LONDON BOROUGH OF MERTON
CHILDREN, SCHOOLS & FAMILIES DEPARTMENT
JOB DESCRIPTION
POST TITLE:
Social Worker, Court Assessment Team
Grade:
Levels 1- 4
DIVISION:
Children’s Social Care and Youth Inclusion
Section:
Court Assessment Team
Responsible to:
Team Manager
Responsible for:
Post number:
ML192
Date: March 2008
The Post of the Social Worker, Court Assessment Team, is part of the Permanency
and Placements Stream of the Children’s Social Care and Youth Inclusion Division.
The Post Holder will need to liaise closely with other professionals, specifically Social
Workers and Managers in the child care Fieldwork Teams but also other
professionals who may be in a position to contribute towards the court assessment
process.
1.
MAIN PURPOSE
1.1
The Post holder will provide high quality assessments of children who are
subject to Care Proceedings and their families. S/he will write and present
reports to the Court.
2.
KEY RELATIONSHIPS AND INTERDEPENDENCIES
In order to conduct business within the framework of best value, the Social Worker
will be expected to develop and maintain relationships with

Access & Assessment Team
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
Children in Need Team

Family Support Team

Fostering Team
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Looked After Children Team

Children with Disabilities Team

16+ Team

Legal Section
EXTERNAL
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Health Trust including Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service

