We are a learning organisation and continually work towards improving our services. We support the continual professional development of our staff and provide extensive opportunities for our staff throughout their careers to develop new skills, take on new areas of work and to work on specialist projects.
Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE) programme
We have created an impressive programme for newly qualified social workers many of whom have gone forward to become managers. Our AYSE programme provides support to develop skills, knowledge and capability and strengthen professional confidence.
In your first year of practice you can expect:
- reduced and protected caseloads
- protected time for dedicated learning and development activities
- regular reflective one-to-one supervision (weekly for the first 6 weeks, fortnightly up to six months, and thereafter monthly)
- group supervision within your team
- monthly critical reflective groups providing an opportunity to critically reflect on practice in a peer-group environment
- support from managers, experienced social workers and a dedicated ASYE lead
- tailored training aimed for newly qualified social workers
Advanced social work practitioners and specialist roles
We have created an alternative pathway for staff who wish to progress their careers while remaining in practice. To support this role Advance Practitioners holds a reduced case load to enable them to develop specialism that supports practice across the service. Current areas of specialism include sexual abuse, domestic abuse, direct work with children and young people and play therapy.
Advanced practitioners provide coaching, mentoring and training to their colleagues, and specialist roles, like the Practice Champion, support colleagues to address challenging areas of practice.
Clinical social worker roles
We employ clinical social workers within our Specialist Intensive Support Programme. Clinical social workers offer professional consultation to social workers across the service, undertake parenting assessments and undertake interventions with children and their families who are subject to a safeguarding or Child in Need plan and at risk of becoming Looked After or supporting rehabilitation of children.
Career progression scheme
We are committed to ‘Growing our own’ and promoting people is important to us. We have a clear pathway for career progression which was implemented in 2015.
Our Progression scheme provides opportunities for people to develop their areas of interest and move into Senior Practitioner roles; many of our practitioners and managers have chosen to return to Hounslow to progress their career.
Training opportunities
West London Alliance (WLA) training
We’re part of the WLA group and offer a comprehensive training programme with. The training programme is mapped against the Knowledge and Skills Statement for Child and Family Practitioners and is reviewed annually to ensure the programme address our workforce’s development needs.
Practice Educator programmes
We encourage our social workers to complete the Practice Educator Programme once they are two years qualified. We work with Kingston University, Brunel and Royal Holloway providing workers a choice where they complete the programme.
Hounslow Safeguarding Children’s Board training
Our workers access multi agency training through the Hounslow Safeguarding Board. This includes face to face training and e-learning through Virtual college.
Job opportunities
Check our jobs listings for career opportunities in Hounslow.
