Senior Social Worker - TESS

An exciting opportunity has arisen for highly motivated and enthusiastic Social Workers with a keen interest in supporting children and young people in care and those who have left care, to join our Therapeutic and Emotional Support Service (TESS).  

TESS is an emotional wellbeing service that offers assessment and a wide range of individual, dyadic and group interventions to Birmingham’s children in care, their parents/Foster Carers and care leavers up to the age of 25 years. The role will involve supporting children and young people who have experienced early adversity and present with attachment/complex trauma related difficulties. TESS also provides consultation and support to the professional and care network.

We are keen to recruit people that are interested in joining a team whose area of focus is working with care experienced young people.  The post holders will be joining a friendly, supportive, very well established and highly regarded multi-disciplinary team of clinical psychology, systemic family therapy, play therapy, and other therapeutic Social Workers trained in a variety of models (e.g. DDP, CBT, DBT, etc). A wide range of approaches and models are utilised within the service to best meet the needs of the individual child and/or family, and innovative and creative working is encouraged.

We work with children, young people, and care leavers who are placed in Birmingham and out of city, who are from a wide range of age groups and diverse backgrounds and experiences. Our workforce represents the diverse families of Birmingham that we support.

Young people referred to our service experience a wide spectrum of concerns, including issues of separation and loss, emotional, behavioural and neurodevelopmental difficulties, mental health issues and developmental trauma.  We work closely with children and young people’s care network, other agencies and local services to improve the lives of children in care.  An ability to demonstrate team and multi-agency working are crucial elements to this role.

We are looking to recruit to 3 Senior Social Workers to join our TESS team. 2 full time and 1 part time (21.9 hours). You will be working as part of a team to deliver support and guidance via a consultation and guidance service to the care network. A key part of the support you will offer will include direct therapeutic support to children, young people and their care network, with a focus on the development of critical social and emotional skills to help emotional regulation and improve the child and primary carer relationship, in turn, developing stability in the care relationship.

1 post will also join our busy TESS Access Point to help assess and guide the initial stages of a child or young person’s journey into TESS.

We will provide you with:

• Access to training
• Regular professional supervision
• On-going support

If you have experience of working with children and young people, care leavers, or unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people, are positive, passionate and committed to making a difference and enjoy the challenge this brings, we would like to hear from you.  We are looking for applicants who can demonstrate an interest in evidence-based practice and research and who are keen to develop their knowledge.

If you share our commitment and passion in making a lasting difference for our children and young people and can work as part of a team, we would like to hear from you.

In order to be considered for this role please include a supporting statement demonstrating how you meet the competencies required as outlined in the attached person specification.  

Help us to change children and young people’s lives!

At Birmingham Children’s Trust, we are committed to making a positive impact on the lives of over 10,000 children and young people in our city every day. Our mission is to support the most disadvantaged children and young people in Birmingham, ensuring they are safe, happy, and healthy.

Why Join Us?

• Impactful Work - be part of a team that makes a real difference in the lives of the city’s most vulnerable children.
• Supportive Environment - enjoy a supportive and collaborative work culture where your contributions are valued.
• Career Development - benefit from tailored development programs, supportive supervision, and a range of learning opportunities to enhance your skills and advance your career.
• Generous Benefits - take advantage of our competitive reward package including generous leave allowance, Local Government pension scheme, and additional benefits.

Our Values

We approach our work with care and compassion, actively listening to the needs of the children and young people we serve. We involve them in the decisions that affect their lives, ensuring their voices are heard and respected.

We are committed to using our resources wisely, ensuring that every penny is spent where it counts the most. We foster collaboration among schools, health professionals, and the police, working together to create a supportive network for our young people.

We believe that when we work as one cohesive team, the children and young people of Birmingham are more likely to thrive. Our unified approach ensures that we provide the best possible support and opportunities for their growth and development.

Join us and together, we can create a brighter future for all.

Safeguarding

At Birmingham Children’s Trust, we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.

Depending on the role, you may be asked to undergo the appropriate level of Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check to assess your suitability for working with children and young people.

The level of check (Standard, Enhanced, or Enhanced with Barred List) is determined based on the specific responsibilities of the role and the level of contact with children and young people.

We are committed to the fair treatment of all applicants, including those with criminal records. Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar an individual from working with us. This will depend on the nature of the position and the circumstances and background of the offence.