A Career with Windsor and Maidenhead Social Services

Working for the Social Services Directorate in Windsor and Maidenhead can be a challenging experience. We have an ageing population, rural areas and seven per cent of out population is from a non-British background. We have improved our performance since our last inspection and our services are improving and we are now a two star authority!

If you want to know more, contact one of our managers or check out our staff profiles.

Directorate Values

• Deliver good quality, flexible services targeted on people in the greatest risk and need
• Use available resources to enable people to remain independent within their home and community
• Champion social inclusion of disadvantaged people
• Is a learning organisation, working continuously to improve services by effective use of information, performance monitoring and investment in the training and development of its staff
• Values the contribution of people who use services, their families and carers, in shaping and improving services
• Promotes partnership work across the council with the health service and the voluntary sector
• Communicates effectively with the community and makes decisions in a transparent, open and honest way
• Makes best use of emerging technology and e-government opportunities to deliver the national modernisation agenda and local priorities and aspirations

Meeting the Agenda

We meet the health and social care needs of our community through having a simple and transparent business plan that is developed and owned by each service area across all levels of the Directorate.

• Competitive starting salary and opportunities to progress quickly
• Excellent induction and training package
• Ongoing professional support including PQ1
• Guidance from experienced team managers

Performance

...SERVICES PEOPLE WANT...

• We have short waiting lists for services
• Services are provided quickly
• Range of services offered defined by local need
• Practice informs development which improves practice
• Review services in a timely manner
• Continuous improvement by closely monitoring performance across all levels
• All new staff meet the Director at Induction
• Staff forums chaired by the Director
• Joint funded posts
• Extensive use of information technology
• All looked after children participated in their statutory reviews
• We continue to improve the way we consult and involve carers and the wider communities we service and this approach is underpinned by training, development and regular supervision meetings

Partnership Working

Opportunities to...

• Influence the diversity agenda through community forums for people from Black Minority and Ethnic areas, the Racial Harmony forum, Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-Transgender forum, Carers forum, Community Safety
• Evaluate and develop service via our Partnership Boards - we have Partnership boards for all our service areas - Learning Disability, Carers, Older People, Physical Disability and Mental Health. These provide an opportunity to develop and shape the service our residents receive
• Learn and grow through our successful partnerships with local colleges

New programs such as...

• Volunteers - we are working with the community, such as Independent and Voluntary groups, other Council Areas to look at increasing the volunteering capacity within the Borough

Helping you to meet our agenda:

• Flexi-time working
• Flexible working IT systems
• Help with key worker housing - rent or buy
• Front-line decision making
• Rigorous supervision and appraisal
• Career pathways
• Continual professional development
• General Social Care Council (GSCC) - all out social workers are registered and continue to receive support to re-register - with financial assistance
• Regular face-to-face forums with the Director
• Staff bulletins which include transparent decision making
• Training needs identified from front line experience and practice
• Access to health and pension schemes
• Relocation assistance
• Induction and training package to support early months
• Progress linked to Professional Qualifications
• Initiatives to retain practitioners in the front line
• Mileage payments and access to the leave scheme, which includes the chance to buy and sell leave
• Low sickness levels - less than 3 days per staff member
• Support to balance work and home, social and caring roles
• Management development
• Small teams
• Market supplement for Social Workers
• Subsidised leisure and sport facilities for employees

Working and living in the Royal Borough

• Access to Heathrow
• Easy transport links - M4, train services, London in 25 minutes, Oxford, Heathrow and other airports such as Luton and Gatwick
• Major local attractions - Windsor Castle, Eton College
• Outdoor lifestyle - access to parks, Windsor Great Park, Thames walking trail

Directorate Profile

At December 2004 there was approximately 550 staff employed within the directorate.

• 90% of the Directorate are female
• 94% of staff are permanent, with 5% on fixed or variable contacts with less than 1% temporary staff
• 81% of staff classify themselves as White British
• 70 staff in children's services (14%)
• 400 Community Care Services (80%)

Our recent Staff Survey told us that:

• 89% of staff feel that what they do is valued by Social Services
• 100% of staff feel able to cope with the demands of their job

RBWM Success Story

Chris Hogg - Team Manager, Long Term care Team, Adult Care Services:

Chris started his career in health and social care as a Community Service Volunteer in a residential care home in 1992 in Northampton and completed his Diploma in Social Work and qualified in June 1998. For two years, Chris practiced as a Social Worker in an Adult Disability Team before moving to the Royal Borough as a Social Worker in the Adult Care Services Team.

Chris says: 'I find the Borough an interesting and challenging place to work. I started work with the Borough 5 years ago, and in that time I have been able to progress my career as a Social Worker and develop my practice, fulfilling personal and career goals. Starting as a Social Worker, then a Senior Practitioner, and now in my role as a Team Manager, I have been able to gain valuable practice experience, as well as being supported to learn and take on more responsibility in my job roles.'

For further information, please email us at social.services@RBWM.gov.uk

•   Recruitment Information, PDF, 57kb