Principal Social Worker (Grade 13)

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Salary and Grade  GRADE 13

Location VARIOUS/AGILE

Group COMMUNITY & CHILDRENS SERVICES

Department / Division ALL SOCIAL WORK TEAMS

Team / Section ADULT OR CHILDREN’S SERVICES

Responsible to: TEAM PRACTICE & PERFORMANCE MANAGER

Posts Reporting to this post:  NONE

DBS Required YES           ENHANCED

Key Objectives

To work in collaboration to deliver sustained improvements in performance, quality and consistency of practice across the team.  Thereby achieving the best outcomes possible for children, young people and adults;

To develop innovative ways of working to ensure positive outcomes for adults/children;

To represent and promote the service in relevant multi agency meetings;

To ensure the transfer of knowledge and sharing of best practice across the Team and Services;

To ensure effective partnership working and engagement to achieve and deliver these objectives;

To formulate, design and deliver expert evidence-based interventions;

To engage in the strategic development of the Team and Service;

To provide professional leadership, guidance and mentorship to members of the Team;

To be appraised of developments in practice and in order to assist in the training of undergraduate and post qualification social workers

Why work for Rhondda Cynon Taf Council?

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council Children's Services is pleased to offer Principal Social Work posts across its service areas. All our practitioners and managers have the chance to influence the development of our work and are supported by a strong, experienced management team both at strategic and operational levels. We recognise that the social work profession is professionally and personally challenging and demands considerable levels of skill, commitment, and enthusiasm. We offer a dedicated in house Learning and Development Centre which actively supports practitioners and managers at each level to maintain their skills and Continuous Professional Development. For practitioners at a senior level this will include support to attend relevant management development programmes. RCT Council employees also have access to a wide range of staff benefits which include: 25 days Annual Leave, rising to 30 days after 5 years’ service Cycle to Work Scheme Discounted LeisureForLife Membership Vectis Card (staff discount) Technology Purchase Scheme

Purpose of the post:

To deliver interventions where high-level assessment, problem solving and decision-making skills will be required; Deputise for the Team Practice & Performance Manager as required; Carry a complex caseload and in doing so undertake the generic responsibilities required of all Social Workers; To perform a quality assurance role in line with the Departments QA framework, to include individual and thematic audits;

To ensure that service provision is non-discriminatory in respect of race, sex, age, marital status, sexuality, disability, religion or nationality.

DIRECT WORK

To build a professional relationship with service users and their families and to use that relationship to safeguard adults/children, promote positive outcomes;

To communicate effectively with service users and their families, ensuring that their views and wishes are heard and recorded accurately, and plans reflects their views;

To establish rapport and build a respectful, honest and trusted relationship with service users and their families, in order to identify and reduce risk in line with safeguarding procedures;

To ensure that service users and their families are provided with user-friendly written reports about their circumstances and plans for intervention;

To understand and respect the rights of service users;

To support the completion of good quality assessments and the analysis of risk through the use of best practice guidance.

LEADERSHIP AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Act as a champion of best practice by playing a leadership role in social work practice within the local authority;

To provide professional supervision and appraisal to members of the team to achieve service aims and objectives in line with Council policy; To support team members in meeting continuous professional development and improvement requirements in line with Social Care Wales registration; To assist the Team Manager in responding to concerns identified within supervision which may include performance, capability or wellbeing; Respond to practice- based complaints; Freedom of Information requests and Data Subject Access requests; Act as a guardian of professional codes of practice within the organisation; To support and implement changes in methods and approaches to work as may be required;

To assume responsibility or cover for other team members as required.

PRACTICE, EDUCATION & SERVICE DEVELOPMENT

To take personal responsibility for keeping up to date with legislation, research findings and practice knowledge, including attendance at appropriate training; Contribute to training and practice development across Children’s or Adult Services;

Contribute to qualifying and post qualifying social work education curricula development and in the promotion of the Social Work Career Pathway;

Provide training within the team and related mainstream services;

Acting as a Practice Teacher/Assessor, PQ Award Mentor or other formal role to support the provision of learning opportunities;

To comply with Cwm Taf Morgannwg Safeguarding Boards’ Safeguarding procedures and practices;

To assist with consultation with service users, children, young people, and/or adults and their carers and signifcant others in the formulation of plans and policies;

To ensure the maintenance of such records and management information systems as appropriate.

