Specialist Caseworker Families

Candidate Pack
Specialist Caseworker Families

Candidate Information Pack
Post: Specialist Caseworker Families
Salary: £27,445

Contents

About The Role .......................................................................................................... 2
Job Description....................................................................................................... 2
Main purpose of role .............................................................................................. 2
Responsibilities ...................................................................................................... 2
Person specification ............................................................................................... 3
Additional Considerations .......................................................................................... 4
How to Apply .............................................................................................................. 5
Your Application ..................................................................................................... 5
Equity Diversity and Inclusion ................................................................................ 5
Data Protection....................................................................................................... 6
About Safer London ................................................................................................... 6
Why working for us is different .................................................................................. 6
Our Benefits in Full .................................................................................................... 7

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About The Role

In this impactful role, you will cultivate strong trusting relationships with parents and
carers, offering personalised support on a one-to-one basis. Your responsibilities
will encompass a diverse range of direct support and advocacy, with a focus on
safeguarding and the wellbeing of parents and carers whose child/ren are affected
by violence and exploitation.

Job Description

Specialist Caseworker Families

Job Title
Reporting to   Service Manager
Contract

Location

Hours

Salary

Permanent (subject to funding)
Face-to-face delivery pan-London, agile working for all other
duties
32 hours per week (Safer London is a 4 day/32 hour (FTE) working
week organisation)
Grade B £27,445

Main purpose of role

In this role, you will work alongside parents or carers whose children have
been exposed to or are at risk of exploitation or violence.

Within your role as a Specialist Family Caseworker, you will provide support to
parents and carers to help them gain a greater understanding of the challenges
young Londoners and their families often face and work alongside them to secure
the safety and positive outcomes they want for their children and family.

You will be expected to provide robust risk and needs assessments that reflect the
contexts within which harm has occurred, and to work collaboratively with
partnership agencies to reduce risk and secure services and support. The context
that many children and their families are living within can be challenging and a key
part of your role is to support families to manage their own emotional wellbeing in
what can be difficult circumstances. Alongside this, you should be able to
demonstrate how you manage your own wellbeing to enable us to offer the very best
services to parents and carers.

Responsibilities

•  Delivering effective one-to-one support to families in line with Safer
•  London’s Service models and in collaboration with them so that their voice is

at the centre of all we do, and they receive the support they need.
•  Carrying out robust risk assessments and strengths-based needs
assessments, with safeguarding as the priority, to ensure the most
appropriate intervention is offered and risks are managed and escalated
appropriately. This also ensures that priority areas of work are focussed on.

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•  Accurately maintaining essential records, ensuring high-quality case
recording, utilising our in-house bespoke case recording system.

•  Completing reports (which may be shared with statutory bodies such as the
police, courts, and children social care, and which can be shared with the
family) that accurately reflect the work undertaken in a professional manner.
•  Maintaining effective communication, both written and verbal, whether this is

•

virtual or face-to-face.
Identifying and completing risk assessments for spaces, places and services
where families and young Londoners feel safe enough to engage in
meaningful interventions/ activities.

•  Making appropriate onward referrals and signposting children, young people
and their families to support services and positive activities as and when
required. Where necessary, advocating for them to get the services they are
entitled to.

•  Working with partners, communities and other key stakeholders to deliver the

service effectively.

•  Acting in accordance with safeguarding legislation and guidance in addition to
Safer London’s practice guidelines and wider pan-London processes and
protocols.

•  Undertaking any other duties as required and commensurate with the level of

this post.

Person specification

The person specification describes the specific experience, knowledge, skills,
qualifications and attributes that are needed for the job.

Criteria

Skills and Experience
Relevant qualification in social care, health,
youth/community work, criminal justice or
demonstrable equivalent experience e.g. Registered
and Qualified Social Worker
Experience of managing complex safeguarding issues
with children, young people, families and adults at risk,
including being able to demonstrate effective
partnership working
Experience of working with and effectively engaging
with families
Extensive knowledge of the impact of context on
children, young people, families and adults, with a
clear understanding of the principles of contextual
safeguarding
Experience of high-quality case recording
Recognition of the importance of resilience in coping
with the emotional demands of the role and
demonstrable experience of managing your own
wellbeing

Essential/
Desirable

Application/
Interview/ Test

Essential

A/I

Essential

A/I/T

Essential

A/I

Essential

A/I/T

Essential
Essential

A/I
A/I/T

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Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal,
in order to communicate and influence a wide range of
internal and external colleagues on matters relating to
the service, and produce reports for a variety of
audiences
IT literate (Excel, Outlook, Word etc.) and experience
of using databases
Knowledge
Demonstrable knowledge of best practice around
working with families whose children are impacted by
harm outside the home
Knowledge of trauma-informed practice and of how
trauma –including from their own lives - can impact on
how practitioners manage cases
Knowledge of best practice in and understanding of the
importance of good quality case recording
Knowledge of safeguarding legislation
Values and attributes
Commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, and
experience of applying these principles in the
workplace
Ability to demonstrate, with examples, your alignment
to Safer London’s values
Ability to prioritise own workload and able to work
without close supervision
Ability to be flexible with work location
Ability to draw on a range of strategies to support your
wellbeing, help you cope with pressure and ambiguity
and continue to build resilience

