Placement Officer (BR9)

Job Category : Admin / Clerical

Location : Princess Royal University Hospital, Bromley Council

Hours Per Week : 36.00

Start Date : Immediate Start

Start Time : 08:45

End Time : 17:00

Salary: £17.09

• Educated to a high level – first degree or equivalent.
• · Progression to BR10 would require completion of the post graduate certificate in Commissioning in Public Care or any other relevant commissioning qualification

additional support required in the team to assist to reduce the timescale between care act assessment and service going in.

To discharge the Authority’s responsibilities under the Children Act 1989 and other relevant legislation with respect to children in need, children in care and young people leaving the care system.

To discharge the Authority’s responsibilities under ASCOF and other relevant legislation with respect to clients with disabilities, vulnerabilities and care needs.

To ensure the council’s eligibility criteria, policies and procedure are followed in relation to service users.

To help create packages of support to prevent unnecessary reception of children and young people into care and to assist adult clients to remain in their own home where possible and/or to move to suitable and appropriate residential care.

To match service user needs to potential placements.

To monitor the performance of current providers of placements and support services.

SUMMARY OF RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES:

To ensure that all services commissioned in both placement and support services meet the Council’s Best Value requirements.

To identify the most appropriate and best match of service to client to ensure that clients have their needs met and are safeguarded.

Summary of Duties: Children’s / Adult Placement Officer

1. To receive referrals and assessments from care managers and social workers for clients requiring placements in a timely, professional, efficient and positive manner. To assess the needs and desired outcomes and to match these against an appropriate provision in order identify the best value placement for the client.

2. To make recommendations to the social worker and/or funding panel on the most appropriate and best value options that will meet the service user’s needs. To take responsibility for ensuring that the provider/organisation is both fit for purpose and able to meet the needs of the service user, including undertaking reference, registration and evaluation checks on the providers.

3. To ensure, where required, that notifications of service changes are made to the Finance department to ensure that, where required, financial assessments are undertaken of the client for calculation of contribution to the cost of the care package (adult services only).

Job Description & Person Specification

5. To negotiate the cost of all placements and support packages to ensure that the Authority receives the best value service and the most appropriate care and support for our clients, taking into account all cost implications for recommended placements.

6. To commission a range of assessments (medical, parenting, risk, fostering and psychological) as required and identified by the care plan at the request and approval of the Head of Service.

7. To undertake inspection and evaluation visits to providers for both individual clients and for general database records. To produce a report of findings, including recommendations as to the suitability of the provider to meet needs of potential placements. To regularly review and monitor the provision ensuring that up to date Ofsted and CQC reports are received and reviewed, Statements of Purpose and references are regularly updated.

8. To undertake investigation of complaints and concerns as raised by the team, social workers or managers regarding external providers. To produce reports of findings; to meet with providers and agree action plans to remedy any identified faults or failings and to monitor and maintain progress updates against the action plan.

9. To assist the Leaving Care team to identify suitable and appropriate accommodation for young people to move on to when they reach the age of 18 years as required by the Pathway Plan.

10. To ensure communication with Adult services is maintained for young people identified as likely to need Adult services, in particular as they move towards the age of majority.

11. To liaise with social workers and other professionals and agencies regarding assessments of care needs and potential service providers in order to assist the development of appropriate and coherent care planning. This may include the negotiation with other agency representatives around contributions to service funding.

12. To attend London Care Placements Steering Group meetings as required.

13. To participate in a duty rota system dealing with all emergency placements received whilst the duty officer, including following through overnight & weekend placements by updating Carefirst and liaising with social workers on the longer term plans.14. To keep social workers and managers informed of the progress of longer term placement finding progress, liaising and consulting with related departments, eg SEN, EWOs on information around changes to placements