Job Details

Hours of work: Casual Working pattern:Casual

Closing date: Sunday 09 July 2017

For an informal discussion please contact Michelle Barrow, Annie McNaughton (Senior Social Workers) or Sue Dawes (Practice Manager)

About the Role

The Looked-After Children's Community Family Work (Contact) Service offers reunification family support and supervised contact for children looked-after in East Sussex.

We are pleased to advertise for a full-time Community Family Worker to join our large and busy service. The countywide teams are based in Newhaven, Hailsham and Hastings and this vacancy will be based in our east or central location.

The successful candidate will be a warm and motivated individual with clear professional boundaries and the capacity to work with families to written agreements under Children's Services policy and protocol. Community Family Work is at times challenging and sometimes requires emotional resilience therefore our new colleague will need to be a great communicator, empathic listener and flexible problem-solver. CFWs must have excellent time management skills. This is an essential car user position. In return we offer regular, reflective supervision, guidance and support. There is always a strong base to return to, providing humour and support when CFWs have been working independently. Recording is undertaken on the LCS system which requires a good standard of written English and IT skills. We provide the opportunity for training and development following a  period of thorough induction.

The position is Single Status 6, spinal column points 14 to 16, the salary (from 01 April 2017) is 18,578 to 19,728 pro rata.

Supervised contact and family support are arranged within Safeguarding and Care Plans determined by Legal and LAC Independent Reviewing processes.

CFWs encourage positive relationships between children and their birth-families during the period in which assessment is undertaken and decisions are made about a child's future.

We promote play, healthy eating and respectful boundaries in the course of our intervention. The CFWs usually have an interested observer and reporter role however at times the CFW may be asked to pro-actively lead contact, provide suitable opportunities for a child's development and model appropriate parenting styles.

Neutrality and accuracy about what is seen and heard is  imperative. A written recording of the contact or family support session is always prepared within tight timescales and is typically used as evidence in Court.

Additional Information

This post is subject to an Enhanced DBS check or Enhanced check for Regulated Activity with the Disclosure & Barring Services (previously the Criminal Records Bureau). Please note that we require evidence of an overseas police check if you have lived or worked abroad.

Your starting salary will be pro rata if the above position is part-time or term-time only.

Work Permits: we may be able to obtain a Work Permit for this post but this is subject to meeting the requirements of the UK Border Agency’s Points-based Immigration System.

From 6 April 2011 the Home Office has placed a permanent restriction on the number of migrant workers that all Tier 2 (General) Sponsors can recruit. Due to the restrictions we cannot guarantee that individuals that meet the requirements of the Points-based Immigration System will be issued with clearance to obtain work permits.

Equal Opportunities

East Sussex County Council is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all suitable candidates, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, disability or age. All applications are treated on merit.