Job Introduction
Our ASYE (Assessed and Supported Year in Employment) programme has a great reputation because we’re committed to giving you the best start in your social work career by helping you develop your practice in a supported way. Plus, we now have a new Social Work Progression Pathway!
Our ASYE programme – what you can expect
Staffordshire has a well-established ASYE programme that prides itself on providing our newly qualified social workers with strong support and opportunities to develop. We recognise that your first year of social work practice is about developing your confidence, skills, and knowledge. That’s why we offer monthly bespoke ASYE training sessions, with well-established social work educators.
You’ll have a protected workload, and individual ASYE assessors who will regularly meet with you and your manager to review your support and development needs. You’ll also have protected study leave to develop your practice portfolio and opportunities to attend a range of training that will develop your social work practice knowledge.
Feedback from social workers who have completed our ASYE programme tell us:
‘I appreciated the protected workload, and individual support’.
‘There was recognition that I was learning whilst practising’.
‘I felt Staffordshire recognised that I needed time to develop and consolidate my social work style and practice.’
‘There’s lots of training and support from individual teams and managers.’
Main Responsibility
You'll be able to see in the attached job description the main responsibilities of being a social worker here at Staffordshire and in your year in employment on programme with us we'll ensure you get the best breadth of experience in your team.
Assessment and Staying Together Teams
You’ll be working with children and their families consistently from the point our Duty hub refer them to you until we support them to leave our system. In some instances where there’s a need for a final order this is where support for a child will be taken over by our Children in Care and Care Leavers teams.
Children in Care Teams
You'll be working with children in our care once care proceedings are concluded, supporting their care plans and ensuring their needs are met; whilst continually re-assessing and considering permanency options.
The way we work
In Staffordshire we want to improve the lives of all children and young people and we do this through our Restorative Practice framework. Our approach is underpinned by a set of beliefs, values and behaviours that focus on building and repairing relationships.
This relationship model uses a strength-based approach which aims to work in partnership with children and their families. Working restoratively is widely accepted as an effective way of achieving better outcomes for families and in Staffordshire we are committed to using a range of methods and tools to achieve this. So that when you join us you’ll receive specific restorative practice training to enable and embed this way of working.
The Ideal Candidate
To join our ASYE programme you’ll need to be:
- Expecting to become a Qualified Social Worker within the next 9 months
- Be registered with or on track to become registered with Social Work England (SWE) in the next 9 months
- Have a current UK driving licence and access to use a vehicle
But above all, you’ll bring the desire to work with children and families to give them the right support, at the right time with the aim of keeping families together where it’s safe to do so.
Here at Staffordshire, we’re proud of each other, of the supportive team we’ve built and all that we’ve achieved together, and we hope you’ll become part of our team.
For informal chat or to ask questions about the roles in Cannock please contact danielle.foss@staffordshire.gov.uk
About Staffordshire County Council
We are no ordinary county council:
Our Values:
The core of who we are as an organisation. Just like we all have personal values that shape our thoughts and behaviour, organisational values drive how we think and act collectively.
Our values were created and shaped by colleague feedback and national best practice and they sit at the heart of People Strategy:
We have a real sense of community spirit that brings our people together. This feeling of belonging means we are all connected to what we do and take pride in the difference we make every day for Staffordshire people. We are ambitious and our sights are set firmly on a better future.
We look forward and race ahead - that goes for your career too.
Our benefits:
We recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive working environment where employees can achieve their full potential and achieve a healthy work-life balance.
In addition to your salary, as a member of staff, you will have access to Our rewards and benefits - Careers at Staffordshire
Our recruitment process:
As an Authority we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
Staffordshire County Council is an equal opportunities organisation and Disability Confident employer. We encourage applications from all background and communities
As part of our commitment as a Disability Confident employer, a Gold Award Armed Forces employer and our commitment to supporting care leavers - we offer a guaranteed interview as long as your application meets the minimum criteria for the post.
As you’ll know safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our children and young people/vulnerable adults is important to us and that’s why this position is subject to a criminal record check from the Disclosure and Barring Service. If applicable you should disclose details of unspent and unfiltered spent reprimands, formal warnings, cautions and convictions in your application form.
