14+ Team (West) Grade 5 at £26,824 per annum We are seeking to recruit an enthusiastic and self-motivated Support Worker to join our
14+ Service. Working to the requirements of the Children Act 1989, The Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 and Social Services and Wellbeing Act 2014, the 14+ Team delivers services to young people on a Care and Support basis; young people who are in care and those who are care experienced; as well as young people who are homeless within Rhondda Cynon Taf.
As a Support Worker within this service, you will work closely alongside other team members including Personal Advisors, Social Workers and Principal Social Workers and you will undertake practical support, as part of a young person’s plan. This will include accompanying young people to appointments, undertaking 1-1 direct work, activity based focussed work; all of which will be directed by team members.
The successful applicant will need good communication skills with young people and a willingness to want to work with this age group, which can be both rewarding and demanding. You will need to work independently and flexibly but you will always be given support and direction in terms of the areas of work requested.
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. We are also currently piloting an enhanced flexible working policy in these teams, allowing you to have up to 2 non-working days per month!
- 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 Vectis card.
For further information about the vacancy or to arrange an informal discussion with the manager, please contact: Kathryn Morgan, 14+ West Team Manager(01443) 425006. 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.
