The role
The Lifelong Links Social Worker will support the promotion and development of the Lifelong Links Team in Southwark, collaborating with colleagues across children’s social care including in Care, Leaving Care, Fostering, the Clinical Service, and the IRO Service to ensure children and young people are identified and referred for timely, high quality Lifelong Links interventions.
They will work creatively with children, young people and their family and friendship networks to help repair and restore important relationships and progress ‘family time’ arrangements. Where needed, they will complete assessments of ‘family time’ and make recommendations for how children in care can safely remain connected to members of their family and friends network.
When necessary, the Lifelong Links Social Worker will also complete risk assessments of family members and/or friends to plan how to safely involve them in the Lifelong Links process.
The Lifelong Links Social Worker will support the participation of children and young people at Lifelong Links Celebration Events, ensure that their experience is central to the planning for the event and in the after care provided to them, and that their experience of Lifelong Links support is understood through obtaining feedback.
They will be line-managed by the Lifelong Links Team Manager and will work closely with a part-time Clinical Practitioner and a full-time Lifelong Links Project Officer.
They will also provide nurturing support to care experienced young adults who become Lifelong Links Coordinators for current children in care and care leavers and participate in providing learning opportunities and training where needed.
The Lifelong Links Social Worker will deputise for the Team Manager and provide information, advice, support and consultation to the self-employed Lifelong Links Coordinators and chair Lifelong Links Planning Meetings and Midway Reviews when needed.
Main responsibilities include:
- Work creatively with children, young people and their family and friendship networks to help repair and restore important relationships
- Complete assessments of ‘family time’ and make recommendations for how children in care can safely remain connected to members of their family and friends network
- Risk assess family members and/or friends to plan how to involve potential Lifelong Links in the process.
- Support the participation of children and young people at Lifelong Links Celebration Events
- Obtain feedback from children and young people on their experience of Lifelong Links support
- Provide nurturing support to care experienced young adults who become Lifelong Links Coordinators
- Deputise on behalf of the Lifelong Links Team Manager and provide information, advice, support and consultation to the self-employed Lifelong Links Coordinators and chair Lifelong Links Planning Meetings and Midway Reviews when needed
About you:
You will be skilled in social work practice to ensure that children in care, and care experienced young people, are helped to make lasting connections with family, friends and other important people they may have lost contact with.
Recruitment timetable
Closing Date: Sunday 21st April 2024 at 23:59
Interview Date: week commencing 6th May 2024
SWCHTF
We are an organisation who is passionate about our people and understands that richness of diversity is a requirement to provide the best possible services to our communities. This is demonstrated through our council-wide ambitious commitment to tackle racial inequality in our communities and workforce through our Southwark Stands Together programme. We particularly welcome applications from members of the Black, Asian and ethnic minority communities to increase representation at senior management level in the Council.
Source – Job Search | Indeed
