now based in 3 localities across the city at St Mellons in the East, Fairwater in the North and Cardiff Bay in the South enabling staff to be based within the communities that they serve. Within the team's geographical area you will support children and young people through robust assessment, outcome focused planning and effective intervention to support them in achieving positive outcomes within their families and communities. Working within a restorative practice approach, you will work in partnership with families and multi-agency colleagues in intervening to address both the presenting concerns and underlying difficulties.

This is an exciting opportunity to join the service which puts the individual at the heart of our work. The teams work from a strengths-based (Signs of Safety) approach to meet the needs of young people and their families.

As the Principal Social Worker you will have the opportunity to develop the practice of others within the team through joint working and supervision whilst also leading by example as case-holder for those children with more complex needs who require the expertise of an experienced and skilled practitioner.

What We Are Looking For From You

You will have an offer of direct access to a senior manager as mentor, if required. You will form a critical key part of the locality management team: shaping its practice and development alongside the other PSWs, Team Managers and your Operational Manager.

Within the team you will take the role of Practice Leader, working with the Team Manager, supporting and encouraging the culture within the services as well as leading, teaching and modelling the Signs of Safety approach. You will work alongside the Team Manager to help in managing the performance and development of Social Workers as well as contributing to the development and maintenance of effective systems to ensure quality services to children in need and their families.

The successful candidates must have robust safeguarding experience and experience of working with Children looked after and be confident with court proceedings. As a child protection social worker, you must be flexible and able to work under pressure. Due to the nature of the role candidates must have front line post qualifying experience in child protection services.

A degree in Social Work is essential for this role, as well as excellent skills in assessment and the ability to write concise records and reports.  You will be a good team player, have excellent communication, organisation skills and IT skills.

Additional information

With effect from 1st April 2020, this role attracts a market supplement of £5,000 (full time equivalent). (£42,890 – £45,876) This payment is reviewed on a 12 monthly basis.

This post is temporary until 15th October 2022 to cover maternity leave for the substantive post holder.

Internal candidates who wish to apply for this position on a secondment basis must obtain approval prior to application using Form SEC1 (4.C.081). Requests may only be approved by the relevant Director/ Assistant Director/ Chief Officer or senior nominated officer graded no lower than OM2 or in the case of schools based staff the Headteacher / Governing Body.

Please refer to job description and person specification when applying for the above posts. These posts are subject to Disclosure and Barring Service Enhanced checks.

Safeguarding and Child Protection are key priorities for the Council. We aim to support children and vulnerable adults to ensure they are as safe as they can possibly be. Our services and schools are committed to ensuring the safety and protection of all children and vulnerable adults, and will take action to safeguard their well-being, and acknowledge that children and vulnerable adults have a right to protection. This is supported in the general ethos of the Council and all schools.

This vacancy is suitable for post share.

We welcome applications in both English and Welsh. Applications received in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than English applications.

Due to the current COVID -19 circumstances the interview process for this role will be held on a virtual basis using an appropriate online platform.  If you have any concerns around your ability to participate in a virtual interview process please contact Laura.white3@cardiff.gov.uk for a discussion.

Attachments

Job Description and Person Specification