The role
The Lifelong Links Social Worker will support the promotion and development of the Lifelong Links Team in Southwark, collaborating with colleagues across children’s social care including in Care, Leaving Care, Fostering, the Clinical Service, and the IRO Service to ensure children and young people are identified and referred for timely, high quality Lifelong Links interventions.
They will work creatively with children, young people and their family and friendship networks to help repair and restore important relationships and progress ‘family time’ arrangements. Where needed, they will complete assessments of ‘family time’ and make recommendations for how children in care can safely remain connected to members of their family and friends network.
When necessary, the Lifelong Links Social Worker will also complete risk assessments of family members and/or friends to plan how to safely involve them in the Lifelong Links process.
The Lifelong Links Social Worker will support the participation of children and young people at Lifelong Links Celebration Events, ensure that their experience is central to the planning for the event and in the after care provided to them, and that their experience of Lifelong Links support is understood through obtaining feedback.
They will be line-managed by the Lifelong Links Team Manager and will work closely with a part-time Clinical Practitioner and a full-time Lifelong Links Project Officer.
They will also provide nurturing support to care experienced young adults who become Lifelong Links Coordinators for current children in care and care leavers and participate in providing learning opportunities and training where needed.
The Lifelong Links Social Worker will deputise for the Team Manager and provide information, advice, support and consultation to the self-employed Lifelong Links Coordinators and chair Lifelong Links Planning Meetings and Midway Reviews when needed.
Main responsibilities include:
• Work creatively with children, young people and their family and friendship networks to help repair and restore important relationships
• Complete assessments of ‘family time’ and make recommendations for how children in care can safely remain connected to members of their family and friends network
• Risk assess family members and/or friends to plan how to involve potential Lifelong Links in the process.
• Support the participation of children and young people at Lifelong Links Celebration Events
• Obtain feedback from children and young people on their experience of Lifelong Links support
• Provide nurturing support to care experienced young adults who become Lifelong Links Coordinators
• Deputise on behalf of the Lifelong Links Team Manager and provide information, advice, support and consultation to the self-employed Lifelong Links Coordinators and chair Lifelong Links Planning Meetings and Midway Reviews when needed
About you:
You will be skilled in social work practice to ensure that children in care, and care experienced young people, are helped to make lasting connections with family, friends and other important people they may have lost contact with.
About Southwark:
We are the largest local authority social landlord in London, managing 55,000 homes lived in by 40% of Southwark’s residents. We are home to over 18,300 businesses including iconic London venues and social enterprises and we have a young, diverse and growing population.
At Southwark we are committed to making our borough just and fair and are taking positive action to tackle inequalities. Our residents and communities are our greatest asset and the passion we have for Southwark is shared by millions of Londoners who enjoy our outstanding cultural offer, use our hospitals and attend our universities. Our refreshed borough plan and focus on Southwark Stands Together, (which is our work with Southwark’s communities and the council’s staff to tackle racism, injustice and inequality) underpins all that we do.
Additional details:
This post is being offered as a fixed term contract for 12 months. We encourage any internal staff to need to gain agreement from their substantive line manager before applying if considering this is as a secondment opportunity.
A satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check at an enhanced level is required.
For an informal discussion about the role please contact Daniel Woods, Family Group Conference Lead by email at Daniel.Woods@Southwark.gov.uk
Benefits and more information:
In your role, we want you to feel supported, challenged and rewarded. You will benefit from our family-friendly policies including flexible working, home working, and a local government pension scheme, plus many other staff benefits. You will join a motivated, driven and supportive team that strives for excellence and values its members. You will also be part of a successful and high-achieving development team that is making a real difference to the lives of residents in the borough. Our offer includes:
• A systemic framework of social work practice
• A vibrant place and Service to work with and a diverse community
• Strong commitment to partnership working with our Local Authority colleagues.
• Commitment to Personal Development
For more information about the wide variety of benefits you can take advantage of please visit our Staff Benefits page.
Guaranteed Interview Scheme:
As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role, and identify with one of the below criteria:
• Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
• Are currently in care, or have previously been in care
• If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition
Recruitment timetable
Closing Date: Sunday 21st April 2024 at 23:59
Interview Date: week commencing 6th May 2024
SWCHTF
We are an organisation who is passionate about our people and understands that richness of diversity is a requirement to provide the best possible services to our communities. This is demonstrated through our council-wide ambitious commitment to tackle racial inequality in our communities and workforce through our Southwark Stands Together programme. We particularly welcome applications from members of the Black, Asian and ethnic minority communities to increase representation at senior management level in the Council.
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