Experienced Social Worker - Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) - Ref: CH08924

Salary: G9 £39,513 - £ 44,711

About the role

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced qualified social work practitioner to join the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH). This is a permanent full-time position for an experienced social worker, ideally with previous MASH experience.

We are looking for candidates who are committed, enthusiastic, dedicated and passionate about providing the right help, support and protection to children, young people and their families in Walsall.

We want every child and family in Walsall to be understood, happy and safe, and to feel a sense of belonging which will help them learn, achieve and succeed. We’re applying this vision to everything we do for children, young people and families.

Families in Walsall have greater control, ownership and are empowered in decision-making. Putting them at the heart of our service truly sets us apart, and our support means families have the opportunity and support to inform their future. We strive to ensure that children, young people and their families receive the right help, support and protection at the earliest opportunity, and receive high quality services to ensure positive outcomes.

As an experienced social worker in MASH, you will be passionate about children, young people and their families to be at the heart of decision making, and work in a way that builds on family’s strengths. If this is you, we can’t wait to hear from you!

You will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team in partnership with colleagues from Police, Health, Mental Health, Education, Probation and Black Country Women’s Aid. You will explore with the family their current needs and any previous help and support they have required. You will work collaboratively with MASH partners, our family help service and the wider partnership to obtain relevant information about the family to support you to work with the family to identify the best help, support and protection for them to meet their identified needs, in a timely way, that helps to ensure positive outcomes.

About you

Your background will include post qualifying social work experience within a local authority or equivalent, while your knowledge will cover good assessment skills and developing plans for children and young people in complex circumstances including child protection, current legislation, and the theory, methods, research and policy around social work with children and families.

You will be enthusiastic, passionate and knowledgeable about ensuring the right help, support and protection for children, young people and their families that effectively meets their individual needs.

You will have excellent communication skills and be able to work with children, young people and families in an open, honest and transparent way, working in partnership with them to ensure their voice is heard and they are actively involved in decisions about their lives.

You will demonstrate commitment to your own practice development and continued professional development and be registered with Social Worker England.

Why work for Walsall?

Walsall is an innovative and creative local authority, but above all our friendly supportive culture ensures practitioners have the right support to grow and develop.

You are part of a challenging profession, that’s why we ensure you are never alone but instead surrounded by approachable practitioners and managers. Allowing you to spend time on what counts, direct work with children young people and families.

Career development pathways and flexible hybrid working will make you want Walsall to be in your future!

Walsall is where innovation really happens. Our Families First offering is leading the way in the transformation of regional and national approaches too, and we’re one of only ten local authorities working this way. Our multi-agency structure is already established and we’re going to continue to innovate to ensure better outcomes form children and young people

Walsall is a truly exciting place to be where you can make a difference to every family. If you share our vision, shouldn’t you be here too?

Families First

We’re committed to creating a culture of supporting families to overcome challenges and to stay together and thrive. Or where that isn’t possible, for family networks to offer safe, loving and stable homes and keep children out of local authority care

Family Service: Family networks will be placed at the heart of our practice, as we recognise the importance of engaging the wider systems around a family as early as we can so that children and young people remain living at home or with their families.

Family Help: Our family help service will align our family safeguarding model and targeted early help teams in supporting children, young people and families as soon as possible.

Child Protection: We’ve created a new role of Lead Child Protection Practitioner, and you simply won’t find that anywhere else. We’re continuing to develop our multi-agency child protection team. It’s all about developing systems and practices with partners including the police, health, and probation services to form an expert network of child protection leads and specialists.

Looking after you

We’re committed to growing and developing our own workforce. So you’ll be supported throughout their career to become skilled and confident through our learning and development offer.

We also want you to achieve and maintain a healthy work life balance and there’s a range of employee benefits to suit everyone’s lifestyles.

• Flexible working - there are different options depending on your role and on customer and service needs, and it includes 9-day fortnights, flexible and hybrid working
• Clinical Supervision
• Retention Payments post 2 years in service
• A commitment across our service to Equality Diversity and Inclusion
• Established learning and development frameworks

About the rewards

We’re committed to creating a high-quality and valued workforce where you can feel cared about and listened to. You’ll have managers available to guide you, plus access to our comprehensive practice development training. There’s also continuous professional development, opportunities for networking and collaboration, and clinical supervision that promotes your wellbeing.

As well as a competitive salary, you can look forward to a generous pension scheme, 28 days’ annual leave (pro-rata) plus 5 additional days for 5 years continuous local government service, family friendly policies, flexible and hybrid working arrangements for your life-work balance, and a progressive health and wellbeing agenda led by a dedicated team.

Would you like to talk to a social worker about the realities of working in Walsall?

If so, please contact Rebecca Warren, Group Manager, Help and Protection, who will connect you with one of our practitioners

Rebecca.warren@walsall.gov.uk or 01922 653476

Should you wish to have an informal discussion or find out more about this position, please do not hesitate to contact me Rebecca Warren, Group Manager Rebecca.warren@walsall.gov.uk or the MASH Team Manager Lisa Bowen lisa.bowen@walsall.gov.uk

Closing date for applications is 26 th January 2025. If you are interested in applying for this position, please complete the application including supporting information by the closing date of 26 th January 2025.

Interviews will take place week commencing 3 rd February 2025

View: Job Description and Employee Specification

This post is covered by the Government’s Code of Practice on the English Language Fluency Duty for public sector workers. The post holder will be required to communicate verbally with customers and provide advice and/or information in accurate spoken English.

Walsall Council takes seriously the responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of all the children, young people and vulnerable adults entrusted to our care and it is our expectation that all staff will share this commitment. We will ensure continuous development and improvement of robust recruitment processes and procedures that promote a culture of safeguarding amongst our workforce. Completion of an enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check is a requirement for working with children and young people and vulnerable adults.

Note: Applicants appointed to posts that require an enhanced DBS clearance must declare any periods of time that they have lived, studied or worked abroad and be prepared to provide an Overseas Criminal Records Certificate (OCRC) or a Statement of Good Conduct (SOGC) relating to anytime they were overseas

Important note: When completing your online application form, you will be asked to enter supporting information. You must enter a detailed supporting information statement describing how your skills, abilities and experience meet the specific criteria included in the employee specification. If you do not include a supporting information statement, you will not be shortlisted. Please also ensure that you complete the work history and qualifications sections of your application form. Please do not add a CV as we do not accept them.See our Information for Applicants leaflet for further information.

We kindly request that recruitment agencies do not contact us regarding this job vacancy. We are not accepting Agency applications or referrals at this time.