Early Help Lead (Qualified Social Worker)

This is a great opportunity for an experienced Social worker looking to move into a Children centre environment, leading the early help services for children aged from birth to 5 years.

You will be someone who is passionate about supporting and providing help to families with young children, with support aimed at improving outcomes for children and /or preventing escalating need or risk.

Some of the responsibilities for the role will include:

• To lead, manage and co-ordinate the Early Help and Family Support across Greenwich.
• To co-ordinate and monitor CP cases for the area ensuring attendance at CP and CIN meetings and engagement of vulnerable families
• To strengthen parenting capacity to improve outcomes for children.
• To support Greenwich West Children’s Centre Early Help Offer to improve
• Routine sharing of information to identify/target vulnerable and at risk families;
• Identification of appropriate interventions/services to meet assessed need;
• Development of systems for monitoring/recording/tracking progress of family
• members.
• To support the embedding of CAF/TAC/TAF processes in the area and provide advice/mentoring for colleagues where required.
• To manage the Early Help Group Meetings and all Early Help referrals.
• To signpost and support parents to access other services.
• To support the delivery of the Children and Young People Plan and the requirements of the Childcare Act 2006 and related legislation

You will need to have the following qualifications, training and experience:

• Social Work qualification
• Minimum of two year’s direct work in a paid or voluntary capacity with parents and children in a social care, community or similar setting
• Experience of delivering an evidence based parenting programmes or groups
• Experience of involvement with / implementation of the Assessment
• Frameworks and/or Team Around the Child procedures
• Ability to co-ordinate services within the Early Help Assessment Framework to effectively meet parent and child needs.
• Understanding of the impact of child poverty and inequalities on the life chances of children
• Knowledge and understanding of safeguarding children procedures and responsibilities within these for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children
• Understanding of early years child development and the role of parents in this
• Ability to empower parents to identify issues, take decisions and identify goals for the benefit of themselves and their families
• Knowledge of different parenting approaches, backgrounds and routines including understanding of the effects of these on children
• Knowledge and understanding of integrated working to support children and families
• Ability to observe children and their parents and able to use knowledge of theory to develop parenting strategies working in partnership with the parents
• Effective presentation and good written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to undertake assessments of children in need and their families and develop appropriate packages of support
• Ability to run and organise group parenting programmes to effectively meet parent’s needs.

Excellent rates of pay with on-going support and career development.

All successful applicants will be required to have an Enhanced DBS carried out.

As a specialist Childcare agency, we believe that we can only be as successful as our candidates and employees. That is why we invest 100% in each and every candidate who registers with us and value all the work carried out by our team.

For more information, please contact us at the office on 0208 054 7200 or send us your CV to be considered for the position.