Children Social Worker

Purpose of the Post:

1. To chair the reviews of looked after children and children placed for adoption as required by the

Adoption and Children Act 2002 and other statutory regulations and departmental policies and procedures.

2. To chair both initial and review child protection case conferences as required by the All Wales Child Protection procedures.

The post holder is responsible for the following:

1. To chair the statutory reviews for looked after children and child protection case conferences independently and objectively.

2. To contribute to quality assurances systems for monitoring the effectiveness and quality of the LAC review process, ensuring that all statutory requirements are fulfilled and that the review process is used to ensure effective care plans that deliver permanence for looked after children.

3. To contribute to systems for monitoring the effectiveness and quality of the child protection case conference process, ensuring that the requirements of the AWCPP are met and that effective child protection plans are established, monitored and reviewed such that children at risk of significant harm are safeguarded.

4. To provide professional advice to staff and other professionals involved in child protection planning and/or care planning for looked after children.

5. To contribute to quality assurance systems that maintain and improve multi agency interventions with looked after children and that promote the arrangements for effective multi agency child protection practice, including the use of monitoring reports.

6. Report to the service manager as appropriate issues concerning professional practice, procedures and adhere to statutory duties and any issues arising from the LAC reviewing or child protection conferencing arrangements.

7. To prepare for each LAC review and case conference in liaison with the case manager, ensuring relevant documentation is available and that appropriate consultation and information sharing has taken place prior to the meeting.

8. To facilitate the participation of children and parents in LAC reviews and case conference through meeting with them beforehand.

9. To ensure that all parties to a LAC review or a case conference can participate fully and effectively.

10. To ensure that the views of the child are heard and fully understood in order that decisions and plans retail a focus on the childs welfare being paramount.

11. To liaise closely with other staff within the service quality unit and/or involved in quality assurance arrangements within children services with a view to promoting service quality and improvement.

12. To produce and arrange the distribution of a written record of the LAC review discussion and decisions and to contribute to the monitoring arrangements to ensure that decisions are acted upon within agreed timescales.

13. To ensure that an accurate record of the child protection case conference is produced and disseminated to relevant individuals.

14. To participate in and contribute to the development of good practice, procedures and policy for looked after children and children in need of protection within the County.

15. To support and/or undertake other quality assurance activities required of the service quality unit as required by the service manager.

16. To ensure that the work undertaken with respect to children and families meets the high standards expected by the Department and is in accordance with Departmental guidance, current legislation, regulations and standards.

17. To keep up to date with all new legislation, policies and developments within your sphere of responsibility and use this knowledge in developing the work of the service.

18. The post holder may be required to provide assistance at times of major incidents and local emergencies in accordance with the Social Services Emergency Plan

Education, Qualifications & Training:

Professional Qualification in Social Work (or other specified

qualification)

Skills /Technical / Professional Competence

1. Care Council Registration: Must be registered with the Care

2. Council for Wales.

3. Candidates must have a high level of technical competence in the areas specified in the Job Description.

Experience

1. At least three years post qualifying experience of working in a voluntary or statutory child care agency.

Essential

Use of own car

Should the post holder have a disability and/or be unable to drive, then they may seek alternative means of transport/assistance, which must be an effective and cost effective method of travelling