Job info	Job info details
Job title	Mockingbird Liaison Officer
Strategic team/Directorate	Children's Services
Service	Safeguarding and Family Help
Business unit	Safeguarding
Responsible to (day to day issues)	Service Providers
Accountable to (line manager)	Service Manager Specialist Services
Salary grade	G
JE ref	CSERV31

1. Key purpose of job

• To be the primary link between the constellation and the service with lead responsibility for communications between fostering teams, placement service, etc. and the Mockingbird constellation.
• The liaison worker will take on the role of support to the hub home carers – they may also have a supervising social worker role for some or all of the satellite families within the constellation.
• Work in partnership with the Hub Home carers to support Satellite carers and Young people through times of stress and crisis, helping create strategies to support the stability of Satellite fostering families, strengthen relationships and prevent placement breakdowns. 

2. Anticipated outcomes of post

• Children are safeguarded, and their welfare promoted at all times.
• Maintain sufficiency of high calibre Mockingbird carers who are meeting the needs of Torbay’s Looked After Children and young people. 
• Children’s placements as part of Mockingbird are providing improved stability and permanence for our cared for children and young people.
• The postholder ensures we are working within the fidelity of Mockingbird. 
• Both Satellite and Hub Home Foster carers feel far more supported and empowered as part of the wider constellation of Mockingbird.   

3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post

• As an Employee of Torbay Council all roles are expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. The Designated Senior Lead for Safeguarding is the Chief Executive and Director of Children’s Services.
• Responsible for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children at all times.
• To initiate appropriate safeguarding action to protect children and young people at risk of significant harm.
• To work within childcare legislation and National Fostering Standards to ensure the life chances of young people are promoted.
• To take part in and deliver training as required to approved Carers as part of Mockingbird constellation fidelity.
• To visit Satellite Carers and Hub carers in their homes as part of the forming and constellation building process.
• To provide written reports as and when required as part of the ongoing Mockingbird process. 
• To provide information to Placement Co-ordinator on an ongoing basis, with a view to ensuring a match between children’s needs / foster carers’ skills.
• To attend and be involved in constellation support groups for Foster Carers. Build relationships with each foster carer and each child / young person within their constellation.
• To understand  the relevant documentation (Care / Permanence plans, Family Time / Contact arrangements for each child within the constellation) and is included in key meetings for the children and young people.
• Where supervising social workers are allocated to satellite families, the liaison worker needs to work closely with those workers, to ensure that the needs of the satellite family are well understood and supported within the Mockingbird constellation structure.
• Maintain regular contact with the hub home carers to review the Satellite carers attendance and participation in planned Mockingbird activities, to support the Hub Home carers at the monthly constellation meetings and be in support of any respective training identified for the constellation. 
• Support Fostering Team as the need arises. 

4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post

• None. 

5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post

• No formal line management responsibility, but the postholder will supervise and support a selection of foster carers within the Mockingbird constellation. 

6. Working environment and conditions of the post

• Normal working environment and conditions. 

7. Physical demands of the post

• Normal physical demands. 

8. Specific resources used by the post

• Normal Resources. 

9. Key contacts and relationships

External: 

• Colleagues in Health, Education and other partner agencies.

Internal: 

• Foster Carers and their families, Cared for Children & Young People, Social Workers and immediate colleagues.

10. Other duties

• To undertake additional duties as required, commensurate with the level of the job. 

Other Information

• All staff must commit to the Workplace Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Practice and Policy.
• Torbay Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo the checks appropriate to the post applied for.
• The post holder is expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. And are aware that the Chief Executive and the Director for Children’s Services are the Safeguarding Leads for the Council.
• This post is office based at the Town Hall, Castle Circus, Torquay but the post holder may be required to move their base to any other location within the Council at a future date.
• The post is eligible for hybrid working.
• As this post meets the requirements in respect of exempted questions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, all applicants who are offered employment will be subject to a criminal record check (Disclosure) from the Disclosure & Barring Service before the appointment is confirmed.  This will include details of ALL cautions, reprimands or final warnings as well as convictions, whether “spent” or “unspent”. Criminal convictions will only be taken into account when they are relevant to the post.
• The Council operates a Smoke-Free Policy and the post-holder is prohibited from smoking in any of the Council's buildings (including Council owned and Council leased buildings, but excluding designated areas in residential schemes), enclosed spaces within the curtilage of buildings, and Council vehicles. The Council does not permit smoking breaks within work time, however, in services where the flexi-scheme is in operation, employees may take reasonable break times outside of core hours, in accordance with flexi-time arrangements.  Employees should follow the flexi-scheme procedure for agreeing time away from their duties in the normal manner with their immediate colleagues and line manager, with break start and finish times being recorded, as with any other break-time arrangement. 
• The post-holder is expected to familiarise themselves with and adhere to all relevant Council Policies and Procedures.
• The post-holder must comply with the Council’s Health and Safety requirements as outlined in the H&S policy appropriate to the role.
• The post-holder must be committed to the Council’s Core Values for employees – “Torbay Council employees are committed to being forward thinking, people orientated and adaptable - always with integrity”. Evidence will be sought during the probation and appraisal processes.
• If this post is customer facing, it will require the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.
• If you are required to access a government system such as HMRC, DWP or The Public services network (PSN) as part of your role with the Council you will be required to complete a basic disclose with your line manager before you can access these systems. Your manager will be required to complete a verification form that confirms your identity, nationality and immigration status, employment history and unspent convictions (third party).
• If you are required to use your own vehicle on Council business or drive a council vehicle you will be asked to provide information on any driving endorsements by accessing www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence and providing a code to your Line Manager in order to share your driving licence information with the Council.