Additional Considerations

Essential

A/I/T

Essential

A/T

Essential

A/I

Essential

A/I

Essential

A/I

Essential

A/I/T

Essential

A/I

Essential

Essential

Essential
Essential

A/I

A/I

A/I
A/I

•  We’re committed to protecting and promoting the welfare of children and

young people, and we expect anyone who works and volunteers with us to
share this commitment. An enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
check is required for this role.

•  The successful candidate will be required to travel to different locations

around London.

•  Safer London caseworkers sometimes work extended hours to meet the
needs of young Londoners/parents/carers. Therefore, the successful
candidate may occasionally be required to work evenings.

•  Safer London is an agile working organisation. This means employees can
work from different locations, e.g. from home, our office and community
locations such as libraries/co-working spaces, where the work allows. Agile
working arrangements will be agreed with the line-manager.

•  Safer London understands that resilience is a skill that can be learnt over time
and recognises and supports the role of self-care in developing resilience.

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How to Apply

If you are committed, resilient and believe you have what it takes to work
collaboratively with young Londoners and families to help them create better
futures for themselves, then please apply.

Visit the Safer London website www.saferlondon.org.uk/join-the-team/ for details on
how to apply.

As an agile working organisation, shortlisting will take place on a rolling basis and
the closing date is subject to change at any time.

As part of the online application, you will be required to confirm you have read our
Privacy and Cookie Policy and Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy.

Should you need any adjustments to the recruitment process, at either application or
interview, please contact us at recruitment@saferlondon.org.uk

Your Application

Please read the information below thoroughly before starting your application.
Your supporting statement is a very important part of your application. We can’t
make any assumptions about your knowledge, skills and experience, so the
information that you provide in your supporting statement is vital for us to decide
whether to shortlist you for an interview.

Please demonstrate how you meet the criteria and the values listed in the person
specification, detailing your experience, skills, achievements and/or abilities that are
relevant for the role that you are applying for. You should use specific examples. We
are looking for evidence that you can thrive in the role advertised.

Your statement should not exceed 1,000 words.

Equity Diversity and Inclusion

At Safer London we value diversity and we’re committed to creating an inclusive
culture. That’s why we encourage applications from all backgrounds and cultures.
We welcome applications from minoritised communities, the LGBTQ+ community
and individuals with disabilities (including hidden disabilities).

Our decisions are made by matching the skills and experience of applicants to roles,
regardless of age, disability, gender, gender identity or reassignment, marriage and
civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual
orientation.

Issues of racial justice are central to the work we do. We are fully committed to anti-
racism and actively oppose systemic oppression of any form. We celebrate diversity
and challenge inequality. As an organisation, we will proactively become part of the
solution, since we are not prepared to sit back, do nothing, and be part of the
problem.

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Data Protection

The information you provide in your application will be used by Safer London to
assess your suitability for the role you have applied for. We will not use personal
data for marketing or fundraising purposes (unless you have previously supported
Safer London) or share your data with any third parties for their marketing purposes.

We will also ask you for sensitive information (such as information relating to
ethnicity or sexual orientation), but only to allow Safer London to monitor and report
on diversity and equality of opportunities. The provision of this information is entirely
voluntary and will not affect whether you are shortlisted. for the role you have applied
for.

About Safer London

Safer London provides consistent, trauma-informed support to children and young
people who’ve already experienced harm - helping them move from crisis to stability,
and from harm to hope.

We support young Londoners affected by a range of harms, including criminal
exploitation, sexual exploitation and sexual violence, violence in the community and
peer-to-peer harm. Our work happens in the community - wherever the young
Londoner feels safe and comfortable. This could be a school, park, café, or another
safe place.

Each child or young person is matched with a caseworker based on their unique
needs and circumstances. They meet with them weekly and support typically lasts
between 6 months and 18 months, but support can last for as long as needed.
Each intervention is tailored to the young Londoner's identity, experiences and
needs, and may focus on safety planning, emotional wellbeing, healthy peer
relationships and family dynamics. We also help young Londoners access education,
training, employment opportunities, and safe, stable housing.

The team includes:

•  Specialist workers for girls and young women
•  SEND and complex harm specialists
•  A dedicated family team who works one to one with parents and carers

Through our work, we are helping young Londoners heal, rebuild and move forward -
so they can live safer lives and have the positive futures they deserve.

