Job Title: Senior Practitioner / Team Case Manager

Salary: £41,437 - £51,806 per annum

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Location: Saxon House, Wolverhampton

Purpose of Job

To be part of the Senior Management Team which is responsible for undertaking comprehensive assessments with vulnerable children and their families in a residential setting, applying the Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families (2000) and adhering to Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023).

To provide a high quality and dependable standard of service which meet our organisations values and standards.

Key duties will include:

• Case managing up to three families at any one time and provide cover for any absent Team/Case Manager.
• Conducting high quality assessments which fall within the "Working Together to Safeguard Children" protocol.
• Devising, implementing, supervising and evaluating work programmes incorporating direct interventions
• Completing reports and finalising the assessment process making decisive recommendations
• Representing the organisation at Court, providing written and verbal evidence as required.
• To actively promote Dudley’s commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults at a level appropriate to this group.
• Applicants will need to be registered with the Social Work England.
• On-Calls - refer to JD for further details.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Effectiveness Areas:

• Senior Management Team Membership
• Family Assessment
• Staff Management

Duties & Responsibilities

Senior Management Team Membership:

Main Responsibilities:

• To assist and support the Centre Managers and Executive Team members in the management of the Centres and the staff,
• To develop in conjunction with the Centre Managers and Executive Team, a safe, structured, learning environment which is based on the values and standards of behaviour of Dudley Lodge as set out in the Dudley Lodge Way,
• To look for opportunities to improve existing practices. To establish and maintain appropriate liaisons with other professionals.
• To represent Dudley Lodge at community/professional functions and to promote its services.

Family Assessment:

Main Responsibilities:

• To ensure that the child's immediate welfare is afforded paramount consideration,
• To conduct assessments which fall within the 'Working Together documents’ protocol,
• In conjunction with the Centre Managers and members of the Executive Team, develop existing policies and procedures, service provision and resources,
• To case manage up to three families (community based or residential) at any one time and provide cover for any absent Case Manager,
• To be responsible for undertaking comprehensive assessments taking a leading role in: -
  • Constructing an 'initial’ baseline (2-4 weeks) assessment
  • Undertaking comprehensive parenting/risk assessments that inform other professionals and the court, long term recommendations in relation to the welfare and safety of a child
  • Devising, implementing, supervising and evaluating work programmes incorporating direct interventions which will inform your final recommendations
  • Completion of reports and finalising the assessment process making decisive recommendations
• To work with parents/carers, social workers and relevant others on Pre-placement plans, work programmes and interventions which address identified needs. These would include:
  • Teaching parenting skills and practices
  • Assessing child and family interaction and parental ability
  • Construction and testing of hypotheses regarding family functioning and needs
  • Providing structured feedback to parents/carers
  • To monitor and evaluate the effects of any such intervention on a child's emotional and physical wellbeing.
• With others, to represent the organisation at Court, providing written and verbal evidence as required.
• To understand and implement Birmingham, Coventry and Wolverhampton’s Child Protection and Adult Protection policies and procedures as appropriate
• In relation to residential placements - to manage the relevant arrangements for accommodation of families prior to admission to the Centre, including health and safety aspects, equipment, staffing and other resources as appropriate
• To meet deadlines for submission of written reports and prioritise workloads effectively within established timeframes.

Staff Management:

Main Responsibilities:

• To manage a staff team (numbers to be agreed dependent upon experience), effectively and efficiently. This will include: -
  • Responsibility for the quality and standards of service provision.
  • Developing and managing a Performance Management process for the staff team.
  • To provide 'on-call’ advice, guidance and support for staff members, on a rota basis in conjunction with other Case Managers.
  • To provide training/mentoring/supervision to develop and sustain standards of performance and service.
  • To work on own initiative and judgment whilst actively engaging as a team member with co-workers.

Close Date: 7 July 2024