Social Worker MASH - Children and Families Service

Join us in Hackney for your next career move. We work to achieve the best outcomes for every child in the borough. Our Systemic, Trauma-Informed and Anti-Racist (STAR) practice model informs everything we do.

Our priority is to provide the highest quality support and care for Hackney's children and families, providing the right support at the right time. We are rated Good by Ofsted and are continually seeking to improve our services and set this out in our Action Plan.

We are an innovative borough where we collaborate to support change for the children and families we work for and for each other. In partnership with families, carers, and our partners, we run an integrated service for children, young people, and their families, which is made up of six service areas: Early Help and Prevention; Assessment and Planning; Child Protection and Child in Need; Corporate Parenting; Safeguarding and Quality Assurance; and Business Systems and Operations.

We are currently looking for a social worker to join our Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH). This role focuses on making critical, timely and evidence-based threshold decisions to safeguard children and/ or identify services that are in the best place to support children and families - while ensuring a child-centered approach in every aspect of decision-making.

Key Responsibilities:

• Make threshold decisions for new requests for support to Hackney Children's Social Care/ Early help services in line with Hackney Wellbeing Framework and London Safeguarding Children Procedures
• Use relevant legislation, guidance, and research to inform decisions
• Conduct MASH checks by collecting and analysing relevant information from professionals, partner agencies, and family networks
• Work within agreed timescales to inform prompt and appropriate actions
• Handle incoming calls from professionals, the public, and others, including urgent child protection referrals
• Signpost to appropriate services or support pathways as required
• Focus on achieving positive outcomes for children and families by ensuring safeguarding/early help measures are effective and proportionate
• Collaborate with multi-agency professionals to assess and manage risk effectively

We are looking for an experienced social worker who is keen to develop their skills and decision-making abilities. To be successful in the role, you are required to have excellent communication skills in order to interact with professionals and the public effectively. You need strong analytical and organisational abilities to manage high-pressure, fast-paced decision-making scenarios. The MASH team is currently working in a hybrid way.

Our Offer To You:

• Our Practice Academy will offer Systemic, Trauma-Informed and Anti-Racist training, reflective spaces, joint work with clinicians and a career framework
• Dedicated Race Equality and Inclusion leadership within the council working to embed active anti-racist practice and support staff's anti-racism journey
• Monthly group supervision for collaboration and support

In addition to the above you will have access to a range of council-wide benefits:

• Generous holiday allowance - 27 days per year, rising to 32 days after five years
• Unrivalled pension scheme
• Flexible working options including part-time options
• Family-friendly policies
• A range of discounts, including subsidised gym membership and local eating
• Access to financial and season ticket loans
• Health and wellbeing benefits, such as lunchtime fitness classes
• A comprehensive training and development offer
• We are a member of Cycle Scheme and offer free pool bikes

Read more about our services and offer to employees on the Hackney Council website.

There is no better place to work in London than Hackney; we have great pride in our borough, our communities, and our services. Hackney is one of London's most vibrant and diverse boroughs. It's one of the most sought-after areas to live in London with good schools, parks, and local amenities, as well as great transport links and vibrant and diverse communities.

If you want to work in a place where you can represent our values, so we achieve the best for our businesses and residents and the opportunity of working here excites you, please click on the apply button below.

We operate a fair and open anonymous selection process. Therefore, we do not accept supporting statements or CV's.

To proceed with your application, you will need to create an account and submit your application.

As part of the application process, you will need to complete a number of competency-based questions. These questions allow you to demonstrate your suitability for the role and provide examples of your skills, knowledge and experience outlined in the job description.

We understand the benefits of using AI in the workplace. However, if you are thinking of using this tool to submit your application, we ask you to think about what value it will add. AI tools tend to lack the personal touch and authenticity we value in candidates. We encourage you to showcase your unique knowledge and skills using your own voice.

This application process replaces a supporting statement.

Closing date for applications: 07 May 2025 (22:59 pm).

Interview dates: W/c 19 May 2025.

We are also working towards our vision, which is to be a place for everyone; where residents and staff can be proud; a place that celebrates diversity and where everyone can feel valued, included, and involved. In order to achieve this, we look for people who are: Proud; Ambitious; Pioneering; Open; Proactive; Inclusive.

Hackney Council works to eradicate discrimination on the basis of race, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy and maternity, age, and marital status. We also recognise that people can be disadvantaged by their social and economic circumstances, so we will also work to eliminate discrimination and disadvantage caused by social class. We also welcome those interested in flexible working. We particularly welcome applications from disabled people, as this group is currently under represented in our workforce.

The Council has a dedicated employment support service (Hackney Works), which offers Hackney residents guidance in relation to applying for jobs. If you are thinking about applying for a job, please contact the Hackney Works team to find out what support is available: