Social Worker

Job overview
Great Ormond Street is a tertiary specialist children's hospital that has a strong commitment to supporting children and their families. The CEW (Complications Associated with Excess Weight) is an NHS England funded initiative with projects in different geographical locations offering a multi-disciplinary approach to children where there are issues relation to excess weight. The team recognises how as part of this, health inequalities are a key factor in creating barriers to both physical and mental health.

Currently we have a vacancy for a Social Worker (Band 7) with a minimum of four years post qualification and minimum two years in statutory setting. This is funded until March 2024.

If you have experience of working with children and families with additional health needs or disabilities, excellent written and verbal communication skills, proven abilities in anti racist / anti discriminatory practice and a strong commitment to providing excellent support to patients and their families, then we would like to hear from you. The Head of Social Work will be a link into the wider Social Work team at GOSH, and there will be training opportunities and opportunities to engage with group reflective discussions with nurses and social workers

Main duties of the job
The Social Work role is 100% case holding and forms part of the above multidisciplinary team including a paediatric clinician, nurse, dietician, family therapist and clinical psychologist. The team works collaboratively and with families as well as health care and other networks to address the holistic needs of this cohort. There are strong efforts to recognise family strengths alongside the challenges these families often face.

The role will involve supporting patients on a range of statutory plans through extensive liaison with Local Authorities and outside agencies. Senior social workers give expert advice to colleagues on complex safeguarding issues and offer consultations about statutory thresholds and when to refer. The role will also involve home visits and compliance with safe lone working practices.

You will need well developed skills in assessing children and family’s needs holistically, have knowledge and skills regarding motivational interviewing and be able to work in a family based, child-centred and reflective manner. You will need to be a confident communicator and self-starter as whilst you will be part of a team, this is autonomous role as it relates to social work.

Working for our organisation
GOSH is committed to recruiting the best person for the job, based solely on their ability and individual merit as measured against the criteria for the role; through a process that is fair, open, consistent and free from bias and discrimination. We are committed to being a diverse and inclusive employer and foster a culture where all staff are valued, respected and acknowledged. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, age, disability status or length of time spent unemployed. We particularly welcome applications from BAME communities, people with disabilities and/or long-term health conditions and LGBT+ community members. We have policies and procedures in place to ensure that all applicants and employees are treated fairly and consistently. We are proud to be accredited as a Disability Confident Employer, a member of Business Disability Forum and a Stonewall Diversity Champion. We have active and Executive supported BAME, LGBT+ and Allies, Disability and Long-Term Health Conditions and Women’s staff networks. Staff networks are employee-led groups formed around interests, issues and a common bond or background. Staff network members create a positive and inclusive work environment at Great Ormond Street Hospital by actively contributing to the Trust’s mission, values and efforts specific to inclusion. All of our staff networks are open to any employee.


Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. For both documents please view the attachment/s below.

Person specification
GOSH Culture and Values
Essential criteria
GOSH Always Values
Academic/Professional qualification/Training
Essential criteria
Degree or Diploma in Social Work or equivalent qualification
Current professional registration with Social Work England
Experience/Knowledge
Essential criteria
Sound knowledge of the Legislative framework relating to children particularly the Children Act 1989, Children’s Act 2004, Children & Families Act 2014
Familiarity with Working Together 2018 and the London Safeguarding Children Procedures
Familiarity with Working Together 2018 and the London Safeguarding Children Procedures
Basic awareness of the broad categories of services and resources available to children and families, and the use of those resources to meet identified needs
Sound knowledge and understanding of the impact of illness, disability and bereavement on children and families
Knowledge and understanding of the pressures faced by families with children living in poverty and socially and economically deprived neighbourhoods and the impact on outcomes for children and young people
Detailed understanding of the different types of child abuse and the impact on children and young people’s development
Detailed knowledge of the range of professionals involved in meeting children’s needs across Health, Education and Social Care
Experience of working with adolescents in a therapeutic setting.
Experience undertaking assessments of individual needs and/or risk; of designing and implementing care/protection plans; or monitoring and reviewing.
Experience of working with children and families in a multi-cultural, multi-lingual, inner-city community is desirable
Desirable criteria
At least 4 years post-qualification experience as a social worker in statutory settings
Experience of working in a health setting
Experience of working with children with disabilities/complex health needs
Some awareness of Fabricated or Induced Illness is desirable
Skills / Abilities
Essential criteria
Good communication skills with the ability to provide and receive complex and sensitive information in a developmentally and culturally appropriate manner
Able to demonstrate an understanding of the implications on social care needs of a chronic health condition for patients and families across the lifespan
Able to demonstrate an understanding of the roles of a social work in relation to a patient, their family, health care networks and any wider organisational systems around them
Ability to undertake social work assessments of children and young people and their families with a chronic condition in a physical health setting
Ability to build and maintain effective working relationships at all levels internally and externally in order to influence and get things done e.g. team working
Collaborative approach demonstrating mutual trust and support with partner agencies and external agencies to achieve integrated working
Ability to take responsibility for own work, consistently achieving and delivering to time, and quality despite tight timescales and conflicting priorities
Good negotiation and influencing skills and ability to deal with conflict, hostility and vulnerability
IT literate with good written and verbal communication skills
Awareness of role in multi-disciplinary setting and able to focus on internal and external customers, being innovative and creative, open to ideas and challenge and committed to individual learning and development
Able to establish positive and effective working relationships with children, young people and families to ascertain their wishes and engage them in decision making processes
Ability to cope with the impact of working with children and families facing serious illness
Evidence of post graduate study, or willing to undertake further study to enhance professional development
Ability to function confidently within the group model multi-disciplinary team, and to cope positively with interdisciplinary conflict