Job Family Code 10SW Role Title Senior Social Worker
Reports to (role title) Assistant Team Manager
Directorate Adult Social Care
Service Commissioning and Operations
Team
Date Role Profile was created Sep-16
371-438
Role Purpose
including key outputs
To provide a professional social work service to adults their families and carers
living in Surrey in line within the requirements of the Care Act.
To engage with individuals, families, groups and communities to assess and intervene and using
professional judgement employ a range of interventions promoting choice, control and
independence.
At this level the role holder will be more autonomous. They will demonstrate expert and effective
practice in complex situations, assessing and managing higher levels of risk, striking a balance
between support and control, liaising with a wide range of professionals, including more senior
levels.
The role holder will assist individuals, carers and families to develop support plans to meet the
outcomes identified, using an asset based approach and family, friends and community options
where appropriate and eligible needs are identified. They will actively encourage involvement and
ownership of the support plan but to take a leadership role where appropriate, and will give clear
explanation of the use of Direct Payments so that informed decisions can be made.
The role holder will actively promote wellbeing and independence, to enable individuals and carers
to retain or regain their skills and confidence and prevent or delay deterioration. They will engage
effectively with families to facilitate contingency planning to anticipate complexity and changing
circumstances.
They will ensure that individuals, carers and families have a clear understanding of the NHS
Continuing Health Care process and support where required. They will also ensure compliance with
the Care Act and other relevant legislation when using advocacy services and carrying out reviews,
including mental capacity assessments.
The role holder will promote and sustain a learning culture and personal professional development
through professional reflective supervision and guidance to less experienced Social Workers
Where required, they will take the role of practice educator (or train as a practice educator) for
social work students and the role of ASYE assessor and supervisor for newly qualified social
workers in the team.
Role Profile Part A - Grade & Structure Information
The below profile describes the general nature of work performed at this level as set out in the job family. It is not intended
to be a detailed list of all duties and responsibilities which may be required. The role will be further defined by annual
objectives, which will be developed with the role holder. The Council reserves the right to review and amend the job families
on a regular basis.
Part B - Job Family Description
JE Band
Grade PS10SC
Page 1
Work Context
Line management
responsibility
if applicable
Budget responsibility
if applicable
Casework Management
- Take professional responsibility for managing a complex caseload which will include individuals,
children, carers and families who require support and guidance.
- Demonstrate confident and effective judgement about risk and accountability in decision-making
and be able to sustain engagement with fluctuating circumstances and capacities, including where
there is hostility and risk.
Assessment and Review
- Use assessment procedures discerningly in response to the presenting needs and to ensure that
a proportionate assessment is completed in a way that enables maximum participation.
- Use professional judgement, employing a range of interventions: promoting independence,
providing support and protection, taking preventative action and ensuring safety whilst balancing
rights and risks.
Safeguarding
- Take the lead in managing positive interventions that prevent deterioration in health and
wellbeing whilst safeguarding people at risk of abuse or neglect.
- Undertake assessment and planning for safeguarding in more complex cases, and support
colleagues by utilising safeguarding skills, in line with current policies and procedures.
Staff Development
- Play a leading role in practice development, help promote and sustain a learning culture and
mentor less experienced staff.
- Deliver formal professional reflective supervision and provide guidance and advice regarding
casework to less experienced qualified staff.
- Where required, take the role of practice educator (or train as a practice educator) for students
and the role of ASYE assessor and supervisor for newly qualified social workers in the team.
- As part of the supervision and appraisal process provide support with personal and professional
development.
Data Quality
- Take professional and personal responsibility for clear recording of analysis and judgements,
maintaining up to date case work records on the database as required by Surrey County Council.
- Take responsibility for working within the Directorate's data protection policies.
Duties For All
Values: To uphold the values and behaviours of the organisation.
Equality & Diversity: To work inclusively, with a diverse range of stakeholders and promote equality
of opportunity.
Health, safety and welfare: To maintain high standards of Health, Safety and Welfare at work and
take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and others.
Representative
Accountabilities
Typical accountabilities
in roles at this level in
this job family
Social work staff working in the Adult Social Care Directorate are based in either:
- A locality team linked to one of 11 district and boroughs, which provide community social work,
occupational therapy services and social care support to the local community, or
- In one of 5 hospital teams providing 7 day 8.00am - 8.00pm social work and social care support
to individuals carers and families involved in discharge from hospital or in specialist countywide
teams e.g. Transition Team.
The role holder will be required and be able to work flexibly; you will be supported to do this with
mobile IT equipment and hot desk facilities.
Surrey has both urban and rural areas and community based social workers will be required to
have a valid driving licence to drive in the UK and access to a vehicle
and be willing to travel across a wide geographical area.
Reasonable adjustments will be made for social workers who have a disability to enable them to
fulfil the requirements of the job.
Professional supervision will be provided.
No direct line management responsibility but will have supervisory skills and experience to be able
to provide professional supervision to qualified social workers on a delegated basis.
This post has no direct budget responsibility however the post holder may make
recommendations for the provision of services in line with the budget determined according to the
assessment of needs. They may need to advise less experienced or unqualified colleagues on
budget and the cost of services.
By agreement some staff are given enhanced authority to make financial decisions subject to
specific guidelines.
Page 2
Education,
Knowledge, Skills &
Abilities, Experience
and Personal
Characteristics
Casework Management
- Take professional responsibility for managing a complex caseload which will include individuals,
children, carers and families who require support and guidance.
- Demonstrate confident and effective judgement about risk and accountability in decision-making
and be able to sustain engagement with fluctuating circumstances and capacities, including where
there is hostility and risk.
Assessment and Review
- Use assessment procedures discerningly in response to the presenting needs and to ensure that
a proportionate assessment is completed in a way that enables maximum participation.
- Use professional judgement, employing a range of interventions: promoting independence,
providing support and protection, taking preventative action and ensuring safety
