Salary: Up to £40,700 GBP per annum

Specific Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Contract: Full-time, Fixed Term Contract until 30^th June 2025

Location: Falkland Islands

Reporting to: Head of Service/ Team Manager (UK Based)

Benefits: 30 Days Annual Leave rising to 35 days with each year of service completed plus Bank Holidays as normally observed in the UK, Life Insurance x 2, Employee Discount Scheme

About Us:

Polaris Children's Services is part of the Polaris Community of companies and delivers statutory and non-statutory social care services in the UK and to military communities overseas.

Since 2014 we have provided Social Work services to the Ministry of Defence in Germany, and in November 2019 expanded our overseas work with the British military, associated civilian personnel, and their families across Europe, Canada, Kenya, Belize, the United States of America and Saudi Arabia,

From 1^st July 2020 we expanded our services further to include The South Atlantic Islands and Cyprus.

On 1^st April 2021 included Singapore, British Indian Ocean Territories (BIOT) and Gibraltar.

From 1^st May 2022 the service expanded to include Brunei and Nepal.

BFSAI includes the Falkland Islands, Ascension Islands, Sandwich Islands and South Georgia. Entitled or eligible personnel is in the region of 2000.

While all services are under the management of Polaris Children's Services we are proud to have developed our own BFSWS brand with specific identities for each community of military social work service. As such we have a new opportunity in the Polaris Children Services, British Forces Social Work team at the Falkland Islands for a Senior Social Worker to join our team.

Responsibilities

• To practice in line with the Professional Standards for Social Work England
• To demonstrate expert and effective practice in complex situations, assessing and managing higher levels of risk, striking a balance between support and control, liaising with a wide range of professionals, including MOD personnel and all partner agencies based in the South Atlantic Islands including Falkland Island Government.
• To provide consultation and short term work to adults in relation to crisis intervention. Adults struggling to manage issues such as isolation, mental health, alcohol issues etc.
• Manage complex caseloads, Child Protection (support to FIG), Child in Need and Early Help and offer expert opinion and consultation within the organisation and to others.
• To deliver a duty service at initial contact with the service - including consultation, provision of advice & guidance and sign posting.
• Attend Child in Need/Core Group meetings arranged by the host nation authorities. On occasion, co-ordinate BFSWS child in need meetings. To provide expert assessment and planning reports to child protection conferences and adult safeguarding meetings.
• Attend and be a member of the Children's Safeguarding Board (FIG), Adult Safeguarding Board (FIG), Children and Adult's Safeguarding Board (BFSAI) and School Governors Committee
• Attend and be a member of various other in-service Committees
• Provide welfare support and visits to mountain sites and Ascension Island
• To provide subject matter expert advice to the MOD chain of command on a range of issues.
• Out of hours support to the command

Requirements

• Will require a Professional Social Work qualification (BA (Hons), DIP SW, CQSW, CSS) and must be registered with Social Work England or equivalent.
• Experience of complex Children and family assessments and case management
• Experience of risk assessment and safety planning
• Experience of direct work with children, young people or Adults at risk
• Registration with Social Work England or equivalent body with at least 3 years Social Work experience
• Experience of Adult at risk assessments and Adult mental health
• Delivering Safeguarding Training and general presentations
• To have successfully completed a Post Qualifying Award in Social Work
• Computer literacy skills
• Experience of report writing to a high level
• A comprehensive working knowledge of relevant legislation and child /adult safeguarding procedures
• The willingness and ability to work flexibly, travel within the Falkland and South Atlantic Islands. This may include some weekend and evening working.
• Full driving licence for manual cars

Polaris Children's Services is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk. We expect all staff to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be required to complete an enhanced DBS Check, and local Police check if recruited from outside of the UK, the cost of which will be met by Polaris Children's Services. Polaris Children's Services is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates.