Referral Officer

Children’s Services Referral Officer x1 – Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)
£34,416 - £35,448 per annum
Permanent – Full time
Newham Dockside, E16 2QU

ABOUT US

Newham Together – The best place for children and young people.

Children's social care at Newham has made sustained and steady progress on a journey of transformation that will put people at the heart of everything we do and create opportunities for everyone. We are looking for exceptional Referral Officers to join our Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH). We're big on career development, learning, and training; and our positive organisational change offers a fantastic career development opportunity for those who are driven and dedicated to a career within children’s social care.

We want to be a centre of excellence for Children’s social care by 2023, and the foundations of the clearly articulated ‘Newham Together’ model (based on Co-Production, Curiosity, Compassion, Confidence, Clarity and Community) along with a Practice Learning Framework and a Social Care Academy are now in place to help us get there. 

Apply now, and be part of our success.

ABOUT THE JOB

The Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) deals with referrals from professionals and members of the public who have concerns about the welfare or safety of a child or young person. The MASH ensures that the local authority acts quickly and appropriately to ensure the best decisions are achieved for children; and provides a delivery framework that enables partner agencies to work together to support and safeguard children by sharing and analysing information.

Referral Officers are the first point of contact when referrals come into the service, working alongside MASH Social Workers and reporting to a Practice Leader. They ensure that timely, appropriate, and effective verifications are completed on all contacts received into the MASH, supporting with Practice Leaders with the through put of work within the system.  Enquiries and referrals may be in the form of telephone calls, emails, online requests or referrals from external professionals and organisations. Referrals Officers are also responsible for completing all Requests for Information from partners and external agencies, collating information held in our Integrated Children’s System accurately and liaising with the referrer as appropriate. 

Referral officers will share and discuss information received with social workers, practice leaders, and partner organisations based in the MASH before progressing the referral by directing it to the appropriate agency. Referral officers will seek and collate information from databases and other professionals attending multi-agency discussions. 

For more information about the role please view JD here

ABOUT YOU

‘People at the heart of everything we do’

We're looking for confident and efficient Referral Officers who are passionate about their work and genuinely care about improving the lives of children and young people.

You will have experience in a similar role and be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of different agencies and how they work together to safeguard children. You will have excellent written and verbal communication skills, including excellent telephone manner and the ability to draw and identify important information from conversations.

You will be highly organised and be able to confidently prioritise work based on information received. You will be comfortable building strong working relationships with colleagues and partner organisations, understanding the importance of collaborative working in achieving the best outcomes for our children.

For more information about who we are looking for, please refer to the person specification (within the job description).

OUR OFFER

We've been working hard to make Newham a great place to work. 

We will offer you: 

• A competitive package of up to £35,448

• Flexible working arrangements and the opportunity to work from home. 

• Smarter Working with new modern technology. 

• 'Newham Together' - a positive, nurturing and collaborative work environment built on trust. 

• Excellent transport links to the rest of the capital. 

• Permanent and stable senior leadership with a consistent vision.

• Wellbeing service, leisure and discount benefits.

• Travel season ticket loan, cycle scheme, Local Authority pension. 

Candidates need experience of administration within and an understanding of children’s services and will need to demonstrate this in their supporting statement and potential interview”

For an informal discussion about being a Referral Officer in Newham MASH, please contact Kemi Oladunjoye; Recruitment Coordinator : Kemi.Oladunjoye@oneSource.co.uk  

Deadline for applications: 23:59 on the 20/01/2025

TO APPLY

Please apply through our recruitment portal ensuring that you submit a CV and Supporting Statement. 

The supporting statement should demonstrate how you meet the relevant requirements listed in the person specification.

Shortlisting decisions will be based on candidates' relevant experience and on candidates' suitability for the role in line with the person specification, as described in their supporting statement.

Additional Information

We are committed to creating an inclusive, anti-racist environment for all. When you apply for a job at Newham, your application is considered on its merits regardless of your age, disability, ethnicity, faith, gender identity or sexual orientation. If you share our vision and values, and you bring the experience and skills we need, that’s all that matters to us.

The London Borough of Newham has important responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. If you are appointed to a job that involves working with these groups, you may be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Please attach your supporting statement, explaining in no more than x2 A4 sides why and how you meet the criteria for this role.

We practice anonymised recruitment. Please ensure that you remove all personal information from any documents that you upload.

The personal information we have collected from you will be shared with Cifas who will use it to prevent fraud, other unlawful or dishonest conduct, malpractice, and other seriously improper conduct. If any of these are detected you could be refused certain services or employment. Your personal information will also be used to verify your identity. Further details of how your information will be used by us and Cifas, and your data protection rights, can be found by https://www.cifas.org.uk/fpn.

Same Posting Description for Internal and External Candidates