Consultant

Consultant Social Worker

University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

London

Salary

£58,133 – £65,261

Posted

2 days ago

About the role

About the roleYou will hold a small caseload of complex, high-risk cases while providing expert supervision, case consultation, and planned management for the team. You will contribute to intake decisions, case discussions, and service delivery planning, ensuring the highest standards of advocacy and safeguarding in line with ISVA, Home Office and Ministry of Justice guidance. You will lead quality assurance, audits, service improvement initiatives, and support research into children's experiences of the criminal justice process. You will represent the Lighthouse externally at case management meetings, support professional training and workshops, and ensure the voice of children, young people and families informs service development. You will promote contextual and transitional safeguarding across the service, contribute to clinical governance, and maintain high standards of risk management, documentation, and data reporting. About youYou will be a qualified, experienced social worker with strong ISVA/ChISVA knowledge, confidence managing complex safeguarding cases, and proven leadership in supervising multidisciplinary teams. You will have exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with experience navigating highly sensitive, emotive or complex situations. You will value reflective practice, psychological safety, and collaborative partnership working.

o Lead on providing expert consultation and on child sexual abuse to community colleagues including childrens social care.Hold a small caseload of complex, high-risk cases, delivering trauma-informed, child-centred direct interventions.o Provide supervision, case consultation, guidance and planned case management to Child and Family Practitioners.o Contribute to intake decisions, case discussions and multidisciplinary planning to ensure effective safeguarding and advocacy for children and families.o Ensure compliance with ISVA, Home Office and Ministry of Justice guidance, and maintain high standards of clinical, safeguarding and operational governance.o Lead and participate in quality assurance, audits, and research initiatives to improve the child's experience of the criminal justice process.o Support service development, continuous improvement, and the implementation of best-practice directives across the Lighthouse.o Represent the Lighthouse at internal and external meetings, fostering strong partnership working with police, social care, legal partners, therapeutic services and community organisations. ...continued below (detailed job description section)

Person specification

Essential

a.Social work qualification (Masters Level or equivalent), Practice Educator Professional standards (PEPS) qualification and current HCPC registration.
b.Recognised management and leadership qualification or demonstrable equivalent management and leadership experience.
c.Highly developed specialist knowledge in working with victims of child sexual abuse cases going through the criminal justice system including up to date knowledge fo the criminal justice system.
d.A highly developed understanding of systems and barriers faced by vulnerable children in accessing services to support their experience of recovery from child sexual abuse particularly for black, Asian and minority ethnic groups and children with disabilities.
e.Knowledge of up to date Pan London child protection procedures and statutory guidance relating to multidisciplinary safeguarding.
c.Postgraduate or significant further CPD in on for the following: systemic practice at foundation of intermediate level; or Compassion- focused therapy (CFT); motivational interviewing; or CBT skills.
a.Substantial work experience working with children and carers affected by sexual abuse through the investigation and criminal justice process.
b.Experience of managing Social workers/social work students, offering oversight, case management and reflective supervision
d.Experience of anti-racist practice or practice that is focused on addressing barriers for vulnerable children particularly those from minoritised groups in accessing support services and justice in the criminal process .
e.Experience of working with police officers and promoting the rights of victims with in investigations and the criminal justice process.
f.Experience of multiagency engagement working collaboratively with Children's Social Care and safeguarding processes.
a.Ability to provide and receive receiving highly complex, highly sensitive or highly contentious information where there are significant barriers to acceptance which need to be overcome using the highest level of interpersonal and communication skills, such as would be required when communicating in a hostile, antagonistic or highly emotive atmosphere.
b.Excellent written and verbal communication skills
c.Excellent oral, written and presentation skills
d.To ensure the Service's procedures for managing risk are followed at all times, and to seek appropriate advice as necessary.
a.Decision-making skills
b.Knowledge on safeguarding issues linked to this role
c.Able to communicate effectively to all disciplines
d.Able to manage time effectively
e.Able to priorities objectives and workload
a.Ability to prioritise work in the face of competing demands in a busy service.
b.Ability to manage workloads and deliver to deadlines within resources
c.Ability to review work in accordance with Lighthouse and Barnahus quality standards.
d.To support data analysis and collation when requested.

Desirable

c.Experience of supporting children and their carers in complex criminal justice cases including undertaking needs and risk assessments, safety planning and case co-ordination.