Social Services Practitioner

Gwynedd Council offers an attractive employment package, for more information please click on this ( Information Pack )

Gwynedd Council operates internally through the medium of Welsh, and offers all its services bilingually. The applicant will be required to reach the linguistic level noted as one of the essential skills in the Person Specification.

We encourage everyone who applies for a job with Gwynedd Council to submit job applications in Welsh or bilingually.
(Applications submitted in English only or Welsh only will always be treated equally, but we ask applicants to consider carefully what the linguistic requirements of the job in question is and if it would be more appropriate to submit an application in Welsh.)

For further information about this post please contact Teressa Margaret Williams on teressamargaretwilliams@gwynedd.llyw.cymru

Interview date 09/12/2024

Application forms and further details available from Support Service, Gwynedd Council, Council Offices, Caernarfon, LL55 1SH
Tel: 01286 679076
E-Mail: Swyddi@gwynedd.llyw.cymru

CLOSING DATE: 02/12/2024

The Council will request a Disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service for the successful candidate.

If you are successful to be short listed for an interview you will be contacted by E-MAIL using the address provided on your application form. You need to ensure that you check your email regularly.

Adult Service Recruitment Pack.pdf

Person Specification

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES
ESSENTIAL
Positive attitude towards service users and co-workers
Committement to work to protect the safety , wellbeing and welfare of children
Able to work as part of a team and as directed by the Team
manager
To display commitment and enthusiasm in relation to acheiving positive outcomes for children , Young people and their families.
To be commited to personal development
To be an effective Communicator and be able to build good relationships
The ability to be creative and imaginative with children and families
Flexibility
The ability to work under pressure

DESIRABLE
-

QUALIFICATIONS AND RELEVANT TRAINING
ESSENTIAL
5 GCSE's grade C or above

DESIRABLE
Qualification in child care or relevant social care or Health care (e.g. NVQ 3, Diploma in welfare Studies, Child Development)
Evidence of relevant personal development through in service training

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE
ESSENTIAL
The ability and experience of working alone and as a member of a team.
The ability to communicate well.
Working in a creative and positive manner.
The ability to work under pressure
The ability to have difficult and challenging conversations
Experience of working with children and families who present with a range of complex needs (mental health challenges, behaviour difficulties, drug and alcohol misuse, domestic violence) and demonstrate an ability to create rapport and build effective relationships.
Knowledge of safeguarding, childcare legislation, local Child Protection Procedures, and an understanding of child development, parenting capacity and risk and protective factors.
Able to build reflective, supportive, and outcome-focused relationships with children and their families.
Experience of planning work in a structured and efficient manner
Attending and contributing to meetings

DESIRABLE
Experience of conducting or contributing towards, assessments, care planning and reviews with clients with complex needs.
Knowledge and understanding of a range of evidence-based approaches including attachment and loss theory, relationship and strength based interventions.
Experience of giving analytical feedback on input and progress in cases

SKILLS AND SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE
ESSENTIAL
IT skills
Knowledge of children's needs and child development
Understanding and commitment to anti-discriminatory and anti oppressive practice
The ability to interpret and record events clearly and accurately
Clean, current driving licence
The ability to prepare quality reports in both English and Welsh
The ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing
Contributing towards devising and implementing plans to meet children's needs.
The ability to formulate and deliver creative packages of support and empowerment tailored to meet the individual's needs.
Evidence of multi-agency awareness and how partnership working will enhance the service delivery and achieve the individual's objectives.
Maintaining supportive relationships with colleagues in social work and external agencies.
Ability to engage children and their families and maintain relationships.
Contribute towards collating appropriate information in order to make informed decisions regarding packages of support.
Understanding of the purpose of supervision.
Awareness of professional self-management

DESIRABLE
Experience and knowledge in relation to interventions methods such as parenting, behaviour management, healthy lifestyles, mindfulness.

LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS
ESSENTIAL
Listening and Speaking - Higher Level
Able to follow a conversation or discussion through the medium of Welsh and English on a professional level and discuss general day to day topics in the field in order to present information and express opinions. Able to give a pre-prepared presentation and respond to any comments and questions on it in Welsh or English.

Reading and Understanding - Higher Level
Able to understand standard written Welsh and English; both formal and informal. Able to gather information from various sources such as letters, reports, articles through the medium of Welsh and English in order to fulfil the post.

