Social Work Assistant - Disabled Children's Team North Kent

Role Responsibility

About the Team:

Kent County Council’s Strengthening Independence Service is recognised by Ofsted in their most recent 2022 inspection; “Disabled children and young people are provided with exceptional support from their Social Workers, whose care and commitment shines through their work. Written notes of visits show lovely rich communication with children using a wide range of styles, including some as basic as touch and reading facial expressions. This communication helps build strong trusting relationships. Their needs are championed to ensure that they get the best care and support.”

We have an exciting opportunity for a full-time and permanent Social Work Assistant in the Strengthening Independence Service’s Disabled Young People's Team covering North Kent. The team covers Dartford, Gravesham, Swale and surrounding villages. We promote hybrid working but do encourage working in an office at least twice per week so the team can get together and share ideas and knowledge whilst supporting each other. There is an expectation that you are able to work flexibly across the whole area covered by the team.

We are able to provide an extensive training and development programme and you will be provided with support and opportunities to further develop your own knowledge and skills with regular supervision.

Role and Responsibilities:

You will be involved in assessing the needs of disabled children and young people aged between 0 and 18. Our team consists of Social Workers, Senior Practitioners and Social Work Assistants and you will be required to support the role of the Social Workers within the team and also to have an allocated caseload yourself.

You will be required to work alongside and in partnership with other professionals to develop plans to meet the care and support needs that have been identified.

You will be required to ensure that all record keeping is accurate and kept up to date using the appropriate IT systems.

About You:

We are looking for somebody who is highly motivated and can demonstrate excellent interpersonal and communication skills to deliver the highest quality service to disabled young people, their families and carers. The successful candidate would have a positive, forward-thinking attitude and be creative and imaginative and be able to work collaboratively as part of the team.

A qualification of Level 2 Health and/or Social Care would be desirable for this post and experience in either Children’s Services is essential.

This post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure Application to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

This post is considered by KCC to be a customer-facing position. The Council therefore has a statutory duty under Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) to ensure that post holders have a command of spoken English/Welsh sufficient for the effective performance of the job requirements. The appropriate standards are set out in the Job Description/Person Specification.

Contact Details

If you wish to discuss this vacancy further, please contact Ursula Dette, Team Manager on 03000 417397.

About the Company

Work that works for you and us - let’s talk flexibility!

KCC is committed to building a workforce which reflects the diversity of the county’s working residents, encouraging applications from people of all ages, abilities, genders, sexual orientations, ethnic backgrounds, faiths and those with caring responsibilities, and aspires to create an inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves at work.

Please note – if you are interested, please apply as soon as possible as the closing date for this advert may be earlier than stated should a number of suitably qualified candidates apply.