This is an exciting opportunity to join our highly committed Child Disability Team as a permanent Practice Lead, supporting children, young people and families. We are looking for someone who can bring strong social work experience, champion best practice, share specialist knowledge of disability and relevant legislation, and help coordinate and support a pod of social work staff.
Our team works with children and young people with the most complex needs, supporting them and their families through some of the most important points in their lives. This includes children who are likely to require transition to adult services, as well as those open to us for statutory reasons, including being looked after or subject to Swansea’s child protection register and longer term children in need. We are proud to form part of Swansea’s social work provision at Tier 4 of the continuum of need.
As the Practice Lead you will:
Provide practice leadership, supervision and support to a range of staff, from Senior Social Workers to Family Support Workers, helping to promote high-quality, reflective and child-centred practice across the team.
Offer day-to-day guidance and oversight on complex casework, supporting staff to analyse risk, make defensible decisions and deliver effective plans for children, young people and their families.
Lead and support the facilitation of a range of meetings, including family network meetings, multi-disciplinary meetings, strategy discussions and other key forums that support planning and decision-making.
Provide professional direction and oversight in relation to child protection investigations, ensuring that safeguarding concerns are responded to promptly, proportionately and in line with statutory duties and local procedures.
Support and guide care planning for looked after children, ensuring plans are robust, outcome-focused and responsive to the child or young person’s needs, strengths and long-term wellbeing.
- Contribute to court work and complex assessments, including work undertaken within childcare legislation, deprivation of liberty safeguards and mental capacity legislation, ensuring that assessments and evidence are thorough, analytical and professionally sound.
Champion strengths-based practice through Swansea’s Signs of Safety approach, supporting staff to work collaboratively with families and partner agencies to identify strengths, build safety and achieve sustainable change.
Promote high standards of recording, analysis and professional accountability, ensuring that practice is evidence-based, legally literate and focused on achieving the best possible outcomes for children and young people with disabilities.
If you are interested in this post, we would be very pleased to hear from you. You can contact Michelle Bevan, Hub Manager, on 01792 635180 or via michelle.bevan@swansea.com to discuss the post in further detail.
https://www.swansea.gov.uk/media/28148/Arweinydd-Ymarfer_Practice-Lead_CY_EN/pdf/b6Arweinydd_Ymarfer_Practice_Lead_CY_EN.pdf?m=1780669353850
The salary for the position is Grade 10B £49,282 - £50,269 per annum.
- Provide practice leadership and supervision to a diverse team, promoting reflective and child-centred practices.
- Offer daily guidance on complex casework, ensuring defensible decisions and effective plans.
- Lead and facilitate various meetings, supporting planning and decision-making processes.
- Oversee child protection investigations, ensuring prompt and proportional responses.
- Guide care planning for looked after children, focusing on robust and outcome-driven plans.
- Contribute to court work and assessments, ensuring professional and analytical standards.
- Champion strengths-based practice through Signs of Safety, fostering collaboration.
- Promote high recording standards and professional accountability, ensuring evidence-based practices.
- Stay updated with disability-related legislation and best practices.
- Act as a mentor and support staff development, fostering a positive team culture.
- Qualified Social Worker with a valid Social Work England registration.
- Significant experience in a social work setting, with a focus on disability support.
- Supervision experience is essential, with a track record of supporting staff development.
- In-depth knowledge of child protection procedures and legislation.
- Familiarity with court processes and complex assessments.
- Understanding of Signs of Safety or similar strengths-based approaches.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build rapport.
- Strong analytical and decision-making abilities, especially in high-risk situations.
- Ability to work collaboratively with a range of professionals and families.
- Commitment to continuous professional development and a passion for social work.
