Quality Assurance Reviewing Officer

Job Title: Quality Assurance Reviewing Officer

Job Location: Dorchester DT2, UK

Job Location Type: Hybrid

Job Contract Type: Full-time

Job Seniority Level: Mid-Senior level

Are you looking for a fulfilling role that makes a real difference in the lives of children? Join our team as a Quality Assurance Reviewing Officer (QARO) where you'll ignite transformation and create brighter futures for children and young people. Make your enduring difference today.

What’s in it for you: As a QARO, you will play a crucial role in improving outcomes for children subject to child protection plans and Extra Familiar Harm. Your passion for creating positive change will drive you to ensure that children are at the heart of the assessment of their needs and the development of their plans. You will empower families, children and young people, ensuring their voices are heard and they actively participate in the decision-making process.

Working alongside a stable, experienced, and supportive team, you will have access to a wealth of opportunities for training and development. Regular supervision and reflective group discussions will nurture your professional growth, while establishing connections and building relationships with our partners will broaden your horizons.

We understand the importance of work-life balance, which is why we offer flexible working hours and the opportunity to work from home whenever feasible. With us, you can achieve personal and professional fulfilment while enjoying the benefits of a supportive and flexible work environment.

What You Can Expect To Be Doing:

Join us in an exhilarating role that puts you at the forefront of empowering children, young people, and families. As part of our dynamic team, you will have the opportunity to make a real impact through your work. Here's what you'll be doing:

1. Quality Assurance: Quality Assurance of the locality teams work and chairing meetings. Our offices in Dorset will be your hub as you lead face-to-face meetings and consult with social workers and team managers. Get ready to celebrate good practice and shine a light on practice that needs strengthening to ensure that statutory obligations under the Children Act & Working Together are met.
2. Amplifying Voices: Building relationships is key to success. You'll forge strong connections with your allocated children, young people, and parents, empowering them to have a say and take ownership of their plans. Your ability to engage them in meetings and make their voices heard will be instrumental.
3. Leading Complex Multi-Agency Meetings: We need your expertise in chairing intricate multi-agency meetings. Collaborate with children, families, and partner agencies to develop comprehensive plans that prioritise safety and positive outcomes for all involved.
4. Driving Operational Excellence: You'll challenge and support our operational practices, paving the way for service improvement. By providing specialist guidance and advice to our dedicated staff, you'll champion positive change and ensure that our services continue to excel.
5. Building Bridges: Effective relationships are crucial. You'll establish and maintain strong connections with professionals and partners, strengthening our collective efforts to deliver outstanding results.
6. Quality Assurance and Service Improvement: Contribute to our quality assurance framework by identifying recurring themes and issues. Your insights will drive service improvement initiatives, raising the bar for excellence.

If you're seeking a fast-paced, rewarding role where you can unleash your passion for making a difference, this is it. Join our team and be a catalyst for positive change in the lives of children, young people, and families. Together, let's create a better future.

About You:

You are a qualified Social Worker ready to make a profound impact and substantial post-qualified experience. With a social work background, you understand the complexities of child protection planning and Extra Familiar Harm. Your expertise positions you as a driving force for positive outcomes.

Lead the way as our exceptional meeting facilitator. Your ability to navigate discussions and advocate for all participants sets you apart. Be the guiding voice that shapes collaborative decisions.

Prioritising the welfare of children and young people is your mission. Your communication skills empower them to take charge of their lives. Together, we'll create a foundation for growth and well-being.

You can master multitasking and meet deadlines with ease. Your organisational and time management skills ensure clarity and precision. You can develop sound safety plans and you're well-versed in best practices, providing unwavering support to those in need.

Further Information:

We have three positions available, one based in Dorchester and two will be peripatetic, offering support throughout the county. We are expanding our team in response to the evolving demands of Pathfinder recognising the invaluable contributions our team provides. Pathfinder is a programme which aims to reform children's social care as part of the national strategy, Stable Homes, Built on Love. This initiative focuses on early intervention and best practices in child protection. Dorset Council have been selected as one of three local authorities to trial this.

For an informal discussion and for more information, please contact Giulia Pridmore by email: Giulia.Pridmore@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk or by phone: 01305 225904.

This is a full time role at 37 hours per week.

Interviews will be held on 12th December in person at County Hall in Dorchester.

This post requires significant travel. You must have a vehicle (or transport we deem suitable) available for use as needed.

This post involves working with children and/or vulnerable adults and/or having access to significant information about them. It will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check. See our policy on the employment of ex-offenders.

See our policy on safeguarding children and young people.

The friends and family referral scheme applies to this post. If an employee recommended this post to you, mention them when asked on your application form.

You Must:

• have a degree in social work or equivalent
• be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
• be able to fulfil the travel requirements of the post

About Us:

We’re passionate about making Dorset a great place to live, work and visit. Working for us should be no exception.

At Dorset Council We:

• provide more than 450 services to over 300,000 residents
• have ambitious aspirations
• are excited about our future
• care about Dorset and all the people who live here
• know that all roles make a difference and that our employees are key to our success

You Will:

• have access to a range of employee benefits
• be part of an organisation that supports each other to grow and succeed
• have access to range of training opportunities which will help with your personal development and career progression

We are challenging ourselves to become a more diverse and inclusive organisation.

We recognise that recruitment and inclusion of individuals with diverse skills, perspectives and backgrounds will bring real strength to the council and our communities. We have a commitment to equality and welcome applications from everyone.

We are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. We offer an interview to everyone who declares a disability and meets the essential criteria for the role.

We are keen to make our interviews accessible. Let us know on your job application if you have a disability and need any reasonable adjustments.

We also look for applicants who share our commitment to our behaviours. We will ask you to evidence when you have demonstrated them as part of the selection process.

If appointed, the personal information we collect from you will be shared with Cifas who will use it to prevent fraud, other unlawful or dishonest conduct, malpractice, and other seriously improper conduct. If any of these are detected, you could be refused certain services or employment. Your personal information will also be used to verify your identity. Further details of how your information will be used by us and Cifas, and your data protection rights, can be found at https://www.cifas.org.uk/fpn.

This role is UK based and we will need to establish your Right to Work as part of the appointment process.

We use generic job descriptions and person specifications. This means the job title on any attachments may differ from the job title in the advert. We may provide specific information in a context statement if relevant.