Purpose of the Job: Manage a caseload of disabled children or young people aged 0-25 to assess, plan, monitor and review the support/personal assistance needs of service users, working in a person-centred way. Work with the service user and their families/carers to develop a package of support/assistance as they prepare to become adults and in their early adult life that promotes and maintains independence and wellbeing; where appropriate involve other agencies and use community resources to provide equality of opportunity, full participation and inclusion in society. Main duties and responsibilities: Manage a complex and diverse caseload of children, young people and their families, undertaking assessments to determine the needs and capabilities of clients and carers, and drawing up plans of support under the supervision and guidance of a designated supervisor, using agreed eligibility criteria and in accordance with statutory requirements, Directorate and Corporate Policy and National Legislation. Cost any support package and assist the client to access the most appropriate and comprehensive support available through community resources, direct payments or commissioned services. This should be achieved where appropriatewithinamulti-agency environment and in accordancewithserviceusers' wishes, directorate budget limits and the requirements of the strategic framework and/or lead commissioning framework relating to the procurement of services. Provide and ensure the availability of adequate advocacy arrangements to assist service users towards self-determination of their personal assistance arrangements. Identify and where appropriate manage any safeguarding and quality of care issues in line with directorate policy and practice requirements, taking forward appropriate actions and communication with supervisor / line manager/ other directorate officers and develop investigating officer skills. Ensure that service users are empowered throughout the assessment, are at the centre of the decision making process and have control over their lives. Develop good working relationships with Education and Health staff to contribute to Education, Health and Care plans and other individual plans to ensure that positive outcomes for children and young people are achieved. In order to develop a holistic response, where appropriate, initiate and develop close working partnerships with other agencies: District Councils, voluntary agencies, the commercial and private sectors. Research, develop, continue and consolidate a knowledge base and level of skills to enable the assignment of more complex cases to meet the ever changing needs of service users and to ensure inclusion and full participation in the local community. Maintain an awareness of changes in legislation, theories, corporate and directorate policies, local and agency practices relating to disabilities in order to disseminate knowledge throughout the team and contribute to the delivery of a high standard of service. Contribute to the development of new initiatives through attendance on Working Groups,multi-agency fora, training courses etc to develop current and new ways of working that meet service requirements. Maintain and keep accurate electronic records using the Social Care electronic system. Write and verbally present reports for formal meetings including reviews, case conferences and court proceedings. SKILLS AND ABILITIES Good interpersonal skills in order to communicate effectively with clients and colleagues, and when working in groups Ability to prioritise and to work effectively on own initiative as well as within a team Interest/desire to lead in training courses Supervisory, mediation and negotiation skills Ability to supervise and develop student placements Good report-writing skills and the ability to communicate clearly in writing Ability to work within a court setting Computer literate Ability to travel across a wide geographical area in a timely and flexible manner at various times of the day in accordance with the needs of the job KNOWLEDGE A thorough knowledge of human development, social work theories and the needs of people with disabilities Good knowledge of the legislation underpinning the provision of services to children and adults with disabilities A working knowledge of Directorate and national policies, frameworks and regulations. Knowledge of Child and Adult Protection procedures Knowledge of court proceedings Up to date knowledge of research Knowledge of family relationships Good knowledge of assessment frameworks Connect2Staff/Connect2Kent, part of Commercial Services Trading/Kent Ltd, is an equal opportunities Employment Agency & Business and positively encourages applications from all suitably qualified and eligible candidates.

Purpose of the Job: Manage a Children & Families caseload of various levels of complexity, involving the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of appropriate action, contributing to the effective application of resources to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and their families. The postholder should be working in line with the Social Care Capability Framework (SCCF). The post holder must complete the ASYE standard within 2 years of qualifying. Main duties and responsibilities: Manage a Children & Families caseload to include complex and diverse cases, involving assessments, reviews and the preparation of welfare reports and court attendance, to effectively meet the needs of the client group, in line with the standards set out in the Social Care Capability Framework. The caseload will be managed within the relevant framework of supervision dependent on the complexity of the case and post qualification experience of the post holder. Initiate and develop close working partnerships with statutory agencies, voluntary and private sector agencies, carers and those with parental responsibility in order to facilitate good outcomes for children and their families. Complete effective and timely recording of accurate information using agreed systems. Maintain a good working knowledge of legislation, local policies and procedures, particularly those relating to Looked After Children, Children in Need and Child Protection, acting in line with these to ensure consistency and a high quality of service delivery. Attend training courses and other development opportunities as agreed with line manager to ensure compliance with Social Work England and SCCF requirements SKILLS AND ABILITIES Good interpersonal skills in order to communicate effectively with children, families and colleagues. Ability to prioritise and to work effectively on own initiative as well as within a team Good report-writing skills and the ability to communicate clearly in writing Undertake high quality assessments and develop and review plans Ability to work within a court setting Computer literate Connect2Kent is a trading style of Commercial Services Kent LTD - A company wholly owned by Kent County Council. Connect2Kent is an equal opportunities Employment Agency & Business. It positively encourages applications from all suitably qualified and eligible candidates.

Demonstrate expert and effective practice in complex situations, assessing and managing higher levels of risk, striking a balance between support and control, liaising with a wide range of professionals. Manage complex caseloads and offer expert opinion within the organisation and to others. Model good practice setting expectations for others, continuing to develop specialisms and act as champions across the services in their area of expertise. Manage a caseload of complex cases involving high levels of risk and needs to a high standard to ensure resources are utilised effectively.. Provide a high quality resource of professional social work knowledge and expertise to a team of Social Workers, to include student supervision, chairing complex meetings, assisted fieldwork, attendance in court, case audits and reviews etc, to assist the team in ensuring that it carries out its core tasks to a high standard. Provide coaching and mentoring support to Social Workers, including those undertaking social work training, to support and further their professional knowledge and development to impact upon the overall quality of practice within teams. Attend court, where appropriate, to assist the team in ensuring that key professional input and expertise is provided to high profile and sensitive cases. Act as Practice Assessor to support student placements/ASYE. Liaise regularly with colleagues throughout the Council to ensure social work staff deliver existing and new practices consistently and to a high standard. Contribute to the development of new initiatives through attendance or leadership on working groups, multi agency forums, training courses etc and acting as lead for identified service initiatives, i.e. planning for permanence and research work, to develop current and new ways of working that meet service requirements. Maintain awareness of changes in legislation and related policies and practices and ensure all social work staff are also informed of these changes to enable consistent and timely implementation. Connect2Staff/Connect2Kent, part of Commercial Services Trading/Kent Ltd, is an equal opportunities Employment Agency & Business and positively encourages applications from all suitably qualified and eligible candidates.