Social Worker Based In School Project

The social workers based in schools project (SWIS) is looking for an experienced social worker, preferably with two years experience post qualification.

This is a part time, 4 day/29.5 hours per week role, with flexible working, however there will be a requirement for the worker to be based within the school for some of the working week.

It is essential to have excellent assessment and report writing skills as there will be a variety of cases ranging from child in need, child protection through to care proceedings.

Building positive working relationships between, children, families and young people is key to this role as well as building relationships between social care and education.

By being based within the school you will also offer support and advice to the designated safeguarding leads and signpost them to the relevant services, whether that be within the early help sector or within the statutory social work processes. The aim of this SWIS social work project is to prevent cases from escalating, by being based within the schools and having the time to complete meaningful work with children young people and their families.

• Carrying out assessments in line with local authority procedures.
• Working with the Youth Offending Team to support children who are involved in
  antisocial or criminal behavior, if applicable to the specific school.

Although the role of social workers in schools is not early intervention, in order to achieve the best outcomes for children, social workers are encouraged to work with that child in the context of their family and wider community. These broader ways of working can be at the discretion of the local authority but not at the expense of statutory social work.

Examples of this preventative work includes:

• Working together with the school to build better relationships with families and better understand their needs. This may also lead to families having more clarity of potential concerns and the decision to refer to Children’s Social Care if needed. Families would also receive advice and information around this process to support collaborative working.
• Working with feeder primary schools that siblings attend or multi-agency working to support an integrated family approach.
• Providing an educative component, where the school learns from the social worker’s expertise in terms of safeguarding issues and referrals for example. This could happen through the school welcoming and encouraging the social worker’s input in relevant meetings such as inclusion meetings.