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Are you an experienced Social Worker looking for a new challenge within a supportive and forward-thinking local authority? West Berkshire Council is seeking a Senior Social Worker to join our Family Placement Team, reporting to the Team Manager for Family Placement. This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to the delivery of high-quality social care services to children and families, while working alongside dedicated professionals in a collaborative environment.

As a Senior Social Worker within the Family Placement Team, you will play a crucial role in supporting the Team Manager in the operational management and leadership of the team. Your key responsibilities will include:

• Working directly with children, young people, and their families to provide effective assessments and interventions.
• Ensuring the delivery of high-quality fostering and adoption services, in line with legislative requirements and best practice.
• Conducting assessments of needs and risks, and implementing appropriate care plans.
• Providing guidance and support to less experienced Social Workers, offering supervision and advice on complex cases.
• Collaborating with other professionals and agencies to ensure holistic support for children and families.
• In addition to the above responsibilities, you will also contribute to the Team Manager’s duties, such as attending management meetings, participating in panels, and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.

To be successful in this role, you should possess the following skills and attributes:

• Qualified Social Worker with a relevant professional qualification and registration with Social Work England.
• Extensive post-qualification experience in a Social Work role, ideally within a local authority setting.
• Sound knowledge of legislation, regulations, and national standards relating to fostering and adoption.
• Demonstrated experience in managing complex cases and providing effective supervision to junior staff.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build positive relationships with children, families, and colleagues.
• Strong organisational and time management abilities, with the capacity to work independently and as part of a team.
• Additionally, you should embody the values of West Berkshire Council, demonstrating a commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion in your practice.

West Berkshire Council offer excellent employment benefits such as:

• Flexible working wherever possible between the hours of 07.00-21.00
• Hybrid working wherever possible working 40% in the office
• Access to a wide range of training and development opportunities
• Generous Local Government pension scheme
• Family friendly policies
• A range of local discounts
• Wellbeing Programme including Employee Assistance Programme and employee benefits
• You will also be entitled to a generous annual leave entitlement starting at 29 days per annum (plus public holidays) Rising by an additional 5 days after 5 years’ service.

Please note that the closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
If you would like to learn more about this role, please contact Keith Langley on 01635 503102 or email keith.langley@westberks.gov.uk.
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