The role
We are recruiting for a qualified Social Worker to join our vibrant Fostering Recruitment Service. This role is based in the Recruitment team of the Fostering Service and you will be actively involved in the marketing and recruiting of foster carers and supported lodgings hosts. This is an interesting and exciting social work role.
Support offered includes:
- Regular supervision with line manager (providing opportunity for reflection and learning).
- Access to in-house and bespoke training
- Regular service development days
- Community events and specific team away days
Within this role, you will work with the marketing team and attend community events to promote fostering. You will work with prospective foster carers right from their first enquiry through to assessment and approval; supporting them to offer stable homely environments and meet the needs of looked after children in their care. This will include initial home visits to assess the suitability of the home, assessing and writing of Form F’s, assisting with the training of prospective carers and taking them to Panel. You will help them with learning and reflection regarding children’s presentation and behaviours linking to attachment, secure base and trauma related theory. You will provide support, guidance and assistance whilst assessing their capacity to care for young people from Southwark aged 0 – 17. You will assess their support network and potentially back up carers where necessary to support the placement.
You will also have the chance to be part of the new Supported Lodgings scheme – assisting with the recruitment, assessment, and support of Supported lodgings hosts.
There is also a Safeguarding function within the service, which includes assessing and investigating risk within homes and responding promptly to allegations.
About you:
We are looking for enthusiastic, passionate, and motivated social workers to join our service. You will adopt a strength-based, person-centred approach to your work and be able to balance challenging demands whilst growing and developing in your practice. You will be confident in engaging with the public and growing interest in fostering. As a social worker you will be key in ensuring the welfare and assessed needs of those whom we support making sure they are managed in a safe and inclusive way.
Additional details
This post requires a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) DBS check at Enhanced level.
Benefits and more information:
In your role, we want you to feel supported, challenged and rewarded. You will benefit from our family-friendly policies including flexible working, home working, and a local government pension scheme, plus many other staff benefits. You will join a motivated, driven and supportive team that strives for excellence and values its members. You will also be part of a successful and high-achieving development team that is making a real difference to the lives of residents in the borough. For more information about the wide variety of benefits you can take advantage of please visit our Staff Benefits page.
Recruitment timetable
Closing date - 27th January 2025
Shortlisting - 29th January 2025
Interviews - 5th February 2025
Guaranteed Interview Scheme:
As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role, and identify with one of the below criteria:
• Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
• Are currently in care, or have previously been in care
• If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition
We are an organisation who is passionate about our people and understands that richness of diversity is a requirement to provide the best possible services to our communities. This is demonstrated through our council-wide ambitious commitment to tackle racial inequality in our communities and workforce through our Southwark Stands Together programme. We particularly welcome applications from members of the Black, Asian and ethnic minority communities to increase representation at senior management level in the Council.
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