Roles, pay and benefits

Child and Family Worker accountability summary

Under supervision:

• manage a caseload assessing needs, risks and options, considering legal and other requirements
• provide interventions and monitor/evaluate progress
• work directly with families
• maintain accurate records of all work undertaken and produce case reports and correspondence for a variety of audiences
• report any allegation of, or suspicions of, abuse or potential abuse of a vulnerable person to an immediate manager or supervisor.

Newly Qualified Social Worker accountability summary

• Manage caseloads with independence, seeking support where required to meet workload deadlines.
• Report any allegation or suspicions of abuse or potential abuse of a vulnerable person to an immediate manager or supervisor.

Social Worker (Grade 10) accountability summary

• Acting autonomously, apply expert and effective practice in complex situations, assessing and managing risk.
• Report any allegation or suspicions of abuse or potential abuse of a vulnerable person to an immediate manager or supervisor.

Social Worker (Grade 11) accountability summary

• Practice expertly in complex situations, managing higher levels of risk, balancing support and control.
• Mentor newly qualified social workers and supervising the work of support and non-qualified staff.
• Act on any allegation or suspicions of abuse or potential abuse of a vulnerable person.

(Previously known as Advanced Practitioner.)

Advanced Social Worker accountability summary

• Practice skill at highest level as responsible for highly complex caseload.
• Contribute to developing high standards of practice.
• Lead development of specific areas of professional practice across the county.
• Provide mentoring, training, coaching and supervision to social workers and support staff to improve practice and outcomes

(Previously known as Practice Manager.)

Team Manager accountability summary

• Manage a team, including the performance management and professional development of those staff.
• Enable and challenge others to develop their knowledge base and make knowledge-informed judgments, including decision-making about risk.
• Model and use critical reflective skills in management, practice or organisational supervision to enhance practice.

Conferencing and Reviewing Officer accountability summary

• Lead conferences and reviews for children subject to child protection plans and the children that we care for to formulate aspirational, outcome focused plans.
• Provide ongoing oversight and assurance to ensure those plans progress positively throughout the child’s journey, using your ability to influence and, where necessary, challenge to ensure the best possible outcomes for children.
• The ability to communicate effectively and sensitively with children and families, ensuring their views and lived experiences are central to our approach and planning.

(Previously known as Group Manager.)

Service Manager accountability summary

• Drive outcome focused planning, assurance and improvement across the system.
• Contribute to the formulation and implementation of evidence-based policies, processes and guidance, founded upon the views of stakeholders.
• Develop effective relationships within Children’s Services and across the partnership.
• Manage a budget and contribute to decisions on high level spending.
• Manage service delivery or specific reviews, projects and programmes on service/directorate provision through the use of effectively managed resources.

(Previously known as Service Lead.)

Head of Service accountability summary

• Manage the integration and co-ordination of related services, ensuring delivery of an effective service and being accountable for the overall achievements, meeting directorate and corporate objectives.
• Develop a range of policies and plans and approving a significant range of formulated policies and business strategies.
• Take the professional lead on assigned technical areas of specialism, determining, evaluating and managing performance standards to meet defined performance indicators and achieve corporate objectives.
• Direct responsibility for a budget.
• Contribute to decision making on projects or other externalised expenditure.
• Communicate complex specialist information to a range of audiences effectively, including outside of the organisation, in a highly proficient, professional manner.
• Advise senior leaders on updates and implications to changes in specialist area.