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Border Force – Illegal Migration Intake Unit – Social Worker
| Posting date: | 11 September 2024 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £41,600 to £44,512 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 19 September 2024 |
| Location: | Dover, Kent |
| Remote working: | On-site only |
| Company: | Government Recruitment Service |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 364998 |
Summary
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity and inclusion at the Home Office. We are committed to creating a welcoming, inclusive workplace where all our people are able to bring their whole selves to work and perform at their best.
These roles will work alongside our Kent Intake Unit (KIU) who primarily deal with new arrivals detected either near the port, in the surrounding area in Kent, and small boat arrivals. The unit operates 24/7, 365 days of the year. Those arriving at the Kent Intake Unit will already be detained, so the Kent Intake Unit includes a holding room facility. The Kent Intake Unit has a particular focus around processing unaccompanied children, so the work of the unit involves the identification of those children and working closely with Kent Children’s Services to ensure they are processed and placed into appropriate care as quickly as possible.
We are looking for candidates who are qualified social workers, with extensive post-qualification experience in a local authority setting. Alongside proven expertise and experience in complex assessments, you will thrive in a fast-paced environment with the accountability for a high-profile area of work.
Please Note: This role is not open to individuals who work in the social care sector unless they are already qualified social workers.
Person specification
Ensuring the welfare of people who have arrived in the UK is at the heart of what we do, the successful candidates will provide critical safeguarding expertise and support through:
Undertaking age assessments of young people to determine the appropriate package of support which would include:
Undertaking ‘Merton’ compliant age assessments on behalf of local authorities and the Home Office. Reports need to be robust enough to withstand scrutiny through legal challenge and completed within agreed timescales
Engaging with local authority social workers and other professionals involved in the young person’s care
Contributing expert opinions on individual age assessments where necessary
Maintaining and applying up-to-date knowledge of research findings, legislation, case law, statutory guidance, and policy developments relevant to age assessing for all parts of the UK (England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, where applicable)
Supporting the Home Office response to legal challenges, where they arise, including preparing court statements and giving evidence in court
Adopting a child centred and trauma informed approach to working with young people and undertaking assessments. Providing the appropriate statutory response to any child protection or safeguarding concerns that come to light during the age assessment process
Adapting personal practice in response to feedback given through the quality assurance process
Driving up expertise and quality in the age assessment field by contributing to and delivering high quality training to local authorities
Providing training, guidance and advice to Immigration Officers carrying out initial age assessments and helping to build capability among operational immigration officials as and when required
Promoting the safety and wellbeing of all service users at KIU, at both their Dover and Folkestone locations, the Western Jet Foil, and Manston, by monitoring and engaging with the individuals on site to ensure their welfare
Being an Illegal Migration Intake Unit (IMIU) liaison point for the Safeguarding Hub, to ensure that high quality and timely interventions, referrals and sign posting work is undertaken to support vulnerable individuals. This will include providing subject matter expertise to the IMIU Safeguarding Improvement plan and attending the IMIU Safeguarding Board meeting
Conducting and/or participating in welfare interviews
Exploring family relationships of those children that may have arrived with unrelated adults and making decisions on the legitimacy of those relationships
Making referrals to other parts of the Home Office, government or external organisations, such as local authorities and/or National Health Service
Attending emergency strategy meetings with Kent Social Services and other government agencies
Providing written and verbal reports as required, plus maintain accurate records and other documents in a timely fashion, all appropriate to the intended audience
Responding to requests for information from local authorities and other Home Office teams via the Safeguarding Inbox, compliant with relevant data protection regulations.
Although these roles are based at our Kent Intake Unit, Dover, successful candidates will be required to regularly attend other Kent based Home Office approved sites, including Frontier House, Folkestone, Western Jet Foil, Dover, and Manston (near Ramsgate), to monitor and engage with young people and ensure their welfare. Occasionally you may be asked to travel to locations outside Kent. Travel and subsistence would be paid in line with guidance.
The successful candidates will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
Annualised Hours Working (AHW)
The Illegal Migration Intake Unit operate a shift working pattern, where Annualised Hours Working (AHW) is paid in accordance with the operational needs of the business. This allowance is paid in addition to the monthly salary to compensate for out of office hours working and flexibility.
