Job Details
JOB ROLE PROFILE
Purpose of the Role:
• To ensure that the Council meets its statutory obligations to young people leaving care and complies with all legislative, regulatory and corporate requirements
• To be accountable for the provision of a statutory case work service to up to 27 young people ensuring that individual care plans are developed and implemented which meet the full range of needs
• To undertake direct work with vulnerable young people, who may display difficult, challenging and aggressive behaviours, in SCS buildings, in their homes and community settings
• To lead a multi-agency network around each young person and ensure that the input of all agencies e.g. youth offending, police, mental health and the National Asylum Seeking Service, is coordinated and effective and fulfils the agency’s own statutory duties as well as the needs of the young person
• To plan and deliver group work sessions for young people with specific needs
• To take part in a daily duty service to provide an emergency response to any care leaver or older looked after child whose own caseworker is away from the office
• To protect Council resources and ensure that services are provided within a limited budget through proactive financial planning, negotiating individual care packages and making recommendations on appropriate provision in each case
Key Accountabilities:
• To work in partnership with each young person on the caseload to develop and implement statutory care plans which promote positive outcomes in all areas.
• To ensure that statutory responsibly are met and evidenced on each case to meet the expectations of internal and external inspections and to protect the reputational standing of the Council
• To maintain detailed, accurate and contemporaneous records of case work and financial activity
• To make referrals to other agencies including adult social care, Connexions, advocacy, police, substance misuse and housing and crucially to ensure that each agency provides the required support to reach young person to minimise costs to the Council and to promote the welfare of young people.
• To lead and coordinate a multi-agency planning group around each young person to ensure an holistic approach to care planning
• To secure appropriate accommodation for each young person including those with extreme anti-social behaviour, mental health issues and additional vulnerability
• To ensure that each young person is supported into appropriate educational, employment or training resource and that their physical and mental health is promoted
• To work with the home office, solicitors and the ‘no recourse to public fund’ team to ensure that legal status issues are resolved in a speedy manner and that the Council’s resources are targeted appropriately
• To take part in a service duty rota which provides an emergency response to any leaving care young person whose own worker is away from the office
• To make financial projection on expenditure, provide specialist welfare benefit advice and challenge housing benefit and DWP decisions where required
• To complete specialist assessments for pathway plans, pre-birth child protection issues, risk management, fair access and adult services
.
• Carry out all accountabilities in compliance with the Council’s Policies and Procedures.
Key Relationships (Internal and External):
• Vulnerable young people leaving the care of the Council and entitled to a statutory case work intervention up to the age of 24
• Housing, benefits agency, police, prison, youth offending service, mental health and learning disability teams, National Asylum Seeking Service, colleges and other educational settings and the advocacy service
• Social workers, middle and senior managers and finance teams
• Providers of semi-independent proviso nans support
Equality and Diversity:
The Council has a strong commitment to achieving equality in its service to the community and the employment of people and expects all employees to understand, comply with and promote its policies in their own work.
Health and Safety:
The post holder shall ensure that the duties of the post are undertaken with due regard to the Council’s Health and Safety Policy and to their personal responsibilities under the provisions of the Health and Safety at work Act 1974 and all other relevant subordinate legislation.
For a more detailed definition of these responsibilities, refer to the current versions of the Corporate Health & Safety Policy, Group Safety Policy and employee information leaflet entitled “Health & Safety Policy; Guidance on Staff Health & Safety Responsibilities”.
Corporate Health and Safety Responsibilities
All employees have personal responsibilities to take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and others. This means:
1. Understanding the hazards in the work they undertake;
2. Following safety rules and procedures;
3. Using work equipment, personal protective equipment, substances, and safety devices correctly; and
4. Working in accordance with the training provided and only undertaking tasks where appropriate training has been received.
Employees shall co-operate with the Council by allowing it to comply with its duties towards them. This requires employees to:
• take part in safety training and risk assessments and suggest ways of reducing risks; and
• take part in emergency evacuation exercises.
Employees shall report all accidents, ‘near miss’ incidents and work related ill health conditions to their manager/supervisor/team leader.
Employees shall read the Corporate Health & Safety – Organisation Part B Policy to ascertain and understand their responsibilities as an employee, line manager, Assistant Director or Director of the Council.
Information Security:
In order to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of Council information, including information provided by customers, partner organisations, and other third parties, where applicable, employees will comply with the Council’s Information Security Policy.
Statement of Commitment to Safeguarding of Children and Vulnerable Adults through safer employment practice:
Enfield Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults. Safe recruitment of staff is central to this commitment, and the Council will ensure that its recruitment policies and practices are robust, and that selection procedures prevent unsuitable people from gaining access to children, young people and vulnerable adults. All staff employed to work with or on behalf of children and young people in the Council must be competent.
All staff working with Children & Vulnerable Adults should be aware of, and share the commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults when applying for posts at Enfield Council.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
• Significant experience of working with vulnerable young people with a range of complex problems
• Knowledge of the legislative framework around Looked After Children and Care Leavers
• Experience in financial planning, monitoring and the provision of best value services
• Ability to maintain electronic case records in a timely and accurate fashion in line with the Departments recording policy
• Experience in user participation and an ability to develop and implement strategies to ensure that even the most hard to engage young people influence service delivery and design
• Demonstrable success in partnership working for the benefit of young people
