Social Work Senior Practitioner (Full Time) (Permanent) 2x Posts - REN15144

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Social Work Senior Practitioner (Children’s Services)

This is an exciting opportunity to join Renfrewshire’s Children’s Services Social Work as a Senior Practitioner. We are seeking motivated, qualified social workers with substantial experience for a variety of Senior Practitioner roles across our Social Work Children’s Services teams (Children and Families, Initial Response Team, Fostering and Adoption, Kinship and Throughcare).

The Senior Practitioner post was created as part of our service redesign and plays a key role in the leadership of our teams, improving practice, and supporting staff development. Our services have been set up to provide a responsive and effective approach to meeting the needs of children and families at the earliest possible stage, delivering purposeful and time-limited interventions aimed at keeping more children safely in the care of their families. We are dedicated to creating an environment where social work practice can thrive, where social work teams are encouraged to be innovative and creative to ensure the services we offer to children and families help improve their lives.

As a Senior Practitioner, you will work closely with the Team Manager to lead and support the team and contribute to service improvement. You will manage a complex caseload and be responsible for the delivery of key operational priorities within the team, providing clear leadership to staff and engaging meaningfully with multi-agency partners. The Senior Practitioner will provide supervision and guidance to social workers and paraprofessionals, ensuring high standards of practice and performance.

The successful candidate will share our key commitment to our practitioners in terms of their professional support, learning and development. Your own practice will be aligned to the trauma-informed, relationship and strengths-based practice that underpins our work. Degree level qualification (Degree in Social Work, Diploma in Social Work (DipSw) or equivalent) is essential.

A thorough understanding of children and families social work services in a local authority setting and significant experience in assessment/care planning, care management and carrying out complex case work is essential.

You must have a working knowledge of legislation and best practice, effective IT skills, decision-making skills as well as written and verbal communication skills.

It is essential you have the ability to analyse complex information as part of assessment processes and have a sound understanding of professional social work practice.

A high standard of personal, professional and ethical behaviour, capacity to work under pressure to meet guidelines, professional standards and organisational priorities and a demonstratable commitment to continuous professional development is also essential.

*Please note applications will only be accepted from qualified social workers who fully meet the post criteria, who are already registered with SSSC and are able to work in the UK.

The vacancy's could be based in two locations in Renfrew Health Centre and Johnstone Town Hall.

If successful, you will be required to undertake a PVG, the level of check will be determined by the duties of the post. If you would like further information in relation to the Disclosure Scotland checks, please visit www.disclosurescotland.co.uk.

If you would like more information, please contact Cathie O’Donnell, Social Work Senior Manager (cathie.odonnell@renfrewshire.gov.uk).