A review of AHW takes place annually and there is an anticipation that the shift working pattern will include working some unsocial hours. It is envisaged that in future the roster may include some night work. If this were to occur this would be discussed with post-holders in advance.
These roles will work alongside our Kent Intake Unit (KIU) who primarily deal with new arrivals detected either near the port, in the surrounding area in Kent, and small boat arrivals. The unit operates 24/7, 365 days of the year. Those arriving at the Kent Intake Unit will already be detained, so the Kent Intake Unit includes a holding room facility. The Kent Intake Unit has a particular focus around processing unaccompanied children, so the work of the unit involves the identification of those children and working closely with Kent Children’s Services to ensure they are processed and placed into appropriate care as quickly as possible.
We are looking for candidates who are qualified social workers, with extensive post-qualification experience in a local authority setting. Alongside proven expertise and experience in complex assessments, you will thrive in a fast-paced environment with the accountability for a high-profile area of work.
Please Note: This role is not open to individuals who work in the social care sector unless they are already qualified social workers.
Person specification
Ensuring the welfare of people who have arrived in the UK is at the heart of what we do, the successful candidates will provide critical safeguarding expertise and support through:
Undertaking age assessments of young people to determine the appropriate package of support which would include:
Undertaking ‘Merton’ compliant age assessments on behalf of local authorities and the Home Office. Reports need to be robust enough to withstand scrutiny through legal challenge and completed within agreed timescales
Engaging with local authority social workers and other professionals involved in the young person’s care
Contributing expert opinions on individual age assessments where necessary
Maintaining and applying up-to-date knowledge of research findings, legislation, case law, statutory guidance, and policy developments relevant to age assessing for all parts of the UK (England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, where applicable)
Supporting the Home Office response to legal challenges, where they arise, including preparing court statements and giving evidence in court
Adopting a child centred and trauma informed approach to working with young people and undertaking assessments. Providing the appropriate statutory response to any child protection or safeguarding concerns that come to light during the age assessment process
Adapting personal practice in response to feedback given through the quality assurance process
Driving up expertise and quality in the age assessment field by contributing to and delivering high quality training to local authorities
Providing training, guidance and advice to Immigration Officers carrying out initial age assessments and helping to build capability among operational immigration officials as and when required
Promoting the safety and wellbeing of all service users at KIU, at both their Dover and Folkestone locations, the Western Jet Foil, and Manston, by monitoring and engaging with the individuals on site to ensure their welfare
Being an Illegal Migration Intake Unit (IMIU) liaison point for the Safeguarding Hub, to ensure that high quality and timely interventions, referrals and sign posting work is undertaken to support vulnerable individuals. This will include providing subject matter expertise to the IMIU Safeguarding Improvement plan and attending the IMIU Safeguarding Board meeting
Conducting and/or participating in welfare interviews
Exploring family relationships of those children that may have arrived with unrelated adults and making decisions on the legitimacy of those relationships
Making referrals to other parts of the Home Office, government or external organisations, such as local authorities and/or National Health Service
Attending emergency strategy meetings with Kent Social Services and other government agencies
Providing written and verbal reports as required, plus maintain accurate records and other documents in a timely fashion, all appropriate to the intended audience
Responding to requests for information from local authorities and other Home Office teams via the Safeguarding Inbox, compliant with relevant data protection regulations.
Although these roles are based at our Kent Intake Unit, Dover, successful candidates will be required to regularly attend other Kent based Home Office approved sites, including Frontier House, Folkestone, Western Jet Foil, Dover, and Manston (near Ramsgate), to monitor and engage with young people and ensure their welfare. Occasionally you may be asked to travel to locations outside Kent. Travel and subsistence would be paid in line with guidance.
The successful candidates will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
Annualised Hours Working (AHW)
The Illegal Migration Intake Unit operate a shift working pattern, where Annualised Hours Working (AHW) is paid in accordance with the operational needs of the business. This allowance is paid in addition to the monthly salary to compensate for out of office hours working and flexibility.
A review of AHW takes place annually and there is an anticipation that the shift working pattern will include working some unsocial hours. It is envisaged that in future the roster may include some night work. If this were to occur this would be discussed with post-holders in advance.