Senior Practitioner, Almondbank House, Perth - Internal

Main Purpose of the Role

Working within Perth & Kinross Council is more than a job, it's about being part of an organisation that puts people at the heart of all we do and provides opportunities to make a real difference by enhancing every life we touch.

We currently have the following opportunity:

Senior Practitioner - PKC12289
£47,864 - £51,562
Almondbank House, Perth

Please note: Only existing employees of Perth & Kinross Council may apply.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Senior Practitioner post in our well-established kinship team (which is part of the larger family based care team - FBCT).

Our teams’ main responsibilities are:

• Consultation with fieldwork services regarding potential referrals for kinship assessments .
• Assessments of prospective kinship carers .
• Presentation of prospective kinship carers to the kinship panel.
• Supporting kinship carers who provide care to our looked after children (formal), kinship assistance and other informal kinship carers.
• Assessing referrals for kinship assistance applications 

The role of the Senior Practitioner includes:

• Supporting the FBCT Team Leader.
• Line managing the SSCO’s within the team.
• Kinship panel co-ordinator.
• Quality assurance for assessment work and processes within the team.
• Having a working knowledge of the role of the Senior Practitioner of the fostering team - FBCT

As Senior Practitioner you will deputise for the Team Leader as necessary.

You will respond to enquiries from social work area teams regarding potential kinship referrals, co-ordinate professionals’ meetings, provide day to day advice to those staff working in the kinship team and work jointly with the Senior Practitioner in the fostering team to provide a consistent support for the FBCT.

As Senior Practitioner you will also be responsible, along with the Team Leader, for the improvement agenda and team plans.

Perth & Kinross Council is currently progressing with a hybrid working model offering access to office working on some days or when required. We are committed to being a more inclusive employer, please contact the recruiting manager to discuss any individual circumstances, discuss at interview or if you prefer, after any conditional offer is made, to ensure we can consider any reasonable adjustments.

Skills & Experience Required

• You must have a recognised qualification in Social Work.
• You will be a qualified Social Worker with significant post qualifying experience.
• You will have knowledge and experience of working with adult assessments.
• You will be well organised, able to prioritise and manage competing demands.
• The role will also require you to be compassionate, confident and clear in your communication.
• You will be able to demonstrate high standards in written work and have a clear understanding of the needs of vulnerable children and families.
• You will need to be flexible, supportive and approachable.
• You will have a commitment to continued professional development.
• You must be registered as a social worker with the SSSC.
• You must have a valid UK driving licence as this post requires you to travel to a variety of locations across Perth and Kinross and beyond.

Working at Perth & Kinross Council

Our values and behaviours influence our work and support us in the delivery of our key priorities. In your application, and should you be invited to interview, you will be asked to describe situations that support the criteria required in the role and which also demonstrate our values and behaviours. Find out more about PKC and you could soon be joining our team!

Here's what we can offer you:

• 26 days annual leave (increasing to 31 days after 5 years' service, with the option to buy more)
• 7 public holidays
• Eligibility to join our pension scheme
• Family friendly and positive work/life balance policies such as Flexible Working, Maternity, Paternity & Adoption leave, time off for volunteering and our Health & Wellbeing Framework
• Flexi time
• Access to a range of Benefits including discounted Gym Membership, Annual Leave Purchase Scheme and Low Carbon Car Scheme to name but a few.

You can find more information about our Employee Benefits on our website - Employment information - Benefits.

We recognise there can be benefits to flexible working and where individual jobs allow, we seek to support this. You are encouraged to discuss potential options with the recruiting manager, if this is of interest to you. A healthy work life balance is important to us and we provide supportive management and, where possible, flexible working arrangements to help you achieve that balance. You will have access to training and support for continued professional development.

This role requires you to be registered with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC)

Next Steps

We would love to hear from you and would encourage you to get in touch with Nancy Helm, Team leader via email or MS Teams at nehelm@pkc.gov.uk to find out more.

Click “APPLY NOW”

External candidates are required to provide contact details for 2 referees, including email addresses. One of these must be your current or most recent employer.

We welcome applications from everyone and as a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee to interview applicants who declare a disability and meet the essential requirements of the post. Please contact the hiring manager or the Recruitment Team on (01738) 475555 or recruitment@pkc.gov.uk to discuss any reasonable adjustments. Appointments are based on evidence supplied during the selection process.

Diversity is important to us and although some of our jobs may be perceived to be traditionally gender specific, we welcome applications from everyone and would encourage you to apply if you meet the job requirements. That includes welcoming applications from former armed forces personnel/reservists. Many of the skills picked up during your military career could be transferred directly into a role with local government.

Working with children and/or protected adults is regulated work and under the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007 you will be required to join the PVG Scheme or undergo a PVG Scheme update check.

If you have lived overseas for a period of 12 months or more (continuous or total) within the last 10 years, an Overseas Criminal Record Check will be required. You will be required to provide this check.

A confirmed offer of employment and commencement in the post will be subject to the outcome of the relevant pre-employment checks.