SHiFT Bexley is an innovative collaboration between SHiFT (a Charity that partners with public services to drive systems change) and Children’s Services at the London Borough of Bexley. SHiFT Bexley works intensively and flexibly with children caught up in, or at risk of, the destructive cycle of crime and associated behaviour, doing whatever it takes to set them on a course for success. It is part of our Specialist Adolescent Services, sitting alongside the Youth Justice Service and our Targeted Youth Service.
SHiFT Bexley is expanding its multi-disciplinary practice to include new SHiFT Guide roles for social workers - colleagues who will case-hold statutory interventions and support children for whom there are concerns around extrafamilial harm, including criminal or sexual exploitation. As a member of SHiFT Bexley, you will work intensively with low numbers of children, getting alongside them, their friends, families, and communities, and working with them collaboratively and systemically, to develop high trust, culturally competent and strengths-driven relationships that catalyse positive change. You will share an unwavering commitment to anti-racist and anti-oppressive practice and put this at the centre of all your work.
Are you a highly skilled Social Worker who’d love the chance to work intensively and flexibly with a small group of children who are caught in cycles of exploitation and extra-familial harm? Are you a tenacious problem solver, ready to do whatever it takes to set all children up for safe and bright futures? Do you go for gold in your practice, holding high aspirations and expectations and believing in children until they believe in themselves? Are you laser focused on improved outcomes and progress for children and families and do you thrive in a culture of high trust and high expectations? If so, then SHiFT Bexley – an innovative collaboration between SHiFT, a national systems change charity, and the London Borough of Bexley’s Children’s Service – is growing and we’d love you to join us.
Bexley is on a mission to put relationships at the heart of all its work with children and is investing in the intensive support that we know is needed for children caught in cycles of exploitation and related harms. An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Bexley SHiFT Practice as a Social Worker, where you will work systemically with a small number of children and families over 6 to c. 12 months. You will have time to invest in relationships with children and their families and undertake high quality direct work. You will work with children and families flexibly, whenever and wherever they feel safest. You will work collaboratively with everyone important in the child’s world, including partner agencies, to intervene effectively in the spaces where children are experiencing harm.
You will be part of an expanding team and a dynamic and forward-looking wider adolescent service that is continually evolving and looking for opportunities to innovate.
You will be provided with 16 days of systemic training in your first year with the team, alongside Bexley’s wider Children’s Services training and development offer. You will benefit from clinical supervision as well as weekly, reflective Child and Family Practice Discussions with your team, supported by a Systemic Psychotherapist.
Bexley Children’s Services has adopted Signs of Safety as its practice model. This strengths and solution focused ethos of working with families and colleagues is threaded throughout all areas of Children’s Social Care. As part of your role, you will work alongside this practice framework.
Please refer to the Job Description attached for more information.
For an informal discussion about the role please contact Hannah Porter, Team Manager, on 0203 045 3175 or [email protected].
Candidate Profile
You will be a qualified social worker, registered with Social Work England. You will be passionate about working with adolescents and have significant experience in undertaking direct work with young people. You will have experience of delivering successful change through evidence-based approaches with children affected by extra familial harm and their families. You will be skilled and experienced in working in a multi-agency context.
For the full list of essential and desirable criteria for this role then please refer to the Person Specification within the Job Description attached.
Appointment to this post will be subject to the outcome of an Enhanced Disclosure obtained through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).