Purpose of the post
•Ensure that the people of Gwynedd are at the heart of everything we do.
•Work within the Fostering Regulations (2020)
•Work in line with the ethos of 'Foster Wales’
Responsibility for functions
•Finance - Providing practical and appropriate advice and guidance to service users to facilitate effective financial management in the Service.
•Equipment – Responsibility for any specialist equipment used to carry out the job
Main duties
Level 1 – Newly Qualified Social Worker (General Duties)
•Practice within the relevant legislative frameworks and guidance that underpin the provision of social services in Wales
•Apply the Code of Professional Practice as a registered professional
•Consolidate and develop the skills and knowledge gained through formal qualification through mentoring and guidance of experienced practitioners.
•Attend relevant first 3 years in practice workshops and complete the Consolidation Programme. Work with mentor to develop practice.
•Actively participate in regular reflective supervision and consult with your line manager and other experienced colleagues. Continue to develop your social work practice through ongoing reflection.
•Manage and be accountable for your own work
•Work collaboratively within multi-disciplinary and multi organisational teams, networks, and systems with guidance from your line manager and other more experienced colleagues.
•Exercise professional judgement and decision making increasing in complexity within the first 3 years of practice through mentoring and supervision from your line manager or guidance from more experienced colleagues.
•Manage ethical issues, dilemmas, and conflicts, with guidance and support increasing in complexity during the 3 years.
•Prepare and present professional reports and records through guidance from your line manager and more experienced social workers, ensuring information is correct, consistent and shared safely and appropriately
•Support and empower people to participate in decision making processes
•Advocate with and on behalf of, individuals, families, carers, groups and communities
•Work collaboratively with people in need of care and support, their carers and other professionals increasing in complexity throughout the 3 years
•Undertake strength-based assessments and practice in a way that promotes self-determination, independence and empowerment under the guidance of your line manager or other experienced colleagues and co working on more complex cases.
•Undertake outcome focussed assessment using a ‘What Matters ‘conversation to identify what is important to that individual, eligible needs and to develop outcome focussed plans that facilitate care and support with guidance from you line manager and other more experienced colleagues and co working on more complex cases.
•Prepare, produce, implement, and evaluate plans with individuals, families, carers, groups, communities, and professional colleagues under guidance from your line manager or more experienced social workers.
•Identify, assess and investigate an Adult or Child at risk in accordance with relevant legislation and the Wales Safeguarding Procedures guided by line manager or more experienced colleagues and co-working on more complex cases.
Local Duties
•Help to recruit foster carers;
•Act within Fostering Regulations (2020)
•Assess foster carers to care for children and young people in care and submit the assessments to Gwynedd's Fostering Panel;
•Help to find placements for children and young people who need to come into the Local Authority's care, either within the team's resources or resources provided by independent agencies;
•Annually review the foster carers to find whether they continue to reach the expected level within fostering competencies;
•Contribute to the high-quality training standard of foster carers.
•Be part of the team's duty rota and advise and support foster carers based on being a duty worker.
•Respond to applications for information from the Public, other agencies, the press etc. regarding fostering.
•Act in accordance with the 'Foster Wales' ethos
•Promote a therapeutic method of fostering
Additional Duties
•Responsibility for self-development.
•Ensure compliance with Health and Safety rules in the workplace in accordance with the responsibilities noted in the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Council’s Health and Safety Policy.
•Operate within the Council’s policies in relation to equal opportunities and equality.
•Responsible for managing information in accordance with the Council’s information management guidelines. Ensure that personal information is treated in accordance with Data Protection legislation.
•Commitment to reducing the Council’s carbon emissions in accordance with the Carbon Management Plan, and to encourage others to act positively towards reducing the Council’s Carbon Footprint.
•Undertake any other reasonable duty which corresponds to the salary level and responsibility level of the job.
•Responsibility to report any concern or suspicion that a child or vulnerable adult is being abused.
Special circumstances
•Working unsocial hours occasionally as required.
•There will be an expectation for the post holder to be part of any arrangements that are established on a rota basis.