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Do you want to put down roots in a permanent children’s social work role that offers competitive pay and benefits, supportive teams and great opportunities for training and career progression? Surrey Children’s Services need experienced social workers to help make a difference to the lives of children and their families across the county. This pack will give you an introduction to Surrey Children’s Services, our roles, teams, where you’ll be working and pay and benefits.
An introduction to Surrey Children’s Services Our children’s social work roles Where you’ll be working Our children’s services teams Training and development Pay and benefits
Julie Fisher – Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Children’s Services For most children and young people Surrey is a good place to grow up – the economy is doing well and many households benefit from higher than average socio-economic circumstances. But for some that’s not the case. Deprivation exists in Surrey, with around 10% of children and young people living in poverty. The number of children aged 0-18 in Surrey is growing, leading to increasing demand on public services. We want to ensure that every child and young person in the county is able to take advantage of the benefits of living here. This includes having good health, being safe, well-educated and having leisure opportunities at each stage of their childhood, and having good employment prospects. Following the outcome of an Ofsted inspection published in 2015, we know that our services need to improve and adapt to meet the growing demand and increased pressure on our services. A lot of progress has already been made and this work continues, with big steps being made in how we safeguard children and support young people with special educational needs and disabilities. We are determined to focus our efforts and resources where they matter most, moving with purpose and pace to deliver the services children and their families deserve.
Our Safer Surrey approach Safer Surrey is an approach built on the belief that children and families have the strengths, resources and ability to recover from adversities. The approach invests power in children and families to help themselves, so that professionals and families can work in partnership to achieve better outcomes for children, as opposed to professionals stating what’s wrong and ‘fixing’ the problem. We know that where Safer Surrey has been embedded there is evidence of greater involvement of children, good decision making by practitioners and improved outcomes for children. The approach is helping us build a common language and consistency for children and families, and to ensure that every family who comes into contact with us has the same positive experience. All of our social workers are supported to develop their strengths-based practice. Signs of Safety is the predominant strengths-based model of practice used in Children’s Services.
“ I have found that using the Safer Surrey approach of starting with the positives means that families respond better. They are more willing to discuss risks and challenges, and to work with me to develop a plan to improve things for the children.” Tertia Basson, Children’s Social Worker.
Social Worker
Senior Social Worker
• Provide assessment of need, care planning and, as appropriate, child protection investigation to prevent the separation of children from their families where possible, and to ensure that children and young people are adequately protected.
• Provide assessment of need, care planning and, as appropriate, child protection investigation to prevent the separation of children from their families where possible, and to ensure that children and young people are adequately protected.
• Support alternative permanent care for children who have to be separated from their families.
• Support alternative permanent care for children who have to be separated from their families.
• Undertake child protection investigations and act as key worker to children and young people with a child protection plan, taking guidance from more experienced staff.
• Ensure a positive, high profile for Surrey Children’s Services in its dealings with the public, users and carers and external agencies.
• Assess and manage the risk involved in protecting vulnerable children and young people with the support of the Team Manager and Service Manager, distinguishing levels of risk for different situations, to prevent harm and abuse.
• Act as a mentor to social workers, support their development, and undertake duties of a practice teacher as required. • Undertake child protection investigations, act as key worker to children/young people with a child protection plan and undertake all related statutory responsibilities. • Assess and manage the risk involved in protecting vulnerable children and young people, distinguishing levels of risk for different situations, to prevent harm and abuse.
Team Manager
Service Manager
• Manage a team of social workers to ensure effective and safe delivery of services.
• Manage the direction, delivery and performance, including assessment and appropriate management of risk, across specialised areas.
• Work with parents and carers, bringing together various agencies and implementing statutory duties and responsibilities. • Deputise for the Service Manager in ensuring operational effectiveness of the teams, overseeing workloads and supervising social workers and family support workers. • Take responsibility for ensuring all cases are safely managed, including in exceptional circumstances managing a case directly to ensure safe resolution. • Lead the way in representing Surrey Children’s Services to partner organisations, building strong networks and drawing on their expertise to inform how Surrey works with other agencies to share resources and improve outcomes for the county’s children.
• Support the effective operational management of caseloads and the leadership of social workers who are overseeing a complex array of needs and emotive issues that are often of significant interest to councillors and the public. • Effectively supervise staff and deploy available resources to address the specific needs of children within their discipline and, where necessary, in the disciplines of other service managers. • Ensure the overall effective delivery and improvement of a range of care services to meet targets and remain within budget. • Ensure that team members work effectively with all parties to implement the statutory duties and responsibilities in accordance with all relevant legislative requirements, policies and procedures, and agreed performance targets.
