Social Worker, Family Change Team, Strathmoor, Perth

Job Description

Social Worker - PKC11802
£25,609 - £27,321 (21.6 Hours per week)
Family Change Team, Strathmoor, Perth

We have a vacancy for a Social Worker in the Family Change Team, a specialist social work service providing therapeutic support for children and families who have experienced significant trauma.  

This well-established team is based in Strathmoor, Perth, but provides a service for the whole of the Perth and Kinross area and has 2 main areas of work:

1. To provide a direct therapeutic service for children, young people and their families and carers.  This includes work with children from the age of 4 up to 26 (for care experienced young people), parents and carers who are supporting children and young people receiving a service and young people who have arrived in the country unaccompanied and seeking asylum.   All children and young people with whom we work have experienced significant trauma, such as child maltreatment or complex loss and bereavement.
2. To provide a consultation service to a wide range of people who care for and support vulnerable children - including parents and carers, social work colleagues and workers from health, education and third sector organisations.

In addition, the team co-facilitate a peer support forum, provide creative supervision groups for social work practitioners/social care staff and regularly deliver training on relevant issues.

All staff working at Family Change have significant social work experience working with vulnerable children and an active interest in therapeutic approaches. 

The team currently has two qualified play therapists and a sand-play therapist; as well as additional therapeutic training and skills, such as Filial Therapy.

Therapeutic supervision and case management support is provided by the senior practitioner (also a Clinical Supervisor). 

Family Change is a small team and we work closely together, both in therapeutic work (with children and adults) and in consultation. 

The Family Change team do not hold casework responsibility for individual children but work in partnership with the children’s allocated social worker throughout our involvement with the family.

This post may be suitable for candidates who have recently completed their Social Work Degree but have not yet graduated.  In this circumstance, a Social Work Assistant contract will be offered until you receive your qualifying certificate and are eligible to register with the SSSC as a Social Worker.

For purposes of connection and collaboration with colleagues and with the community we serve, our full-time employees work on site for a minimum of 2 days per week with the arrangements for part time employees being agreed on a basis which will ensure that they benefit to an equivalent degree.

Our FAQs on hybrid working can be found here Hybrid working FAQs.

We are committed to being a more inclusive employer - to ensure we can consider any reasonable adjustments, please either contact the recruiting manager to discuss any individual circumstances, discuss at interview or, if you prefer, after any conditional offer is made.

Requirements

You must have a recognised qualification in Social Work.

You must be registered as a social worker with the SSSC.

Experience, knowledge and a commitment to trauma-informed practice and care is essential.

An additional qualification in a therapeutic modality (child or adult) is desirable, but not essential.  

You will be well organised and self-motivated.

You will be able to demonstrate excellent communication skills, both written and verbal. 

This work is relational and you will be comfortable working one to one with children, young people and adults, and in small groups.

You will be reflective and self-aware, able to work well within a small team in which the work can be emotionally intense.

You will have a commitment to continued professional development and an interest in developing your therapeutic knowledge and skills.

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.

The Individual

If you would like any more information regarding this vacancy, please contact Katy Pearson, Senior Practitioner, on 01738 454398 or 07500 577634 or klpearson@pkc.gov.uk Monday to Wednesdays.

When completing your application for this post, please ensure that you provide contact details (including e-mail addresses) for two referees.  One should be your current or most recent employer.

Please APPLY ONLINE.  Facilities are available at all public libraries in Perth and Kinross.  If you have a disability and require reasonable adjustments, please call 01738 475555 to discuss.

As part of our safer recruitment measures, any offer of employment will be subject to the successful completion of mandatory checks including eligibility to work in the UK, Disclosure Scotland or PVG, qualifications, references, and fitness to undertake the post.  This may also include an Overseas Criminal Records Check if you have spent time living overseas.

A healthy work life balance is important to Perth & Kinross Council and we provide supportive management and flexible working arrangements to help you achieve a healthy work life balance.  You will have access to training and support for continued professional development.

Some jobs may have been traditionally carried out predominately by one gender, but we would encourage you to apply if you meet the requirements, irrespective of your gender. 

Perth & Kinross Council welcomes 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.

At PKC our values and behaviours influence our work and support us in the delivery of the Perth and Kinross Offer.  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!

Find out more about working for Perth & Kinross Council and living in one of the most scenic areas of Scotland  Jobs, careers and employment.

What we can do for you

If you are successful in a role with Perth & Kinross Council, you will have access to a range of benefits to help your physical, mental and financial wellbeing.