Senior Practitioner

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Job Details

The Children and Families Service in Fife has undergone a period of redesign to ensure services offer both an early help and support function alongside core statutory services to improve the outcomes for children, young people and families in Fife. Early Help and Support Teams are based across 7 localities in Fife, delivering a range of earlier intervention services to children in need to address wellbeing needs, concerns and emerging risks.

The support will consist of family-based assessment, direct 1:1 work children, family decision making and a range of group work opportunities.

You will have a specialised role within the team whereby you will be a ‘School Connector’. This will include collaborative working with both Primary and Secondary Schools. This will involve attending formal partnership meetings.

Early Help and Support focuses on collaborative work with the Health Visiting Team, Third Sector agencies and CLD. There is a focus on delivering group work which includes accredited group work such as Incredible Years, Mellow and Triple P alongside the development of thematic groups based on need within the community.

You will be skilled in providing written reports including Initial Assessments, Child Protection Planning Meeting Reports and reports to SCRA with informed recommendations concerning care/action/safety plans and identifying any further actions. You will have an ability to chair Team Around the Child Meetings and Child Protection Core Group meetings to ensure there is a clear plan in place, to include the voice of the child, views of the family in a multi-agency forum.

In addition, a part of your role will be to support staff in the duty process, this will include screening referrals and ensuring appropriate response.

You will be required to quality assure practice within the team which includes completing file audits and provide appropriate feedback.

You will be required to undertake professional supervision of Social Workers and Family Support Workers supporting their professional development and ensuring Council policy and procedures are followed.

You should have experience in being able to successfully negotiate and liaise with partner agencies to plan interventions and supports for children and their families.

The Person

A Diploma in Social Work is essential, as is registration with the Scottish Social Services Council.

Before confirming to your appointment, you will be required to obtain Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme membership through Disclosure Scotland and become a member of the relevant PVG scheme.

As this role requires SSSC registration, the successful applicant will have three months to apply for registration.

If appointed, you must start your application as soon as possible so you're registered within the required six months.

If you need to achieve a qualification to maintain your SSSC membership, information will be provided if you are appointed. You must ensure you complete the qualification within the specified timeframe.

You will have one of the following:

• An accredited post-qualifying award (e.g. Certificate in Child Protection Studies, Mental Health Officer Accreditation, Practice Teacher Award, etc.) or a commitment to work towards achieving this within 2 years of appointment.
• You should have considerable experience in a relevant setting.
•  You must have the ability to travel throughout Fife.
• You will have knowledge and understanding of Child and Adult Protection guidelines and information sharing protocols and experience of joint working to achieve common goals.

For further information please contact: Jaclyn Smith, Team Manager. Jaclyn.smith@fife.gov.uk