Social Worker benefits and support

What we offer you

We can offer you an excellent package of benefits and a high level of staff support. We provide mobile phones for all frontline staff and regular supervision and appraisal.

Click on the links below to read more.

• Orientation
• Induction for new staff
• Performance appraisal and supervision
• Professional development
• Management development
• Healthy working
• Flexible working
• Local parks and green spaces
• Leisure centres
• Affordable housing
• Salary and financial benefits
• Season ticket loan
• Staff discount scheme
• Examples of current good practice

Orientation

We recognise that social workers need to have a period of orientation when first joining the council and we aim to provide this through close management support, a reduced caseload and successful mentoring system. We also provide all staff with other benefits including:

Induction for new staff

A one day induction course is available which gives all new staff the opportunity to meet senior managers as well as learning about our values and some of our history.

All new staff are on probation for the first 6 months of their employment. Managers will set targets to ensure a thorough induction to the new job and new staff will have the opportunity to discuss their progress and to identify any areas where they feel that additional support may be required. Newly qualified staff in their first job will have the opportunity to join our graduate trainees on a one year programme which offers a range of supportive initiatives.

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Performance appraisal and supervision

All managers in Children and Families have a commitment to ensuring that new and established workers receive regular and purposeful supervision which comprehensively addresses casework, practice and professional development. Haringey has a Performance Appraisal system which is used across all the directorates for individual objective setting and development planning.

Professional development

Haringey provides a comprehensive training package for social workers to enable them to keep up to date with their CPD and re-registration requirements. This includes a structured induction, access to a wide-ranging in-house programme, and the full range of post-qualifying awards. There is also an exceptional range of corporate training available, as well as regular team study days and whole service events.

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Management development

We work closely with both the renowned Tavistock & Portman Trust and the University of Westminster both of which run Masters courses with intermediate awards of Post Graduate Diplomas. Social work managers who have the support of their line manager and who meet the entry requirements for the course are supported in their development by having additional study leave and the payment of fees. In addition, managers have the opportunity to participate in the corporate Leadership Programme.

Healthy working

Leading a healthy lifestyle can be difficult with the demands of home, work and family. To help staff quit smoking we have introduced a successful Smoking Cessation programme which gives the practical help and support needed to give up smoking.

Our Occupational Health team have also arranged various events including a Staff Health day which involved a range of outside organisations and included tips on healthy eating and exercise, fitness testing, cholesterol testing amongst other things.

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Flexible working

We recognise that it is sometimes hard to balance the needs of home and work. Depending upon the priorities of the team and needs of clients being met, we are always willing to negotiate on working patterns with individuals in order to try to accommodate their individual needs.

Local parks and green spaces

The Green Flag scheme is a national standard which recognised excellence in public parks and service to the public. Haringey has a high percentage of green space across the borough and we are proud to have been awarded a number of green flags. Our award winning parks are welcoming, safe and well maintained and provide a refreshing escape from the pressures of city life - whether for a quick visit at lunchtime, after work or to use at the weekend with family or friends.

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Leisure centres

Our leisure centres provide a wide range of facilities, many of the centres have undergone substantial refurbishment and are now modern centres which offer a wide choice of activities. Staff are able to buy a monthly Active Card at reduced cost which can be used either for water based activities (swimming, water aerobics, steam and saunas) or a card which covers both water activities and access to fitness rooms, racquet sports facilities, exercise classes etc.

Affordable housing

Affordable housing, especially for first time buyers in London, is scarce which is why Haringey is part of the key worker scheme. The scheme allows qualified social workers to take out an equity loan (repayable when you sell the property) which will help in buying a suitable property close to your place of work. For further details, visit our Key Worker Housing page.

Salary and financial benefits

The salary ranges for qualified staff are as follows:

• Social Worker £29,515 - £39,574
• Team Manager £39,574 - £42,199
• Senior Team Manager £44,893 - £47,767

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Season ticket loan

An interest free season ticket loan is available to help staff pay towards the cost of travel. Repayment is made monthly through the payroll.

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Staff discount scheme

The Haringey staff discount scheme is available to all permanent and temporary staff employed on a Haringey contract.  The scheme includes childcare vouchers (which save you money on tax and NI as the cost is deducted from your gross salary); corporate membership of the H.S.A. Health Care Cash Back plan which entitles you to claim up to 100% of your annual limit on a range of either dental or general health care costs; substantial discounts on entertainment (including family days out), travel, shopping, motoring, insurance etc. as well as access to free financial seminars covering topics such as general financial awareness or mortgages.

Full details are given to new staff with their contracts, updates are available on the intranet site and in the monthly staff newsletter.

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Examples of current good practice

Looked After Children - (Education Team)

The main focus of the team is to raise the educational attainment of all looked after children.

To do this, children and young people are tracked and reported on at key stages of their school career in order to ensure a successful start to their schooling, to ensure a smooth transition from primary to secondary school and to ensure that support is given before and during their exam years

Successful use of an attendance monitoring system has mean that potential problems are identified and remedied early before they become a problem.

A homework club has been set up to provide help, support and guidance with course and exam work.

Other activities have been initiated which are geared towards giving positive role models and helping young people to achieve. Such activities include football activity days with Tottenham Hotspur, an annual awards event and giving older teenagers the opportunity to support and mentor younger ones.

Success has been achieved by

• Working closely with teachers and colleagues in other areas of the council
• Ensuring that all team members are aware of their role and how this contributes towards the team goal of raising educational attainment
• Getting to know each young person as an individual to enable focussed support and help to be given.

All activities carried out by the team support the Every Child Matters priorities.

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