Social Worker - EDN29539

Job Description

CF Children, Education and Justice Services

Social Worker – Child Protection Resource/Scottish Child Interview Model (SCIM) Team
Waverley Court

Salary: £37,626 - £44,257
Hours: 36 per week

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a position within City of Edinburgh’s Child Protection Resource, Scottish Child Interview Model Team (SCIM).

The post is a permanent social work post within CEC Children’s Services; however, we are currently undertaking a whole service re-design therefore there may be a requirement for the successful candidate to be placed elsewhere in the service, pending the outcome of the re-design.

The training involved in becoming a SCIM interviewer is a significant commitment, and it is expected that the appointee will continue to be involved in conducting SCIM interviews beyond this time, irrespective of the longer-term structure of the SCIM team following the service re-design.

This opportunity will involve joining the National Joint Interview Training Programme, beginning on 13th January 2025. The training involves 30 days of face-to-face training over 3 modules, with reading and course work in addition.

The SCIM Team, have been operational since February 2023. They are an integral element of the child protection process, undertaking trauma informed joint investigative interviews with children who may have experienced or witnessed abuse or neglect, in partnership with police.

There are currently two Senior Practitioners and a Team Leader working in the team.

The Senior Practitioners also undertake SCIM interviews and assessments, however in addition hold further responsibilities in relation to data gathering, analysis of data, feedback from children and families and learning/development forums.

The team are based within the Sycamore Partnership building, which brings together NHS Lothian, Police Scotland, City of Edinburgh Council, Midlothian Council and East Lothian Council.

The SCIM team work closely with their colleagues in the Child Protection Resource and there will be an expectation that the successful applicant will work within the CP Resource until their SCIM training is complete and beyond as required.

Prospective applicants must be a qualified social worker and should meet the following criteria:

• Demonstrate a sound understanding of the child protection process, from IRD to conclusion and how Joint Investigative Interviews inform this.

• Demonstrate experience of undertaking child protection assessments

• Demonstrate that their practice is trauma informed.

• Demonstrate the ability to work well in a multi-agency partnership to keep children safe

• Demonstrate leadership capacity and confidence in being an active participant in the planning, briefing and de-briefing for joint investigative interviews

• Demonstrate an understanding of quality assurance work, how feedback from children and their families is used to improve practice

• Have an understanding of children’s rights and the national implementation of UNCRC • Demonstrate a strength and solution-based approach to operational service challenges

• Demonstrate a commitment to continuous professional development

Please note these positions are full time and office based 5 days per week.

If you would like to discuss more about the role, please contact Alison Wishart, Team Manager, Child Protection Resource at Alison.Wishart1@edinburgh.gov.uk

Requirements

This post is regulated work with children and/or protected adults under the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007. The preferred candidate will be required to join the PVG Scheme or undergo a PVG Scheme update check. Where an individual has spent a continuous period of 3 months or more out with the UK in the last 5 years, an Overseas Criminal Record Check will be required. You will be required to provide this check. An unconditional offer of employment and commencement in the post will be subject to the outcome of both these pre-employment checks being deemed satisfactory.

We're committed to creating a workplace culture where all our people feel valued, included and able to be their best at work, and we recognise the benefits that a diverse workforce with different values, beliefs, experience, and backgrounds brings to us as an organisation.

As part of our goal to improve our organisational culture and create a great place to work together for the people of Edinburgh, we want to make sure that we’re bringing the best people into our roles, not just in their skills and experience but also in their approach to work.

To help achieve this, we’re changing the way we interview and assess candidates by moving from a competency-based interview approach to a behavioural and technical (skills for the job) based approach. This new way of interviewing will allow us to assess how you think and how you would bring Our Behaviours of Respect, Integrity and Flexibility into your ways of working.

You can find out more on Our Behaviours web page Our Behaviours – The City of Edinburgh Council

Our salary range typically reflects the initial starting salary and annually increases until it reaches the top of the range.

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