Fostering and Kinship Social Worker

About the role

This role will be to work with colleagues to provide the full range of fostering services, including recruitment, assessment, training and supervision / support, duty services, supervising regulation 24 arrangements, as well as Form F, Form C and Special Guardianship Assessment. The post holder will undertake a range of tasks to safely place and work to achieve permanency plans for children. The team also complete initial family assessments aka viability assessments. There will be opportunities to be involved in the development/engagement of carer training, support groups, duty and out of hours support. Achieving for Children work within the framework of signs of safety and we place a strong emphasis on signs of belonging, as well as peer group supervision sessions.

For an informal discussion about the role, please email Hannah Leedham on: hannah.leedham@achievingforchildren.org.uk

About you

• You will be required to hold a professional qualification (DipSW/CQSW/CSS or equivalent)
• Active Social Work England registration and proven evidence of continuing professional development
• Completion of ASYE
• Knowledge and experience in working with current legislation and regulations especially fostering regulations and national minimum standards.
• Preferably experience in working within the signs of safety framework and peer supervision practice.
• Experience of building strong partnerships, maintaining relationships and working with a range of professionals, especially foster carers.
• Good understanding of the challenges faced by foster carers, and the complexities of fostering assessments including private fostering.
• Supporting special guardianship order processes, considering support plan needs, post order supports and ensuring strong starts to the arrangements
• Experience in presenting to fostering panels, and completing annual review reports
• A passion for Achieving for Children's vision, mission and values (trust, empower. respect) to support children and young people to live safe, happy, healthy and successful lives..

About our benefits

We are focused on creating a positive supportive environment, where you will have access to a really wide range of resources, as well as a competitive salary and all the perks to enable hybrid working. In AfC you will also have access to:

• 29 days annual leave, increasing to 33 days after 2 years and 35 days after 4 years with an additional day off in your birthday month (Or for term-time workers, your leave entitlement consists of the non-working periods in your contract)
• Tailored induction sessions commencing on the date you start working for AfC
• Local Government salary and pension scheme (LGPS or Teachers Pension)
• Flexible working options - helping to keep a good work life balance
• A comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme
• A range of staff benefits and discounts
• An excellent learning and development offer to support your career pathway

To find out about all of the breadth of benefits of working for Achieving for Children click here . For our social work offer click here . For our Recruitment Journey, click here.

Important Information

Start dates: Achieving for Children have set start dates meaning successful candidates join on a set date in each month. Candidates are advised to prepare for this should a job offer be accepted to ensure eligible continuous service is not affected.

Right to work: The UK has introduced a new points-based immigration system affecting EU and Non-EU workers and sponsorship requirements. We advise checking the GOV.UK website for right to work guidance.

Equality: We particularly welcome applications from sections of the community who are currently underrepresented within our teams. Achieving for Children are committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds bring important and positive contributions and can improve the way we deliver services. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer.

Safeguarding: We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

For more information about AfC: Drop in and meet Regina on the first Wednesday of every month at Civic Centre, Twickenham.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. Therefore, it is strongly advised that you complete and return your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.