Professional Social Work Adviser

Fixed Term Appointment – 23 month duration, start date 1 August 2024

Overview

We are inviting applications for a professional adviser role to provide policy support and professional advice to the Scottish Government Child Protection, Bairns’ Hoose and Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking (UAS) Children Care and Accommodation Development Units. The postholder will be a qualified and registered social worker with experience in children and families social work.

Applicants should have experience of national or local policy development and implementation and be confident operating at a national level. We are looking for an individual who can identify key issues and liaise with stakeholders to articulate solutions that are workable, and in keeping with social work values and principles. 

The three Units are part of Children’s Rights, Protection and Justice Division within the Children and Families Directorate.  The Units drives delivery of work on a number of high profile and politically sensitive child protection policy areas. Teams work in a fast-paced environment with a high degree of Ministerial and stakeholder engagement. 

The postholder will provide social work input and advice across the work of the three Units and work collaboratively with policy and professional leads to identify linkages, risks and opportunities across policy developments including The Promise, Age of Criminal Responsibility, Joint Investigative Interviewing and UNCRC.  Professional leadership and support will be provided through the either the Chief Social Work Adviser or their Depute. To assist in the delivery of this role, the postholder will also be supported by colleagues at Social Work Scotland, with direct access to Chief Social Work Officers and social work Heads/Managers of children’s services.

This is a personally and professionally rewarding role which provides a unique opportunity to work with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders to support and influence policy development and implementation. The postholder will have visibility across Government, exposure to stakeholders at every level and will have both scope and support to further develop skills in policy development, stakeholder engagement and influencing and project management. 

Responsibilities will vary across the period of the appointment and the postholder will need to be responsive and flexible. The current postholder has played a critical role in our response to the war in Ukraine and the pressures arising from the rise in the number of UAS children being cared for in Scotland.

A suitable Disclosure Scotland certificate is required for this post. 

• Provide social work input and advice across the work of the three units. In doing so, bring a consistent practice focus on children’s rights, equalities and family support.
• Play a key role in the implementation of the Inter-agency Referral Discussion national offer through learning and development and local support, in partnership with other professional advisers and key partners,
• Support implementation and monitoring of adaptations to local practice and procedures in line with new national child protection guidance and related continuous improvement workstreams.
• Be a core member of the Bairns’ Hoose Pathfinder Project Team and support programme delivery as required.
• Continue to inform the Scottish Government’s response to the growing pressures on local authorities as a result of the requirement to care for UAS children.
• Contribute to the drafting of national guidance, reports and responses to issues raised by Ministers, stakeholders and the public.
• Support the work of the Chief Social Work Adviser and play an active role in the Directorate’s professional adviser team, inputting as required to the establishment of the National Social Work Agency.
• Collaborate with Social Work Scotland’s Director, Children and Families Lead, Committees and networks to inform and influence policy and practice developments.

Competencies

Leading others

Communication and engagement

Analysis and use of evidence

Improving performance

Skills_For_Success_Competency_Framework C

Person_Specification_Band_C Updated Oct23 (V3)

You must be a qualified social worker registered with the SSSC or equivalent body.

Essential Criteria:

1. Experience of working collaboratively with a range of partners to build robust relationships, in order to influence, negotiate and deliver agreed outcomes.
2. Demonstrable skills in policy development and delivery in complex areas, making appropriate use of evidence from a range of sources to inform approaches.
3. Experience of communicating complex messages to a range of audiences to influence outcomes with the ability to find common ground within groups with differing views.
4. The ability to analyse information and produce succinct reports.

Location

The post is based in Edinburgh with hybrid working in line with Scottish Government policies and guidance.  Some attendance in Scottish Government buildings will be required with meetings taking place in both Edinburgh and Glasgow. There is, however, considerable flexibility in working arrangements to suit personal circumstances and preferences. Some travel within Scotland will be necessary due to the wide range of stakeholders with an interest in these practice areas.

Provisional Dates for Interview

Wb 17/06/24

Further Information and How to Apply

For further information on this vacancy please download and review the Person Specification Band C

To apply you must fully complete and submit an online application via this website before the closing date (19/05/24) Please ensure you complete the four Essential Criteria questions (300 words per answer). Your answers should be clear, concise and reflect what actions you undertook. You may want to use the STAR(R) approach to respond to each criterion.

 
This post is a full-time role, but staff with different working patterns are invited to apply, and proposed working patterns will be assessed against the business requirements for this post.

 
For further information about the vacancy please contact Lindsay MacDougall, Head of Child Protection - lindsay.macdougall@gov.scot 

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