To carry out health and safety responsibilities in accordance with the Division’s Health & Safety Responsibilities document.

To undertake such other duties and responsibilities commensurate with the grade, as may be reasonably required by the Director, or as a mutually agreed development opportunity .

THE CONTENTS OF THE DOCUMENT WILL BE SUBJECT TO REVIEW FROM TIME TO TIME IN CONSULTATION WITH THE POST HOLDER.    JOB DESCRIPTIONS MAY BE AMENDED TO REFLECT AND RECORD SUCH CHANGES.

Protecting Children and Vulnerable Adults is a core responsibility of all staff.  All safeguarding concerns should be reported to the Cwm Taf Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)

PERSON SPECIFICATION

This Person Specification sets out the knowledge and / or qualifications, past experience and personal competencies that would be ideal for this particular post. The Knowledge/ Qualifications and Experience sections describe what is required in terms of the technical ability that is needed to do this job successfully. The Competencies section describes the kinds of non-technical skills, abilities and personal characteristics that the ideal person for this particular role would have. The competencies describe how that person would ideally work with other people and how they would approach their responsibilities. The Special Conditions and Professional Requirements section describes any other qualities appropriate to the particular circumstances associated with this role. Knowledge / Education:

Essential Desirable

Professional Social Work qualification i.e. MA/Degree in Social Work or recognised predecessor equivalent e.g. CQSW, DipSW, CSS; Complete the relevant post qualifying awards within a defined period; Knowledge of assessment for care and support needs Childrens Services Posts: A sound understanding of the law relating to Adults/Children and Families; Knowledge of child and adolescent development; Knowledge of safeguarding procedures for children and adults at risk Knowledge of looked after children statutory guidance and processes Adult Services Posts: Knowledge of the Social Services & Well-being Act (Wales) 2014; Knowledge and understanding of the Mental Capacity Act and the Mental Health Act. Knowledge of the Mental Health (Wales) Measure 2010 Knowledge and understanding of the united nations principles for older and disabled people. Welsh Language Level 1 - All employees will be required to undertake a basic Welsh Language Induction to reach this level. Please refer to The Welsh Language Skills Guidance online www.rctcbc.gov.uk/WelshSkills Understanding of how the division operates and knowledge of policies/procedures;

Management qualification, e.g. D.M.S., C.M.S;

Hold a professional development qualification e.g. Practice Teachers Award, PQ6, NVQ Assessor Award.

Welsh Language Level 2 to Level 5.  For details on the levels please refer to The Welsh Language Skills Guidelines, which can be found in the Welsh Services section of the RCT Council Website.

Experience:

Essential Desirable

Significant post qualifying experience, including that at Experienced Social Worker level. Experience of working with partner agencies, in multi-disciplinary settings. Experience of practice supervision e,g mentorship of students Experience of delivering learning opportunities. Evidence of innovative practice. Experience in preparing and presenting cases to the Court of Protection. Experience of quality assurance processes Experience of contributing to professional Social Work training Experience of chairing meetings

How we expect you to behave in work:

Competency Framework Community & Social Care Competency Framework

Competency Areas Working With Team Members Recognises that all members of the team have a different skills and experience that can be drawn on. Contributes to a strong team spirit of shared responsibility and co-operation. Working with Partners Ensures that everyone has a clear idea of what their roles are and what they are trying to achieve. Actively identifies partners and community networks that can be used for the benefit of the service user.

Communicating Effectively Keeps a flow of information going to allow quick resolution of issues or queries.  Asks open and reflective questions

Working with Change Is willing to try new ways of working and is flexible to them. Has creative and different ideas about how to move things forward in service areas.

Encouraging Professional Development Is open to alternative methods of development, eg training, coaching, reading, mentoring, experiential learning. Participates in regular reviews and supervisions to identify goals and areas for development.

Achieving Results Is positive and creative about what can be achieved with existing resources/budgets. Demonstrates professional competence and consistently delivers high -quality outcomes.

  Looking after Service Users’ best Interest Is able to look broadly at the options possible and works alongside the service users to seek out possibilities. Is able to analyse, summarise and record the situation for/with the service user effectively taking into account potential barriers.

Special Conditions and Professional Requirements

Requirement to travel independently throughout the Service Area.

Enhanced Disclosure and Barring checks on appointment and at periodic intervals.

To be personally responsible for the continued registration as a 'Social Worker' with  Social Care Wales.

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