We are recruiting for the Northamtonshire Children's Trust Safeguarding service across multiple sites.

General Overview

The NCT safeguarding team receives cases from the Duty and Assessment Team at the trust. Safeguarding normally pick up cases after they have been to first conference with the assessment service and will take them typically as far as first hearing, before they transfer to long term teams.

This service consists of 15 teams, spread across North Northamptonshire (Wellingborough / Kettering / Corby), and West Northamptonshire (Daventry / Northampton).

The Safeguarding service is supported by a stable, permanent managerial team, who provide regular supervision and support to the teams. Both team managers and service managers aim to be highly visible and will spend 1-2 days per week in office to support face to face with any concerns, whilst being easily accessible remotely too.

The teams Strategic Manager has been with the trust a number of years, having initially worked as a locum, before joining the service permanently in Safeguarding.

The service does a lot of activity related to county lines, gang based issues, and drugs/weaponry use. The team is keen to grow and develop this area of work, and is always keen to speak to social workers with an interest in this area.

Working Arrangements

Social Workers typically are based in an office nearest to where their designated cases lie, however for social workers that have cross-county visits to carry out, there is full flexibility for them to 'hot desk' at any of the locality offices across Northamptonshire.

Upon joining the service, staff may be expected to spend more time in the office, to meet the team and receive support in their initial weeks. However, after bedding in successfully, candidates are able to work from home as much as they wish, except for when on duty/doing visits.

For candidates remote working, they will be given a laptop as standard, but keyboards and extra screens can be provided for ease of working if required. The service strives to fully support candidates to work from home/office in the best, most productive manner possible.

The service is flexible with its approach to working hours, and will consider a range of working setups to suit their staff. Condensed hours (over 4 days) can be considered, along with standard full/part time hours.

Caseloads currently sit at up to 25, with the goal to reduce to 22 per head, with caseloads for part time staff being reduced accordingly. The service has seen a rise in complex cases in recent years, however complex cases are often allocated based on experience levels, and staff with complex caseloads receive full support from Advanced Practitioners and managers. Cases that become complex after initial investigation will be given full senior support.

Team Feel

The safeguarding team at NCT strives to be seen as a supportive, positive environment to work in. The team boasts security due to having a fully permanent managerial team, and both locum and perm staff are supported to challenge themselves and develop in their career.

There is plenty of opportunity for progression within Safeguarding, with many candidates starting as Social Workers and promoting through to Senior Social Worker/Advanced Practitioner.

Training is available to locum and perm staff, and the service aims to invest in its team members, regardless of their status within the service at the time. The perm team are committed and passionate about the service they provide, and welcome both permanent and locum staff to the service with open arms, they are 'all in it together'.

Team Structure:

Each team consists of approximately 8-10 staff each, with every team having a Team Manager, Advanced Practitioner, Social Workers, Newly Qualified Social Workers, and Family Support Workers.

Expenses:

Up to £150 per week for candidates living over 60 miles away from the office (need proof of address in order to receive) (PRO RATA for part-time workers)

£30 per day for days outside of the duty week that the candidate works from the office if over 60 miles away

£0.45p per mile in mileage

If you have additional question please apply and I will be in contact