Writing - Higher Level
Present written information confidently by letter, more detailed and technical report formats, and respond to written requests conveying information, ideas and opinion in Welsh and English (help is available to check the work).

The attributes expected of the postholder should be noted. These should be used as assessment criteria for all candidates.

Job Description

Purpose of Post
• Ensure that the people of Gwynedd are at the centre of everything we do.

Responsibility for Resources e.g. staff, budgets, equipment
• -

Main Duties
General Duties
• Practice within the regulatory frameworks and the relevant guidelines which form the basis of the social services provision in Wales.
• Implement the professional code of practice.
• Possess the latest information and maintain your own professional development.
• Take an active part in regular reflective supervision by registered social workers or a registered occupational therapist (depending on the role and tasks) and seek advice and support on work fields beyond the expected work boundaries.
• Manage your own work and be accountable for it and work within the boundaries of the role.
• Collaborate with cross-disciplinary workers under the guidance of your line manager/registered social worker.
• Prepare and submit reports and minutes under the supervision of the line manager / registered social worker by ensuring that the information is correct, consistent and is shared safely and appropriately.
• Support and empower people to participate in decision-making processes.
• Empower people to have a voice and support them to access advocating services.
• Collaborate with people who require care and support and other professional workers.
• Undertake strength-based assessments and practice in a way that promotes self-determination, independence and empower under the supervision of a registered social worker.
• Conduct an assessment that is result-focused by using the conversation 'What Matters' to note what is important to the individual, eligible needs and develop plans that focus on results that facilitate care and support with guidance from your line manager and other more experienced colleagues.
• Prepare, produce and implement plans under the supervision of a registered social worker/registered occupational therapist (depending on the role and tasks).
• Identify an Adult or Child who are at risk in accordance with the relevant legislation and Wales Safeguarding Procedures and report appropriately.
• Undertake with the relevant level 4 qualification as noted in the SCW Qualification Framework and other level 3 and 4 programmes as required.

Other duties
• The post-holder is required to conduct Return Home Interviews with children and young people who have been missing from home/care.
• Return Home interviews and resulting reports will be completed in line with timely expectations and of a quality that ensures any risks are explicitly shared and well managed.
• The post-holder will collaborate closely with members of the referral team and the children's admissions team to receive information regarding the children and young people who have been referred to the Children and Supporting Families Department by NWP following a period of being missing from Home/Care.
• The post-holder will work closely with NWP to receive and share information before conducting a Return Home Interview.

• The post-holder will work closely with Social Workers who will retain responsibility for undertaking a Return Home Interview to those cases already open to them on their caseloads to share information in relation to safeguarding.
• To contribute towards keeping children and young people safe in our community and free from exploitation.
• The post-holder will liaise very closely with NWP on completion of return home interviews to share information gathered during Return Home interviews to support NWP's gathering of intel and data in relation to matters relating to CSE/CCE to support the work being undertaken to safeguard vulnerable children and young people living and placed in Gwynedd.
• The post-holder will contribute towards developing a multi-regional resource that will develop an area of expertise in the field of Return Home Interviews.
• The post-holder will provide quarterly reports to Gwynedd Children's Senior Management Team.
• The post-holder will develop strong links with the Protecting Vulnerable People's Unit (NWP) and maintain effective communication with the Gwynedd Child Sexual/Criminal Exploitation Panel.
• Six-monthly reports will be provided to the Gwynedd and Anglesey Local Safeguarding Children's Delivery Group.
• Responsible for self-development.
• Ensure compliance with Health and Safety rules in the workplace in accordance with the responsibilities noted in the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Council's Health and Safety Policy.
• Operate within the Council's policies in relation to equal opportunities and equality.
• Responsibility for managing information in accordance with the Council's information management standards and guidelines. Ensure that personal information is treated in accordance with Data Protection legislation.
• Commitment to reducing the Council's carbon emissions in accordance with the Carbon Management Plan, and to encourage others to act positively towards reducing the Council's Carbon Footprint.
• Undertake any other reasonable duty which corresponds to the salary and responsibility level of the post.
• Responsible for reporting any concern or suspicion that a child or vulnerable adult is being abused.

Special Circumstances. e.g. the need to work unsociable hours, special working arrangements etc.
• -

The above is only an outline of the duties of the post to provide an idea of the responsibility levels associated with the post. This job description is not comprehensively detailed and the duties of the post could change from time to time without changing its basic nature and level of responsibility.