# Kinship Senior Social Worker **Company**: London Borough of Hillingdon **Location**: Uxbridge **Work arrangement**: hybrid **Experience**: senior **Job type**: Full time **Salary**: GBP 49,590 - 53,919 per year **Category**: Social Care **Industry**: Healthcare **Apply**: https://www.jobsgopublic.com/job/kinship-senior-social-worker-78184?utm_source=yubhub.co&utm_medium=jobs_feed&utm_campaign=apply **Canonical**: https://yubhub.co/jobs/job_cf1c5e48-729 ## Description We are seeking experienced Social Workers and Senior Social Workers to join our Kinship service, supporting children and families through assessment, care planning and court processes. This is a rewarding opportunity to work with complex cases, contribute to high-quality assessments and play a key role in securing stable, supportive arrangements for children within their extended families. **As a Social Worker, you will:** - Manage a varied and increasingly complex caseload, including safeguarding responsibilities. - Use a range of frameworks for assessment and intervention. - Chair professional meetings with multi-agency partners, children and families. - Produce clear, evidence-based assessments, reports and case recordings. - Use evidence and research to inform decision-making and practice. - Support students and new colleagues, including acting as a buddy where required. - Take responsibility for your own supervision, development and reflective practice. - Challenge discriminatory practice and promote inclusive outcomes. - Respond proactively to safeguarding and emergency situations. **As a Senior Social Worker, you will additionally:** - Manage a complex caseload with a high level of autonomy. - Provide expert advice and guidance to colleagues, managers and partners. - Model high standards of professional practice and caseload management. - Prepare court reports and provide expert testimony in Care or Private Law proceedings. - Participate in panels and contribute to decision-making processes. - Support team planning and contribute to service delivery. - Act as a Practice Educator for students and/or Newly Qualified Social Workers. - Produce management information and support service analysis. **Kinship Focus** - Complete detailed, analytical and evidence-based assessments of prospective kinship carers. - Produce high-quality support plans within required timescales and deadlines. - Work to court deadlines and panel requirements. - Demonstrate knowledge of the child’s journey through court, including temporary fostering and kinship arrangements. - Apply understanding of kinship care legislation, frameworks and support options. - Work both independently and collaboratively as part of a team. - Advocate for and offer high level support to Kinship carers and the children in Kinship Arrangements. **About You** - Hold a recognised Social Work qualification and are registered with Social Work England. - Have substantial post-qualifying experience (3+ years) within children and families services and can work at the Senior SW expectations of practice level. - Have very strong assessment and analytical writing skills (required for court and for panel). - Have experience working with complex families and safeguarding. - Ideally have experience within kinship and/or fostering teams. - Are organised, proactive and able to manage competing priorities. - Can build effective relationships with children, families and partner agencies. - Enable others to learn including student and apprentice SW's and be a model of good practice for less experienced staff members. A qualification as a Practice Educator is desirable. - Be a strong team player which includes regular Duty days in the office and mandatory team meetings and team training. **Additional Information** - You must have the right to work in the UK. - This is a hybrid role, with a requirement to attend the Civic Centre, Uxbridge at least twice a week. - Travel is required as part of the Kinship assessment role. **Benefits** - Flexible Working Hours - 36 Hour Week - Generous Holiday Entitlement - Hillingdon Sports & Leisure - Salary Sacrifice Schemes - Cycle to Work - Local Government Pension Scheme - Perkbox Benefits - Mental Health Support and Counselling Services - Travel Support - Trade Union Membership ## Skills ### Required - Social Work qualification - registered with Social Work England - substantial post-qualifying experience - strong assessment and analytical writing skills - experience working with complex families and safeguarding ### Nice to have - experience within kinship and/or fostering teams - qualification as a Practice Educator --- Source: [Apply at jobsgopublic.com](https://www.jobsgopublic.com/job/kinship-senior-social-worker-78184?utm_source=yubhub.co&utm_medium=jobs_feed&utm_campaign=apply)