Islington is one of the most vibrant areas of London, with a diverse population, a unique cultural identity and a wealth of open spaces, theatres, museums, cinemas, and galleries.
The borough is easy to get to and easy to get around, there are excellent transport links. Islington stretches from the edge of the City of London to the Zone 2/3 boundary in Archway and Tufnell Park. It is home to many neighbourhoods with distinct identities, from Kings Cross, Clerkenwell and Old Street in Central London to Barnsbury, Canonbury, Highbury, Holloway and Finsbury Park as you head north.
The attractions are far too many to list here, but Islington has something for everyone: parks, markets, shops, restaurants, live music, nightlife, sport (many of our service users are passionate Arsenal fans).
Our Children’s Social Care services have been rated by OFSTED as Outstanding and praises an “unwavering commitment to improving and enriching the lives of children and their families”.
We are proud of a well-resourced, stable, diverse, and supportive workforce. You will be joining a multi-professional team made up of experienced leaders, Senior Social Workers, Social Workers, Young Person Advisors, Mental Health Social Worker, CAMHS professionals, an Unaccompanied and Separated Children (UASC) specialist and Social Work Coordinators.
Our children, young people and their families are at the heart of everything we do and the development of our practice model allows us to guide them towards meaningful and sustained changes. Islington’s Motivational Practice framework provides an integrated model of care, safeguarding and change.
What is Motivational Practice?
Motivational Practice is Islington’s Practice Model. There are seven core elements that underpin the practice framework that provide a set of skills around how to communicate in a helpful way with workers that you supervise, the professional network as a whole and families we work with, supporting a process of change.
Our practice model combines Motivational Interviewing skills to help build meaningful relationships and promote safety, collaboration and purposeful change with Trauma-Informed Practice (including Dyadic Development Practice), as we believe that by better understanding the lived experiences of those we are here to serve, we are better positioned to engage, safeguard and support children and young people to reach their full potential.
Trusting relationships are central to achieving the very best outcome for our children, young people, their families, and their carers. We work closely with our fostering team and placements service to support our carers in offering a trauma informed approach to care, and to offer stable placements where our children and young people can achieve their potential. Therefore, relationship-based practice is key to our approach.
Our mission and values
We are determined to create a more equal Islington, where everyone who lives here is able to thrive.
To do this, everyone who works at Islington Council lives by a set of values which guide us in everything that we do: collaborative, ambitious, resourceful, and empowering. They spell out ‘CARE’, which is what we think public service is all about. Hear more about our mission from the Leader of the Council, Cllr Kaya Comer-Schwartz.
An inclusive workplace
We can't achieve our mission of creating a more equal Islington, without creating an inclusive workplace. We are challenging inequality in our workplace through a variety of initiatives which align to our values and the communities we serve. Visit Why work for us | Islington Council to find out more.
Our dedicated staff are testament that Islington is the place to be. We want every member of our team to learn, grow and move forward in their careers. Whatever your role, you will have your own development plan and access to a wide range of high-quality learning and development activities. We have recently launched an ASYE Academy to better support newly qualified social workers during their assessed and supported year in employment. If you are keen to progress, we will support you in realising your full potential through our training programme for senior practitioners and managers.
With an unrelenting focus on our residents, their experiences, their opportunities and their futures, our sense of purpose could not be clearer. We know that our staff feel either a direct or indirect resident impact in the work they do, and we want to continuously build on an organisation that empowers staff to achieve our mission of creating a more equal Islington.
There is a warmth and genuine sense of welcome when you join Islington. Our in-depth engagement with our staff draws out that our people are given possibilities and opportunities and that the training and development prospects are greatly valued. They are proud to be part of Islington and the palpable sense of building momentum for continuous improvement is keeping them here.
Why work for us?
Our corporate and service specific benefits are plentiful. We want to continue to build an organisation where employees feel inspired and empowered to bring their best to work every day, so that we can achieve our mission of creating a more equal Islington.
A snapshot of what’s on offer:
Up to 28 days annual leave per year (increasing to 33 days after five years of local government service)
In addition to annual leave, the council grants 3 privilege days which must be taken during the Christmas and New Year period as the council stipulates.
35-hour working week
A range of flexible working arrangements
Zone 1-2 Travel card for our Children’s Social Workers
Retention bonus’ for our Children’s Social Workers
Specially designed core training package
Excellent pension scheme with a new Shared Cost Additional Voluntary Contribution (Shared Cost AVC) employee benefit scheme.
Competitive pay – and a commitment to paying all staff and apprentices the London Living Wage
Lead authority for Step Up to Social Work
Social Work training through Social Work Apprenticeship Degree
Highly valued Assessed and Supported Year in Education through Islington ASYE Academy.
Access to Management and Coaching Apprenticeships
Pathways Program for first time and experienced managers
Opportunities to train as a Practice Educator
For more information and a discussion about working for London Borough of Islington, contact our Principal Social Worker Wynand McDonald, Principal Child and Family Social Worker at Wynand.mcdonald@islington.gov.uk.