Initial contact point worker

The purpose of this job role is to contribute to the realisation of the outcomes for the surrounding areas, in particular to enable all people to feel safe and be safe, to have good health and wellbeing and to realise their potential through skills and learning.

You will be part of a team who are providing strong and decisive leadership and be responsible for the quality and impact of decisions, practice, performance and outcomes in relation to the functions for which the post holder has accountability. This will involve working autonomously in line with delegated responsibilities.

To work with partners in a relational way involving professional challenge where appropriate, to ensure timely and effective information sharing and holistic decision making for children and young people to inform best outcomes.

To provide professional expertise and practice wisdom to the team and external partners, including being able to share updates on themes, patterns and trends of work. 

Responsibilities;

1.    Receives, establishes, reviews, considers and responds to all requests for our children who may require support and protection, using a solution focused and strengths-based approach, working closely with partners, other agencies, local community/ support services and professionals to understand consent, the importance and places children and families at the centre of all decision making.  

2.    Gathers, reviews and analyses information, to enable decision making and appropriate action to help and support our children including being responsible for providing clear, concise and appropriate advice, guidance and support to children, families and partner agencies.  This also includes a high-level understanding of the role of multiagency partners and their responsibilities in the decision making and support for children and families and to support partnership development.  

3.    Will lead on discussions with children, families, partner agencies and all key stakeholders at every point, to form decisions for our children. This will include actively seeking the views, wishes and feelings of children and their families in every contact. Also, has a strong understanding of risk, firmly able to assess and analyse risk, to determine interventions, outcomes and use to influence decision making.

4.    Ensures robust and accurate case recordings for every child with whom they have contact, in line with local and national policies and procedures and compliance with performance management frameworks.

5.    Will be responsible for the identification of risk and safeguarding need and appropriately escalates where required. Identify and appropriately challenge practice and partners to ensure that service delivery is in the family’s best interests.

6.    Can prioritise their own tasks, time and workload, managing daily conflicting priorities, alongside building and maintaining relationships with children, families, member of public and professionals, who may present with complex and challenging behaviours.

7.    Advanced skills in understanding case supervision to support reflective practice and can implement the same skills when working in partnership with partners and driving forward improved outcomes for our children.

8.    To champion an area of practice and provide advice, guidance as appropriate.

9.    Work with children, families and professionals to formulate family plans and goals in line with policy and guidelines, to reduce risk and need, using these cases as training and shadowing opportunities for less experienced staff.

10. Undertake such other duties as may be reasonably expected at this level.  

Experience;

• Building and maintaining effective relationships with service users, parents and carers, multi-agency partners (e.g. education providers) and other stakeholders 
• Experience of working in a similar environment which has included direct work with service users
• Has experience of working with children and families who have or are experiencing neglect and have complex needs.
• Provision of information and advice around area of specialism

Knowledge;

• Professional knowledge of legislation procedure and guidance related to the functions for which the post holder has accountability
• Knowledge of a range of interventions and methods, assessment tools and relevant research and theories to the responsibilities of the post.
• Knowledge of child protection and child development.
• Council’s Values Framework and expected behaviours.
• Has an up to date and in-depth knowledge base of child and adolescent development and can apply this in practice and decision making. Is also able to explore parenting capacity and identify neglect, putting into practice family intervention theories. 
• Has a detailed knowledge of Threshold of need document, child protection policies and procedures and when to utilise these. 
• Can demonstrate an understanding of child protection procedures

Skills and Abilities

• Able to apply practical and advanced knowledge to undertake tasks to deliver and promote services for child and young people, which will improve their resilience, strengthen communities and reduce the need for statutory intervention.
• Able to apply assessment/investigative skills to identify levels of need and barriers for children, young people and families, in order to improve their resilience, strengthen communities and reduce the need for statutory intervention.
• Able to effectively engage with services users with challenging and/or complex behaviours and needs.
• Able to contribute effectively to complex decisions affecting the safety, wellbeing, and quality of life of children and young people.

Training and qualifications

• Level 3 National Qualifications Framework, or equivalent knowledge, skills and experience in specialist area relevant to the role and a willingness to work towards the qualification.

Requirements

• Ability to work in an agile way across locations in the district as needed
• Flexible to meet the needs of the service. Work outside of office hours will be required to meet the needs of children, young people and families.
• Ability to transport yourself around North East Lincolnshire
• Due to the unplanned nature of requests for advice and family help intervention may necessitate working outside of standard office hours.

REF; S80