About Us

Senior Social Worker  

Richmond and Wandsworth Councils Adult Social Services are looking for an experienced qualified Senior Social Worker within the Teddington and Twickenham Locality Team. The team’s focus is to provide a holistic, personalised, strength-based service to residents over the age of 18 who have physical disabilities and older people with physical and mental health disabilities. The role of the Senior Social Worker is a leadership role within the team that supports the Assistant Service Manager and Service Manager to lead, and line manage the team and ensure the delivery of a strengths-based, person-centred service for adults with social care needs and their carers.

We value your work life balance offering manageable caseloads and flexible working.  The offices are based conveniently 10-minute walk from Teddington and Whitton train stations and there is onsite parking at both. 

This this vibrant and diverse team of professionals has a strong focus on development and progression, with many having completed their ASYE portfolio over many years and staying in the team. We offer you an opportunity to join our dedicated and committed team and to enjoy and contribute to the support, guidance and the sense of shared trust that exists to ensure the provision of the most excellent service for our local residents. You will be one of two Senior Social Workers in the team, which consists of 14 Social Workers and 4 Social Care Assessors, 2 Senior Social Workers and 2 Assistant Service Managers, with 1 Service Manager. We are co-located with the local District Nurses and Community Matrons in our 2 bases in Teddington and Whitton

About the role 

The role of the Senior Social Worker is a leadership role within the team that supports the Assistant Service Manager and Service Manager to lead and line manage the team and ensure the delivery of a strengths-based, person-centred service for adults with social care needs and their carers:

As a Senior Social Worker, you will be required to: 

• form part of the management team for the service and provide motivational leadership, being visibly involved both in the office and online, working alongside staff and building relationships with practitioners.
• To provide regular strengths-based supervision to social care staff that empowers and supports practitioners to develop their practice, focusing on their skills, celebrating achievements, and making time for reflective discussions. To oversee Duty.
• To be able to explain the corporate values and behaviours to the service and to discuss equality, diversity, and inclusion with practitioners, challenging discrimination and raising issues of inequality.
• Where required, to hold a small caseload of a high level of complexity.
• To assist as required with the management of budgets by ensuring that throughput of work is consistent and that work steps are completed in a timely and effective way, including quality assuring and authorising assessments, support plans and reviews.
• To act as a Safeguarding Adults Manager in accordance with the Inter-Agency Policy and Procedures for Safeguarding Adults and to chair protection of vulnerable adults’ meetings where required.
• Safeguarding adults is a priority to Richmond and Wandsworth Social Services, and you will receive specialist training and close supervision from a member of the management team to develop this area of your practice. 

Essential Qualifications, Skills and Experience

Knowledge:

• Comprehensive knowledge of Social Work Professional Standards as well as relevant legislation, national guidance, and frameworks in providing an adult social care service.
• A sound understanding of the local authority’s statutory responsibility to safeguard vulnerable adults and the ability to lead the team to work with partners to manage this robustly in accordance with policies and procedures.
• A comprehensive understanding of strengths-based social care.

Experience:

• Substantial post-qualification experience of working in a statutory social care or health setting undertaking effective social care assessments and reviews and developing care and support plans that deliver personalised integrated care and support that helps people to maintain their independence and attain the outcomes they want.

Closing Date:  5^th January 2025

Shortlisting Date: 6^th January 2025

Interview Date: 13^th January 2025 

Test/Presentation: Written case study to be completed prior to an interview

We may close this vacancy early once a sufficient number of applications has been received. Please submit your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.