Social Worker - Extended Hours Service

This position offers an exciting opportunity to work with a multi agency focus to make a real difference to the outcomes of young people between 11 and 17 years old and their families.

The Extended Hours Service is part of the Children’s Services and Safeguarding Division within Surrey County Council.

The main role of the Extended Hours Service is to support and protect an agreed number of young people and their families who are facing crisis and immediate challenges such as:
„« Being at risk of becoming looked after
„« Or where a placement is breaking down
„« Where immediate and extra specialist help is required to cope, or where problems can be prevented from escalating, and stable and sustainable change can be achieved.

The team is now well established in Surrey County Council and staff members will provide an Extended Hours Service (from 8am to 8pm) including one weekend a month on a fixed rota basis in order to maximise outcomes for young people. This post will be based at St Faiths Centre, Cleeve Road, Leatherhead, Surrey, but will involve you working throughout Surrey.

We are looking to appoint an experienced, motivated and qualified Social Worker who:
„« Is committed to the wellbeing of young people, has a can do approach and is able to work flexibly.
„« Can coordinate a multi agency team of workers to work with a young person and their family and networks.
„« Will have extensive experience of working with children and young people and of multi-agency working.
„« Will also have previous experience of direct work with young people, short term therapeutic interventions, crisis intervention, safeguarding and Looked After Children; be confident to build positive relationships, have an understanding about the challenges that can face young people, and the ability to work with complex and challenging behaviour.
„« A key component of the role will be to co-ordinate and have overall responsibility for the assessments, planning, implementing and reviewing of plans for children and to work in close collaboration.
„« Can manage other team members and liaise closely and clearly with Children’s Social Care teams, who will continue to case hold these cases. You will be self motivated and be a team player.
„« Has excellent communication skills (orally and written) and influencing skills are essential. You will need to be able to write reports about your observations and analyse other reports and information that need to be included within the final reports. You will need to have excellent IT skills including Lotus notes, databases and Word.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Linda King on 01372 832077 ( ).

An enhanced DBS (formerly known as the CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) will be required for this role.

The ability to travel around the county is essential.

Surrey County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer of first choice,
reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications
from all under represented groups.

Interviews will commence on 12/7/12.

• Apply Online (External Website)