Consultant Family Court Adviser - A2

We are pleased to invite eligible colleagues to apply for the role of Consultant Family Court Adviser (CFCA).

This is the Cafcass designated ‘advanced practitioner’ role under the terms of the former professional capabilities’ framework and current knowledge and skills statement for children’s social workers.

The eligibility criteria

Role

Reflecting this is an advanced practitioner role, we have set out very clear criteria. To be eligible to apply you will need to:

• Be a Cafcass employee.
• Be confirmed in your current post.
• Have completed all induction training.
• Have completed all mandatory training or as of 1st April be booked to attend.
• Exceptions may be made where there are clear, acceptable rationale for this not being the case.
• Have been graded ‘good’ or higher in your most recent PLR.
• Have not had any performance concerns identified within last 6 months.
• Not currently - or within last 6 months - have been on a performance improvement plan.
• Be graded ‘good’ or higher for quality of practice and case recording, including Assessment and Child plans.
• Have your work deemed ‘good’ or higher and linked to practice quality standards.
• Always seek situational supervision in line with policy and trigger reviews of the child’s plan where appropriate.
• Be connected to your manager and team, demonstrated through attendance at team meetings, group supervision and team development events.
• Fulfil the expectations of ‘Together’ in your practice (e.g. sends introductory letters, goodbye letters, and shares recommendations as appropriate).
• Evidence effective use of the Assessment and Child’s Plan, using this to support planning for the child, completing it to a good standard, updating as required and ensuring all relevant sections are complete.
• Comply with the seeing and engaging with children policy, in timescale and in person (or rationale for not doing so recorded on file).
  

Whilst this may appear to be a long list of requirements, but these include those essential areas of best practice a CFCA is responsible for sharing with their colleagues.

Posts you can apply for

Whilst we are advertising for a number of CFCA vacancies across the country, there are some restrictions to vacancies you can be considered for. This is to minimise potential disruption to children and families and aid service continuity.

Below you will see the teams in this OSA that are recruiting. Within your application form, you will be asked to confirm the team(s) you wish to be considered for.

WTFH - Across A2 - Permanent (Must already work in WTFH team)

LT3 - Durham - Permanent (Must work in OSA)

LT4 - York - Permanent (Must work in OSA)

LT5 - Blackburn - Permanent (Must work in OSA)

If you are progressed to interview, we hope to complete interviews from late April to mid-May with the aim that successful colleagues would move into their new post from 1st July onwards.

Your application

You do not need to include a CV as part of your application. Instead you will only have to complete an application form, which will include four questions in which we want you to provide information / evidence to support your application.

Your responses should no more than 250 words per question (although will allow up to 10% extra, so 275 words maximum). The responses to these questions will be reviewed and scored and determine if you are shortlisted for interview.

Details of your line manager

Once your application has been submitted, your manager will be asked to complete an internal reference. As part of your application, within the ‘contact details’ section you will be asked to confirm their name and email address.

If you have previously applied for any role as an internal candidate and your manager has since changed, this section may need updating so please check. If your manager isn’t currently in work for any reason when you are ready to submit your application, please provide details for the relevant Head of Practice.

Lastly, we look forward to receiving your application and good luck!