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 Recruitement 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 the Post.

• Ensuring that the people of Gwynedd are central to everything we do.
• Support vulnerable individuals to live their lives in the way they want to live.
• Assess the needs of adults and their carers in accordance with the requirements of the Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014 and other relevant legislation and guidance.
• Provide citizens' Information, Advice and Support service to enable them to meet personal objectives.
• Support people to identify solutions, prevent dependency and promote independence.
• Provide information on the supportive resources available in the community, from the third sector, the Council and the Health Board to enable citizens to live as independently as possible and improve their quality of life to the fullest.
• Ensuring that individuals' needs are met in accordance with the Council's safeguards and statutory responsibilities.

Responsibility for functions . e.g. staff, budgets, equipment

• Finance - Provides practical and appropriate advice and guidance to service users to facilitate effective finance management in the Service.
• Equipment - Responsibility for any specialist equipment used to perform the job

Main Duties

General Duties

• Practice within the relevant legislative frameworks and guidance that underpin the provision of social services in Wales
• Apply the code of professional practice
• Maintain up to date knowledge and maintain own professional development
• Actively participate in regular reflective supervision by registered social worker or registered occupational therapist (dependant on role and tasks ) and seek advice and support on areas of work beyond expected parameters of work
• Manage and be accountable for your own work and work within the parameters of the role
• Work collaboratively with multi-disciplinary colleagues under guidance from your line manager/registered social worker
• Prepare and present reports and records under the supervision of line manager/ registered social worker ensuring information is correct, consistent and shared safely and appropriately
• Support and empower people to participate in decision making
• Empower people to have a voice and support them to access advocacy services
• Work collaboratively with people in need of care and support and other professionals
• Contribute to strength-based assessments and practice in a way that promotes self-determination, independence and empowerment under the supervision of a registered social worker .
• Contribute to outcome focussed assessment using a 'What Matters 'conversation to identify what is important to that individual, eligible needs and to develop outcome focussed plans that facilitate care and support with guidance from you line manager and other more experienced colleagues.
• Prepare , produce and Implement plans under the supervision of a registered social worker/registered occupational therapist ( dependant on role and tasks)
• Identify an Adult or Child at risk in accordance with relevant legislation and the Wales Safeguarding Procedures and report appropriately.
• Undertake the relevant level 4 qualification as set out in the SCW Qualification Framework and other level 3 and 4 programmes as required.

Local Duties

• IAA Duty
• Supporting applications for Housing
• Clarifying Council's service charging policies
• Work for responding to the complaints regime (if there is a complaint about one of its cases)
• Work related to BIPBC - hospital discharge (no CHC)
• Updating and ensuring data cleanliness
• Attend and contribute at Safeguarding meetings (if relevant to a case)
• Attend and contribute at Team Reflective meetings
• Expectation to occasionally work beyond the boundaries of the work area

Additional Duties

• Responsibility 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.
• Responsible for managing information in accordance with the Council's information management 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 level and responsibility level of the job.
• Responsibility to report any concern or suspicion that a child or vulnerable adult is being abused.
• Due to the nature of the work, it will be necessary to obtain a satisfactory disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

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

• Work unsociable hours occasionally as needed.
• The post holder will be expected to be involved in any arrangements that are put in place on a rota basis.

The above indicates an outline of duties only, in order to give an idea of the level of responsibility entailed. This job description is not exhaustive in detail, and job duties may change from time to time without changing its fundamental nature and level of responsibility.