Person Specification

Note for Candidate

All Candidates

The supporting statement on your application form will be used to assess ability to meet the essential requirements of the role, so you should explain how you meet each of the numbered essential requirements within your supporting statement. In a competitive situation, the desirable criteria may be taken into consideration, so you are encouraged to show how you also meet each of the desirable criteria.

Candidates who consider that they have a disability

Reasonable adjustments will be made to the job, job requirements or recruitment process for candidates with a disability.

If you consider yourself to have a disability you should indicate this on your application form, providing any information you would like us to take into account with regard to your disability in order to offer a fair selection interview.

Where ever possible and reasonable we will make adjustments and offer alternatives to help you through the application and selection process.

If you have indicated that you have a disability on your application form you will be guaranteed an interview if you clearly demonstrate in your supporting evidence how you broadly meet the essential requirements of the role.

Job info	Job info details
Job Title	Mockingbird Liaison Officer
Strategic team/Directorate	Children's Services
Service	Safeguarding and Family Help
Business unit	Safeguarding

Skills and effectiveness

Essential skills and effectiveness

• Has a collaborative approach to teamwork and problem solving.
• Reflective in their practice and able to create space for reflection with all working relationships.
• Excellent communication skills and flexibility of communication style.
• Able to maintain professional boundaries whilst working closely with carers and families, balanced by approachability and friendliness in their personal manner.
• Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with adults and children from all backgrounds.
• Able to effectively organise a varied workload and flexible schedule.
• Creative and always keen to share ideas.
• Calm in the face of conflict and crisis, able to diffuse difficult situations.
• Able to hold emotional space for others and maintain their own wellbeing.
• Excellent interpersonal skills. 
• Ability to demonstrate skills in mediation, negotiation and problem solving. 
• Able to assess situations with clarity and sensitivity and act professionally in crisis situations. 
• Ability to work in an open and honest manner with foster carers. 
• Organisational/time management skills. 
• Ability to implement anti-discriminatory practice in all areas of work. 
• Ability to prepare and present reports in a variety of settings. 
• Demonstrate skills in working to achieve focused outcomes.
• Ability to exercise individual judgement and consult where and when appropriate.
• Ability to be able to work under own initiative.
• Ability to create good working relationships with foster carers, children, young people, families, colleagues and partner agency professionals.
• Ability to use IT based Case Management Systems.
• This role requires the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.

Desirable skills and effectiveness

• Knowledge and passion for the Mockingbird family model and the fidelity around the model. 

Knowledge

Essential knowledge

• General knowledge of the range of care plan options available to children, young people and their families.
• Knowledge of appropriate childcare legislation and how it affects children and young people.
• Knowledge of current Child Protection practices and Children who are cared for by the Local Authority.
• Awareness and understanding of relevant Child Care issues.
• Working knowledge of Fostering Care Standards and policies and procedures.
• IT skills. 
• Knowledge and understanding of application of an evidence base in practice.
• Have a comprehensive understanding of the Mockingbird model and embodies the underpinning principles of Mockingbird.
• Awareness/understanding of relevant Child Care issues. 

Desirable knowledge

N/A

Experience and achievements

Essential experience and achievements

• Experience of working in an area of Children’s services.
• Direct work with Children Young People, Families and professionals. 
• Experience of working independently, but also as part of a team.
• Experience of dealing with complex situations. 
• Experience of working with foster carers. 

Desirable experience and achievements

• Experience of organising, supporting and delivering relevant training workshops to Mockingbird foster carers.
• Experience of Child Protection processes. 

Qualifications/professional memberships

Essential qualifications/professional memberships

• Level 3 qualification working with Children and Families or significant demonstrable experience. 
• GCSE pass in English at Grade C or above or equivalent. 
• Evidence of continued professional development. 

Desirable qualifications/professional memberships

N/A

Other requirements

Other requirements of the job role

• Demonstrates a commitment to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people. 
• Ability to travel efficiently around the Bay/South West/UK in order to carry out duties. 
• Ability to accommodate unsociable hours. 
• Ability to accommodate occasional home-working.