Senior Practitioner - Permanence Team

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Job Details

A new and exciting opportunity has become available for a part-time Senior Practitioner in the 2 newly formed Permanence Teams in the Children and Families Service in Fife. We invite applicants with a minimum of two years post qualifying experience in a statutory Children and Families social work setting, preferably within the arena of Looked after Children/Permanence.

We are looking for a motivated, aspirational Senior Practitioner who can work with children in our care, their families, and their carers to achieve the best possible outcomes. We want to enable children and young people to reach their full potential.

Relationships with children and their families are very important to us, and you will have the ability to build and maintain supportive and trusting relationships with children, young people and families.

You will spend quality time with children in our care, understanding their views, their life experiences and support them to understand and recover from what has happened. In keeping with ‘The Promise’, you will also help them to maintain connections with important people in their lives where possible such as siblings, birth family and people who matter to them.

You will ensure that children and young people lead their Care Planning. You will advocate and appreciate individual need to achieve outcomes based on evidence-based assessments.

Working with the child/young person, you will complete and update assessments and review care plans and implement recommendations which may include Permanence and Adoption Orders.

As a Senior Practitioner, you will also be responsible for staff development & supervision and for the chairing complex meetings.

Fife Council are committed to prioritising and achieving the best outcomes for Looked After Children where a permanent destination is required. You will be part of a Children’s Service that continually strives to improve outcomes for children and young people in our care. Your ideas and aspirations will be very important to us, and you will join a service where staff wellbeing and support is fundamental, receive regular reflective case supervision and management oversight alongside group supervision.

You will be supported to work flexibly and to have a good work/life balance. We operate a hybrid working model with some home working.

The Person

• A diploma/degree in social work or equivalent
• A post qualifying award
• Knowledge of theory underpinning practice in relevant areas of social work
• Knowledge, understanding and experience of relevant legislation, permanence processes and procedures.
• Experience of working with a range of professionals to deliver good outcomes for children and young people
• Experience of planning for Looked after children and young people
• Problem solving skills
• IT Skills (embrace technology and information)
• Knowledge and skills to practice in a way that empowers others and firmly places the child at the centre of all we do in line with The Promise
• Ability to organise and prioritise a workload
• Ability to work flexibly, and travel throughout Fife and beyond if required, working out with office hours when necessary.
• Good assessment skills
• The ability to work as part of a team as well as independently.
• Before confirming 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.
• You will save money on your SSSC fees as these will now be paid for all roles and grades by the Scottish Government.

For further information, please contact: Linda Fraser at linda.fraser@fife.gov.uk