Supporting 14+ Team RCT Council is seeking a skilled and experienced
Principal Social Worker to join our newly developed 14+ Service for an exciting role within the
non-case holding Supporting 14+ Team. About the Role As a Principal social worker in the Supporting 14+ team, you will have the opportunity to complete interventions which are tailored to each family’s unique needs without the responsibility of the usual full caseload. You will work with our more complex cases whilst also providing support, advice and supervision to the wider Supporting 14+ team. This will include working with children & families open under CASP, Child Protection or in Local Authority care. We also work with Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) ensuring they receive the support, guidance, and safeguarding that is tailored to their needs.
This role will require a professional who is passionate about delivering focused, impactful work to support the best outcomes for children and families in a strengths based, solution focused and trauma informed way; in line with the authority’s new R.C.T. Model of Practice. As a newly developed service, you will also have the opportunity to shape our team as we continue to grow and adapt to the ever-changing needs of our service.
The Supporting 14+ team provides specialised support to young people aged 14-25 who are looked after, living at home with family, experiencing homelessness or care leavers, empowering them to develop sustainable life skills and independence. The Team consists of 1 Consultant Social Worker, 1 Principal Social Worker, 1 Social Worker & 2 Intervention Workers, standing independently from but working alongside the 2 14+ Teams (East & West).
The role of the Supporting 14+ Team is to increase the possibility of young people remaining within their family home, reduce the likelihood of placement breakdowns and to encourage the development of healthy relationships within the home and in the wider community through targeted interventions. You will work alongside a wide range of partner agencies to support the essential role of transition planning into adulthood thus ensuring that our care experienced young people exit care at the time that is right for them, with the most appropriate support and accommodation available to them.
Why Work for us? Working in Rhondda Cynon Taf Children’s Services, you will have access to a wide range of staff benefits, as well as an extensive range of learning and development opportunities. We prioritise the well-being of our practitioners, providing support, manageable workloads, and resources needed to thrive.
We are currently rolling out a new Model of Practice across the service, which is relationship focused, collaborative and trauma informed. This means you will access a comprehensive evidence-based training package, which includes Collaborative Communication training - supporting staff to work in an outcome focused way, encouraging reflective and empowering conversations with young people and their families. As well as a bespoke in-house trauma informed practice training programme.
Other benefits include:
- The right to request flexible working and we have supportive policies for parents which include enhanced maternity, adoption and paternity pay. We also work in an agile way, which enables you to work from both home and the office.
- Access to our highly regarded ‘Reflective spaces’ which consist of collaborative discussions between a team or individuals, facilitated by a psychologist that supports the sharing of thoughts, feelings and reactions to experiences in work.
- Access to our Occupational Health Unit and ‘Vivup’, our fully Confidential Employee Assistance Programme.
- 26 days annual leave, rising to 31 days after 5 years’ service. There is also an option to purchase additional annual leave to a maximum of 10 days (pro rata) per year.
- A generous Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).
- Additional Council wide benefits include our Cycle to Work scheme, discounted LeisureForLife membership and a staff discount Vivup card.
This is just some of what we have to offer, take a look at our dedicated Children’s Services webpages for more information about why you should choose a Social Work career in RCT.
www.rctcbc.gov.uk/childrensservicesjobs For further information about the vacancy or to arrange an informal discussion with the manager, please contact: Nicola Bowditch, Service Manager Email- Nicola.Bowditch@rctcbc.gov.uk Additional Information Protecting children and vulnerable adults is a core responsibility of all staff appointed to the Council.
In addition to this safeguarding responsibility, the successful applicant for this role will also be subject to an enhanced disclosure and barring service check. The Council values diversity in its workforce. We are committed to ensuring that no unlawful discrimination occurs in the recruitment and selection process on the grounds of age, sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, transgender, including those with non-binary identities, religion or belief or pregnancy and maternity. We offer a number of staff networks for employees including the Allies Network, a Disability and Carers Network and Perthyn our LGBTQ+ Network.
An application submitted for this post in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application made in English.
As part of the Council’s longer-term objectives in relation to the Welsh language and its Workforce Planning Strategy, it is committed to a guaranteed interview scheme for Welsh-speakers of Level 3 and above. If you meet the essential criteria as identified in the person specification for the job and are a Welsh-speaker of Level 3 and above, you will be invited to interview if you choose to participate in the scheme.
In support of the Council’s voluntary pledge to support the Armed Forces, the recruiter must always be prepared to ensure that applicants who have identified themselves as members of the Armed Forces including Service Leavers, Veterans or Reservists and who meet the essential criteria of the person specification, are offered an interview.
