Quality Assurance Senior Practitioner

Job Introduction

We’re looking for two experienced Social Workers to join our growing Quality Assurance Team. You’ll work closely with our Quality Assurance Advanced Practitioner and Principal Social Worker to implement our Quality Assurance framework.

You’ll have good knowledge of all areas of Children’s Social Care, from the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub to Leaving Care. This role is an opportunity to drive the improvement of quality practice across social care, ensuring children and young people receive the best quality service.

There will be opportunities to mentor and supervise students and newly qualified Social Workers and to get involved with our successful Assessed and Supported Year in Employment and Student development programmes.

Role Responsibilities

• To deliver support to teams and workers and embed the practice model in their approach. This includes supporting with personal development plans and performance plans for social workers across the service.
• Participate in quality audit of the team’s and other teams work, where relevant. This will involve deep dive audits, case files audits, thematic and development work with social workers to include mentoring.
• To lead on the implementation of Signs of Safety including the delivery of training and 1:1 mentoring of workers.
• Responsible for chairing professional and strategic meetings and acting on behalf of the Deputy/Team Manager as appropriate for the team. This may include modelling new approaches to managers and social workers during implementation periods.
• Lead responsibility for an area of children’s service development and contribute to partnership working across CYPS and partners, where appropriate.
• To Participate in the planning and delivery of multi-agency audit and analysis of findings.

Ideal Candidate

• Social work qualification (DipSW, CQSW, Degree in social work or equivalent).
• Experience of working in Children and Families social work.
• A strong working knowledge of Signs of Safety.
• Experience of planning and delivering training.
• A working knowledge of what good social work practice looks like.

About The Company

Milton Keynes is a diverse, welcoming, and expanding place, built on smart ideas with even bigger plans for the future. We have world class attractions, beautiful open spaces, and a great standard of living.

Milton Keynes City Council is one of the largest employers in the region, making a difference every day for local people. We’re responsible for all local government services in MK including education, housing, highways, and social services - around 240 services in all.

Our values are to be dedicated, respectful, and collaborative. If this sounds like you, join us for a stimulating and fulfilling career measured on results, and a rewarding work-life balance.

Package Description

We are really proud of the benefits we are able to offer our staff here at Milton Keynes City Council, including:-

• Local Government Pension Scheme, considered to be one of the best employer contribution rates of 18.8%.
• 28 days annual leave per year in addition to statutory and public holidays, rising to 32 days after 5 years.
• Holiday Purchase Scheme.
• Our Professional Development Centre provides access to courses such as in-house management development programmes endorsed by the Institute of Leadership, coaching and mentoring and access to our Smarter Learning portal
• Cycle to Work Scheme.
• Health Cashplan.
• MK Advantage benefits package – a range of savings on a wide range of retail, leisure and entertainment products and services such as Pizza Express, M&S, B&Q, John Lewis and Arriva Travel.
• Blue Light Card - Employees working within Social Care can qualify for a range of discounts from national retailers to local businesses in a wide range of categories including holidays, cars, days out, fashion, gifts, insurance, phones and much more!
• SmartGo – Aimed at encouraging low-carbon transport and healthy lifestyle with discounted travel e.g. Halfords, Arriva, Europcar, National Railcards and Stagecoach.
• Homebuy Scheme (for eligible roles).
• Smarter working which provides the opportunity to work from various locations including from home for a proportion of your role (subject to business needs).
• A full range of family friendly policies including enhanced Maternity, Adoption and Paternity entitlements.
• Childcare Subsidy.