Education functions and schools

Any other agency involved with individual children or families, in either a
commissioning or information gathering capacity
MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Social Worker, Court Assessment Team, has responsibility for the following core
tasks;
3.1
Respond to requests from the Fieldwork Teams for assessments required as
part of the court process within a specified timescale.
3.2
Attend meetings with the Fieldwork Teams to clarify and set the scope of the
assessment.
3.3
Provide a work plan to follow in order to complete the assessment.
3.4
Provide an assessment of a child and family through observation, direct
interview and the collation of information from other professional sources,
following the format of the Assessment Framework.
3.5
Write the Court Report in a concise, accurate, comprehensive and
professional format.
3.6
Meet the agreed timescales for presenting the report to the Court and attend
the Court to give evidence where necessary.
3.7
Meet with the family to provide a midpoint review of the assessment.
3.8
Follow the All London Child Protection Procedures and contact the Fieldwork
Teams if child protection concerns emerge.
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GENERIC RESPONSIBILITIES
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4.1
To prepare for and attend supervision sessions and appraisals, carry out
actions as agreed in each session, within the overall framework of the
Department’s Supervision Policy.
4.2
To attend training courses as required within the overall framework of the
Department’s Learning and Development Strategy and the requirements of
the personal development plan as set out in the agreed personal Appraisal.
To take responsibility for professional development and ongoing GSCC –
registration.
4.3
To work closely and in partnership with other agencies (health, education,
police, voluntary sector etc), to ensure families receive a coordinated
response and appropriate services.
4.4
To use computers and other items of information technology in order to record
referrals, assessments, reports and care plans.
4.5
To be aware of and understand the Council’s Equal Opportunities and
Diversity Policy and ensure that at all times the duties of the post are carried
out in accordance with the policy.
4.6
To ensure that the Council’s Health and Safety Policies are implemented at all
times and to raise any concerns regarding their operation, or any other health
and safety matters with the appropriate manager.
4.7
To ensure that within the scope of the service, the Council’s aims and targets
in relation to customer service are achieved.
4.8
To maintain an awareness of current instructions circulated by staff meetings,
information bulletins, circular letters or by verbal or written information given
by the duty manager.
4.9
To respect the confidentiality of service users and to comply with agreed
information-sharing protocols. Also to maintain within the service the
requirements of the Data Protection Act.
4.10
Undertake such other duties as may be required by, or on behalf of, the
Director provided they fall within the range and scope of the duties of the post
as set out in the preceding paragraphs and are commensurate with the grade
of the post.
London Borough of Merton is seeking to promote the employment of people
with disabilities and will make any adjustments considered reasonable to the
above duties under the terms of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 to
accommodate a suitable candidate with a disability.
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LONDON BOROUGH OF MERTON
CHILDRENS, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES DEPARTMENT
PERSON SPECIFICATION
POST TITLE: Social Worker
Grade:
Date:
1. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS and ABILITIES
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Knowledge of, and ability to undertake statutory tasks related to, all
relevant children’s services social work legislation and also other
relevant legislation (eg Children Act 1989, Children Act 2004, Data
Protection Act, Disability Discrimination Act, Human Rights Act
provisions, also relating to disability, human rights, discrimination,
access to records, data protection, etc.).
Ability to manage a caseload, under the direction and supervision of a
Team Manager or Assistant Team Manager, who will approve care
plans, key decisions and written reports.
Ability to bring about within families effective change, by use of various
elements of evidence-based interventions, such as Social Learning
Theory, Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy. These to be used within an
accepted Social Work theory framework.
Ability to practice the Common Core Skills in working in the children’s
services field.
Ability to participate in team meetings and team training events and
work as a team member in providing Team ‘duty’ and referral-taking
systems, as directed.
Ability to use IT to record efficiently relevant information and to
maintain comprehensive case records, on such information-recording
systems as are provided by the service. To make available proficientlymaintained records, as required (such as for monitoring purposes,
statutory Reviews, compilation of statistical information and for
Inspections). To be IT literate in the in the performance of these
recording duties.
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Ability to liaise effectively and work in partnership with colleagues
within the Service and in other statutory, voluntary and independent
sector agencies, as part of meeting the needs of service users and
families/carers.
Ability to establish, develop, oversee and monitor children’s care plans
and Pathway Plans.
Ability to ensure proper care plan reviews for children, by preparing for
and participating in statutory and other reviews and implementing their
resolutions and decisions.
Ability to provide effective child protection and safeguarding services,
through a range of interventions and services including conducting
(Section 47) child protection enquiries and attending child protection
conferences and Court Hearings.
2. EXPERIENCE
Experience of carrying out to timescale assessments of service users’
needs, using analytical and evaluative skills, in accordance with the
relevant legislation, practice guidance and the service’s policies and
procedures. The Assessment Framework to be applied when conducting
assessments, which should include and involve all relevant parties. Such
assessments should formulate an opinion on each child’s welfare and
should identify and evaluate risk factors, as part of safeguarding and
promoting the welfare of children effectively. The wishes and feelings of
children and young people should form part of these assessments.
Experience of formulating, implementing and reviewing in a timely
fashion the agreed care plans, designed to address the assessed needs
of service users and their families/carers, promoting child and family
resilience and helping reduce dependence upon services.
Experience of compiling and providing timely, professional reports to
Conferences, Courts, statutory Reviews and other decision-making
meetings, as required. Experience of giving evidence in Court Hearings,
as required.
Experience of providing an effective and non-discriminatory children’s
social care service-to-service users and families/carers.
Experience of working effectively with all parties, including service users
who may be obstructive, emotionally distressed, threatening or verbally
or physically abusive.
3. KEY CORPORATE ACCOUNTABILITIES
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To contribute to the provision of a response to civil emergencies, as
required.
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To adhere to the service’s financial and budgetary guidelines and
delegated powers.
To prepare for, participate in and make use of professional supervision,
to be provided by a manager in the service (usually an Assistant Team
Manager or Team Manager).
To adhere to and promote the Borough Council’s policies and
procedures on equal opportunities and managing diversity and deliver
services that are non-discriminatory and appropriate to the varied
needs of service users.
4. OTHER REQUIREMENTS
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To produce timely assessments of need, in cooperation with all
relevant parties. In the course of this to undertake direct work with
children and their families/cares, sometimes involving (travelling to)
meetings or doing lone work in service users’ own homes (sometimes
during evenings or weekends.
To provide effective services to looked after children, children in need
of protection, children with additional needs and former looked after
children and young people.
To improve children’s lives, wellbeing and prospects by organising
and/or directly providing (sometimes during evenings or weekends)
social care services of a sound professional standard, which promote
the 5 outcomes for children outlined in ‘Every Child Matters’ (ie Being
Healthy, Staying Safe, Enjoying and Achieving, Making a Positive
Contribution and Achieving Economic Wellbeing).
To assist the Service in achieving the targets set for it by the
Department’s Performance Framework, by adhering to the
Framework’s statutory quality requirements and timescales for carrying
out work with children.
To undertake such training as required to achieve and maintain high
contemporary professional practice standards and knowledge. To
further develop professional skills through post-qualification training
and to maintain GSCC registration by garnering evidence of learning
and development.
To undertake specific service development projects, as agreed with the
Team Manager, including the professional supervision of students,
trainees and volunteers.
Current enhanced CRB check (a new one to be obtained at time of
post being offered)
Current GSCC registration
A recognised qualification in Social Work (CQSW, Diploma or Degree
recognised by GSCC)
5. Additional requirements for PO4 level
See progression criteria
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