Job Title:  School Social Worker

Hours of work:  37 hours per week

Salary:  NJC Scale SO1, point 29 -31 (£26,470 - £28,221)

Responsible to:  Senior Leader with responsibility for Safeguarding and Child protection.

The Purpose of the Role:

To support vulnerable students, develop and maintain links between school and external agencies, and contribute to the safety, well-being and safeguarding of all students.

Key Areas of responsibility:

• Child protection and safeguarding;
• Supporting students;
• Supporting staff;
• Supporting parents/carers/guardians;
• Liaison with other agencies; and
• Safeguarding.

 Principal Accountabilities: 

• Assist the Designated Senior Person (DSP) in making referrals to external agencies including Children's Social Care.
• Develop robust systems (both electronic and paper-based) to record all issues relating to students subject to a Child Protection Plan, CAF, those identified as Child in Need, Looked After Children and other vulnerable cohorts.
• Be responsible for writing CAFs for identified students and liaising with appropriate staff to gather necessary information.
• Monitor the progress, attendance and behaviour of key cohorts of 'vulnerable' students identified by the school and work with key staff to ensure that they are achieving at least expected progress.
• Maintain accurate and detailed records of all work undertaken with targeted students and their families.
• When necessary escort identified students into school to ensure full attendance.
• Produce reports for external agencies, including documentation for Care Services, TAC meetings and court proceedings.
• Attend all necessary meetings relating to issues of Child Protection and Safeguarding.
• Support SENDL/SLT with responsibility for Looked After Children as required.
• Assist the DSP in being a main point of contact for all issues of Child Protection and Safeguarding.
• Develop systems to record and monitor safeguarding and provide data reports for the SLT.
• Be available during social times, before and after school for students to discuss any issues/concerns they may have, whilst upholding the school's ethos, policies and expectations.
• Participate with colleagues in short and medium term planning relating to individual support for students.
• In conjunction with relevant staff, liaise with external agencies to ensure individual and relevant support for students.
• Monitor regularly the impact of intervention and support against student progress and assess value for money.
• Facilitate effective communication between students, teachers and other agencies as appropriate.
• Work in partnership with colleagues on issues of Child Protection and Safeguarding, to ensure the safety and well-being of all students.
• Collaborate with teachers to link intervention and support with progress of identified students.
• Communicate effectively to staff issues regarding students being fully supported without compromising issues of confidentiality.
• Undertake home visits as necessary, following school procedures and guidelines to encourage parental participation in their children's educational development and to give information regarding their child's development and well-
• When necessary escort parents/carers/guardians to school for meetings.
• Support parents/carers/guardians in their understanding of issues relating to their child's safety and well-
• Where appropriate advise parents/carers/guardians to ensure they are receiving appropriate support e.g. benefits, health etc. and signposting them to the relevant external agencies.
• Advise on and assist the school in fostering closer links between schools, parents/carers/guardians and other local agencies.
• Establish and facilitate group work with parents/carers/guardians, where appropriate, to help them realise their potential as educators, know the achievements and expectations of their child and how they can support or assist their child's learning.
• Develop effective working relationships with a wide range of external agencies, e.g. Children's Social Care, LAC services, Health Service representatives, as appropriate to the individual student.
• Keep school fully informed of the nature of contacts made and how the various agencies impact on the progress of the individual student.
• Maximise the use of suitable resources available from outside agencies in order to formulate the most effective strategy for addressing individual needs.
• Maintain accurate records of all agency involvement with any student.
• Undertake the appropriate level of Child Protection training to be able to make referrals to Children's Social Care and other safeguarding agencies.
• Work in conjunction with the DSP to ensure that all matters of child protection and safeguarding are dealt with.
• Ensure continued personal professional development through attendance at relevant training.
• Undertake appropriate training in the use of ICT software programs.
• Support staff in their understanding of issues relating to student welfare.
• Undertake any other duties as reasonably required by the Head of School.
• Contribute to the life of the School community, and to support its ethos and policies, including those relating to data protection, health and safety, and equality and diversity.

This job description provides an outline of the post, rather than an exclusive list of responsibilities.  The post will evolve to meet changing circumstances, which are a feature of school based roles.  Such changes would be commensurate with the grading and conditions of service of the post and would be subject to discussion and consultation.  All staff are required to comply with the school's policies, procedures and ethos