Why working for us is different

Encouraging work life balance

➢  Safer London is a 4 day/32 hour (FTE) working week organisation. This

means that you have a regular day off in the week with no impact on your pay.

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➢  179 hours annual leave (plus bank holidays and pro rata for those who join us

part time) rising after 3 and 5 years of service.

➢  Flexible and smart working policies in line with an agile way of working.
➢  Agile working - meaning you can work from different locations like home, in

the community, from our office (job dependent).

Enriching your work life

➢  Opportunities for learning and development
➢  New modern offices
➢  Opportunities to feedback including surveys and groups
➢  Reflective practice sessions
➢  Reduced caseloads compared to statutory services

Caring for you and your family

➢  Enhanced family leave
➢  Death in service benefit

Thinking about your finances

➢  Discounted season ticket loan
➢  Pension scheme
➢  Cycle to work scheme
➢  Expenses float scheme

Our Benefits in Full

We offer our staff a wide range of benefits to reward them for the value that they
bring to Safer London, to support them in their work, to help improve health and
wellbeing, and maintain a healthy work-life balance.

We intend to offer these benefits on an ongoing basis but may amend or withdraw
them at any time.

4-day, 32-hour working week

Safer London is a 4-day, 32-hour working week organisation. This means as a full-
time employee, you’ll enjoy a regular day off each week with no reduction in pay.

We made this decision to enhance both service delivery and employee wellbeing.
This allows us to offer extended service hours to young Londoners and their families
while supporting the work-life balance of our team.

Agile working

Safer London is committed to ensuring that it provides the best working conditions
for its employees. At Safer London, agile working allows employees to work from
various locations, such as the office, their homes, or other locations such as a library

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or shared workspace, depending on which is most appropriate or which is closest to
any meetings with young Londoners.

Death-in-service payment

Death-in-service is an employee benefit which pays out a tax-free lump sum if an
employee passes away while they are employed by Safer London, regardless of the
cause of death. Any payments that become due under this scheme are tax free
and paid – at the discretion of the scheme’s Trustees - to a named beneficiary/
beneficiaries nominated by the employee.

Annual Leave

As a full time employee you are entitled to 179 hours holiday in each annual leave
year plus bank holidays and other statutory holidays occurring during the leave year
(pro-rata for part time staff). This rises to 192 hours after 3 years service and 211
hours after 5 years service.

Staff expenses float

The Staff Expenses Float is a financial support system where Safer London provides
a one-off loan payment of £100 to cover the initial costs of expenses, which are then
reimbursed to ensure you are not out of pocket.

Cycle to Work Scheme

We offer a Cycle to Work Scheme to encourage health and fitness. This enables you
to use an interest free loan to purchase bike and safety equipment with costs
recovered from your salary over a 12-month period and meaning a tax and National
Insurance

Season Ticket Loan

Interest free season ticket loans are available to all staff once they have passed
probation (six months).

Paid Maternity Leave

All pregnant staff are entitled to up to 52 week’s maternity leave regardless of length
of service. Safer London offers enhanced maternity pay to those employees who:

•  have completed one year of continuous service by the end of the 15th week

before
their baby is due; and

•
•  agree to return to work for at least three months after the end of their

Maternity
•  Leave period.

Enhanced Maternity Pay means that the eligible employee’s pay will be increased to:

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•  100% of normal salary for the first six weeks of maternity leave;
•  50% of normal salary for the next 20 weeks of maternity leave;
•  The next 13 weeks paid at the Statutory Maternity Pay flat weekly rate.

Paid Paternity Leave

Any employee who satisfies the conditions for 2 weeks’ statutory paternity leave and
pay will be entitled to our Enhanced Paternity Pay benefit of an additional 2 weeks’
paid leave. The leave may be taken as four consecutive weeks of continuous leave
or in two blocks of two weeks each. All Enhanced Paternity Pay is paid at 100% of
normal pay. It is calculated as Statutory Paternity Pay and topped up by Enhanced
Paternity Pay.

Employee Assistance Programme

We offer a Staff Assistance Programme to all staff free of charge. It offers completely
confidential and impartial support, information, and a counselling service to staff.

Pension

On joining Safer London, new staff are auto-enrolled into our pension scheme if they
meet the eligibility criteria. Employees will pay an employee’s contribution of 4% and
Safer London will pay an employer’s contribution of 3% every month. Employees
may choose to contribute more than 4%.

Equity, inclusion and diversity

At Safer London we value diversity and we’re committed to creating an inclusive
culture. We know that in order to make London a safer place for the young people
that live here, we need a diverse range of perspectives, experience and knowledge.
Issues of racial justice are central to the work we do

We are fully committed to anti-racism and actively oppose systemic oppression of
any form. We celebrate diversity and challenge inequality. As an organisation, we
will proactively become part of the solution, since we are not prepared to sit back, do
nothing, and be part of the problem.

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