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Achieving for Children is a Community Interest Company that has a public sector ethos, combined with the freedom to innovate enabling us to do things differently. As a not-for-profit social enterprise owned by three local authorities (Windsor & Maidenhead, Kingston and Richmond), we offer the freedoms of a social enterprise with the employment benefits of local government. To find out more about us click here.
Consultant Social Worker (Approach SW)
We’re celebrating an OUTSTANDING achievement across all areas in our latest Ofsted inspection (December 2024) and now, we’re looking for social workers to help build on this success.
If you’re passionate, driven, and ready to be part of something exceptional, now is the time. Come and grow with a team that’s setting the standard for excellence!
Apply today and be part of our success!
We are currently recruiting for a Consultant Social Worker, specialised in child protection to join Approach Social Work. The programme is a three-year social work training programme for graduates and career changers.
Candidates should apply for the CSW role by filling out the Frontline application form using this link.
Approach Social Work is an intensive social work qualifying programme which offers people the opportunity to train on the job as child protection social workers. Participants on the programme work in hubs of five, which are managed by a Consultant Social Worker. Within Achieving for Children we have 2 Approach hubs; one based in Kingston and the other in Richmond.
The hubs are standalone “teams” which work alongside a number of different teams within the service ranging from our Referral and Assessment Teams, Safeguarding Teams, Children with Disabilities Team and our Adolescent Safeguarding Team. This allows the participants to have diverse learning opportunities by co-working a number of different cases from these respective teams before progressing on to holding their own assessments or Child in Need cases.
Consultant Social Workers (CSWs) are vital to the Approach model. Each CSW is responsible for five participants who are undertaking their Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work. CSWs work with participants using a hub model approach – a systemic practice model for working with families, with cases managed through weekly hub meetings. These meetings provide a dynamic learning environment and a reflective space to think systemically about the cases in your hub. The role offers those who wish to remain in practice the opportunity to do so alongside the chance to take on supervisory and management responsibility for a small team.
The Consultant Social Worker reports directly to the Senior Consultant Social Worker who oversees the 2 hubs. The postholder will work very closely with Frontline by engaging in necessary training, utilising the support of the Practice Tutor and attending termly reviews to evaluate the progress of the students. The Consultant Social Worker has overall responsibility for the cases and Performance of its responsible hub, ensuring children are safeguarded and ensuring that Key Performance Indicators are maintained by the participants. The Consultant Social Worker will be responsible for keeping up with new national as well as local guidance and procedures which underpin our work.
About the role
A Consultant Social Worker (CSW) manages and supports a hub of five participants in their first year on Approach Social Work. As a CSW you will remain in practice while developing new skills as a manager, leader and practice educator.
- At least 2 years of Social Work experience post qualifying
- Manage a hub of five Approach participants, who are undertaking their Postgraduate
- Diploma in Social Work
- Be the named case holder of all children and families assigned to your hub, holding responsibility for ensuring statutory requirements of the hub’s cases are complied with and holding responsibility for decisions in case work.
- Hold regular one-to-one supervision with the participants in your hub.
- Manage the workflow and allocation of work in your hub.
- Ensure practice assessments are completed and deadlines are met by your hub.
- Provide ongoing support and guidance to your hub.
- Support your participants to apply their learning with children and families.
- Regularly observe your hub in their direct work with families, giving developmental feedback.
- Track and report on each participant’s progress through the programme.
The Consultant Social Worker position offers the opportunity to:
- Step up to a management-level role without leaving practice
- Access to a high-quality systemic training programme
- Demonstrate through a portfolio of work that you meet the Practice Educator Professional Standards (Stage 2)
- Receive support and mentoring from one of Frontline's practice tutors
- Influence and shape practice, and practice education, across your local authority.
For further information about this role, please contact Jack McWaters, Senior Consultant Social Worker by email jack.mcwaters@achievingforchildren.org.uk for an informal discussion.
About you
The successful candidate will be:
- Educated to a degree level with a relevant professional qualification in social work.
- Active Social Work England registration and proven evidence of continuing professional development.
- Experience in supervising and supporting staff, undertaking line management, performance management and change management.
- Experience of building strong partnerships, maintaining relationships and co-producing solutions to challenges across a diverse set of stakeholders, including children, young people and their families. Advocating the voices of those we are working with.
- Proven ability to effectively use data, intelligence and evidence to create meaningful insight and to inform own decision making.
- Experience of keeping and maintaining records (in accordance with local policy) and producing accurate reports, presentations, and written updates to a range of stakeholders (which may include families, children or young people).
- Knowledge of statutory legislation (for example Children’s Act) and national policy drivers that will affect children’s services and your role.
About our benefits
We are focused on creating a positive supportive environment, where you will have access to a really wide range of resources, as well as a competitive salary and all the perks to enable hybrid working. In AfC you will also have access to:
- 29 days annual leave, increasing to 33 days after 2 years and 35 days after 4 years with an additional day off in your birthday month(Or for term term workers, your leave entitlement consists of the non-working periods in your contract.)
- Tailored induction sessions commencing on the date you start working for AfC
- Local Government salary and pension scheme (LGPS or Teachers Pension)
- Flexible working options - helping to keep a good work life balance
- A comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme
- A range of staff benefits and discounts
- An excellent learning and development offer to support your career pathway
To find out about all of the breadth of benefits of working for Achieving for Children click here. For our social work offer click here. For our Recruitment Journey, click here.
Important Information
Start dates: Achieving for Children have set start dates meaning successful candidates join on a set date in each month. Candidates are advised to prepare for this should a job offer be accepted to ensure eligible continuous service is not affected.
Right to work: The UK has introduced a new points-based immigration system affecting EU and Non-EU workers and sponsorship requirements. We advise checking the GOV.UK website for right to work guidance.
Equality: We particularly welcome applications from sections of the community who are currently underrepresented within our teams. Achieving for Children are committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds bring important and positive contributions and can improve the way we deliver services. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer.
Safeguarding: We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
For more information about AfC: Drop in and meet Regina on the first Wednesday of every month at Civic Centre, Twickenham.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. Therefore, it is strongly advised that you complete and return your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
