Somerstown Family Hub (On-Site)
Permanent, Full time
Band 10, £41,510 to £45,718 per annum
37.0 hours per week
The Service
The Early Help and Prevention Service in Portsmouth is a new way of doing things – providing extra practical help with families early on, to stop problems getting worse. We talk with families about the things that are most important to them, what might help and what we can do differently to help them. This is how we start working together with the whole family to help get things back on track.
We are committed to working with families to repair harm and relationships. We are restorative in all we do, working closely with partnership agencies to provide high challenge and high support, building strong relationships between practitioners and their families. We have been recognised by Ofsted as a "Good" Local Authority, working systemically to provide services improving outcomes for children and their families.
The Role
The role involves working within the 0-19 Early Help team to strengthen plans and support families to make change without statutory intervention. The role requires sensitive support and challenge to families and staff. The role includes line management responsibilities as part of a Locality based team. This will include data monitoring and other Quality Assurance activities.
In Portsmouth we believe social work matters. We continue to invest in our front-line staff and services drawing on a wide range of skills, sharing expertise with our partner agencies and valuing development and improving practice.
We are committed to professional development and will provide training for the successful candidate. If successful you will be joining lively, challenging and supportive teams whose priority is in improving outcomes for Portsmouth’s children and young people.
The ideal candidate
You will need to have/be
- A social work qualification (degree, diploma or equivalent) and be registered with Social Work England.
- Have substantial post qualifying experience in the role of a social worker and be able to evidence extensive direct family work with families and children and be able to support the team with threshold decisions.
- A good working knowledge of theory and legislation including the Children Act 89/04 amongst others.
- Understand anti-oppressive practice and the legislative framework around this.
- Understand how families can be supported outside of statutory intervention through restorative practice and early help.
- Be imaginative and creative, coming up with inspirational ideas and at times amazing solutions to the toughest of problems. Have experience of supervising/ mentoring individuals
- Be an excellent communicator who is equally comfortable speaking with children and other professionals from external partners and agencies. Be able to converse at ease with clients and provide advice in accurate spoken English. This is essential for the post.
- Have excellent analytical skill to aid you in your assessments.
- Be someone who enjoys a busy atmosphere who can cope with competing demands and the stresses that comes with them.
- Be motivated to achieve good outcomes for children and able to demonstrate child focussed practice.
Please see the Job profile for the full details of this role
Contact Details for an Informal Discussion:
Gill Noble, Early Help and Prevention Service Lead, gill.noble@portsmouthcc.gov.uk, 023 92 437 832
Application process
We anonymise applications during application & shortlisting to ensure only relevant information is considered.
As part of your application we ask that you complete apersonal statement, this statement is crucial and is where you must demonstrate how you meet the requirements of the job against each of the points described in the'Who is the Person'points on the Job Profile using examples from your experience or transferable skills.This might be through qualifications or descriptive examples from your work / personal experience.
We are a disability confident employer and Armed Forces Covenant gold standard. More information can be found atEquality, diversity and inclusion - Careers portal
You will need to demonstrate that you have the Right to Work in the UK. No post will be offered without it.
About Portsmouth City Council
What we can offer you:
Portsmouth City Council is a unique organisation, committed to making a difference, and is guided by core values that set who we are as people, what we stand for, and how we act.
Read more about working at Portsmouth City Council and our benefits on our careers portal homepage: Careers Portal - Find jobs with Portsmouth City Council
Portsmouth City Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and young people, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
DBS Disclosure at Enhanced level will be required prior to any offer of employment and this post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
Every post is subject to PCC and Portsmouth Safeguarding Children Partnership safer recruitment procedures.
Should you require any support in completing the application form please contact recruit@portsmouthcc.gov.uk. or call the recruitment team on 023 92 616800