Just a short distance from London but a million miles from the capital’s hustle and bustle, Surrey is a beautiful county in South East England with excellent road links and frequent rail services into central London, close to both Heathrow and Gatwick airports. As a Social Worker in Surrey, you will be based in one of our four area offices: The North East Surrey office covers Elmbridge, Epsom and Ewell, and Spelthorne. The office is based in Leatherhead, just five minutes from the M25 and a five minute walk from Leatherhead rail station, so is easily accessible by car and train from London and the surrounding areas. The South East Surrey office covers Tandridge, Reigate and Banstead and Mole Valley. The office is based in the centre of Redhill, close to shops and local amenities. The M25 and M23 are nearby and Redhill train station is within easy walking distance, with frequent trains to London, Gatwick Airport and the south coast. The South West Surrey office covers Guildford and Waverley. The office is 15 minutes south of the M25 just west of Guildford’s historic town centre and close to the Hampshire, West Sussex and Berkshire borders, where many of our social workers commute from. Guildford has excellent train links to London and the south of England. Rural Waverley is nearby, as are the Surrey Hills - a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The North West Surrey office covers Runnymede, Surrey Heath and Woking. The office is close to Woking train and bus stations, with a wide variety of shops and restaurants, as well as parks, canal walks and local leisure centres all nearby. Easily accessible from the M25, M3 and M4, Woking is close to the Hampshire and Berkshire borders.
“ It’s a lovely place to be. We’ve got skilled workers, we’ve got some great managers and I think we’ve got some really good leaders.” Heidi Magetts, Children’s Social Worker.
Assessment and Intervention Teams Assessment Team Working in the Assessment Team provides opportunities to experience a broad range of social work practice, such as undertaking child and family assessments. The Intervention Team As part of the Intervention Team you’ll have the opportunity to work across a broad range of practices, including: • the provision of a child in need offer through intensive direct work • involvement in private law proceedings (Section 7 and Special Guardianship reports). Both teams also work on: • The accommodation of children using looked after children processes. • Initiating care proceedings using the public law outline in emergency situations. • Completing Section 47/child protection processes. Child Protection and Court Proceedings Team The Child Protection and Court Proceedings Team work directly with children and young people who are at risk of significant harm, ensuring that their wishes and feelings are heard and considered. The work is varied and involves working with: • Families in the pre-proceedings process. • Public and private law proceedings. • Looked after children. • Children who are subject to supervision orders or a child protection plan.
Looked After Children’s Team As a social worker in a Looked After Children’s Team, you will have a mixed case load supporting children aged 0-18 and unaccompanied asylum seekers who are unable to live with their families. The children you support may be living with relatives, friends, foster families or prospective adopters or, in the case of older children, could be living in children’s homes and semi-independent units. Through regular visits, assessments and reviewing their care plan, you will: • nurture and develop meaningful relations with these children • understand and interpret their wishes • ensure their safety • champion and support them towards independence and reaching their full potential.
“ The peer support is excellent – my colleagues are just really helpful and friendly. Knowing that everyone communicates this well in the office makes me feel confident about the work we do outside it as well.” Coral Russell, Children’s Social Worker
We offer a wide range of learning and development opportunities to develop you as a social worker in practice and leadership, linked to our career framework. Our training and development offer includes: • Access to a wide variety of online and group based training. • Support from your manager to develop your career. • Providing you with motivational interview training. • Helping you develop your confidence and questioning skills. • Supporting you to be intellectually curious as you assess, analyse risk and make judgements. • Signs of Safety training. • Introduction to the Surrey Safeguarding Children Board. • Leadership coaching and training.
“ I’ve been really happy working Surrey Children’s Services. I’ve been given opportunities to develop my career from starting as a social worker through to being an experienced manager.” Dan Gibson, Team Manager
Quality children’s social work starts with great social workers. That’s why we’ve reviewed our pay and reward package to give you more than ever for the job you do. Our pay and benefits include: • Competitive pay. • An extra payment of £2,000 when you start. This will be split between your first and sixth salary (paid pro-rata for part-time staff). If you need to purchase a car for work, the entire payment can be made in your first salary. • Relocation assistance of up to £8,000, to help you move nearer to your new place of work (subject to eligibility). • Participation in the Local Government Pension Scheme. • 28 days holiday, with options to buy and sell leave. • Options for flexible working, where appropriate, including part-time, job share and home working. • Savings on childcare vouchers, health and gym memberships, and travel. • A free employee assistance programme, offering employees and their families counselling, and legal and debt advice.
“ It’s so rewarding to go home at night and realise that children you’ve worked with are safe – it’s incredible to know that you’ve been able to do that.” Amy Lingenfelder, Team Manager
To find out more, browse vacancies or apply for a role, please visit: surreycc.gov.uk/childrenssocialwork