Adoption Social Worker

CITY OF STOKE ON TRENT; Stoke-on-Trent; Híbrido; GBP 43.000 - 47.000; Jornada completa

Ventajas ofrecidas por este puesto de trabajo

Salary £43,149–£46,579 per annum

28 days annual leave + 5 days after 5y

Local Government Pension Scheme

Descripción de la vacante

Stoke-on-Trent City Council is seeking an Adoption Social Worker to recruit, assess and support prospective adopters and children awaiting permanence. You will work with families and partner agencies to ensure timely adoptions, with a child-centred approach at the core of planning.

The role is based at the Civic Centre with hybrid working arrangements and requires professional social work registration and safeguarding expertise.

Formación

• Recognised professional social work qualification.
• Meet Social Work England registration requirements.
• Experience with safeguarding, care planning, adoption.

Responsabilidades

• Recruit, assess and prepare prospective adopters to agreed standards and timescales.
• Contribute to family finding, linking and matching, central to permanence decisions.
• Prepare analytical reports for Adoption Panel and advise on decisions.
• Provide post-adoption support for adopters and families.
• Maintain records and follow safeguarding procedures.

Conocimientos

Qualified social worker

Social work England registration

Direct work with children

Assessment and case management

Communication and report writing

Equality and inclusion

Educación

Professional social work qualification

Descripción del empleo

Directorate: Children and FamilyServices

Section: Children’s Social Care –Adoption Service

Hours: 37 hours per week

Contract: Permanent

This advert is open to both internal andexternal applicants.

About us

We are a city of strengths, with a proudheritage and bright future. Working for Stoke-on-Trent City Council is morethan just a job; it is about making, protecting and improving services forlocal people, reducing inequalities and improving independence for those wholive and work in the city. That is where you come in. We are looking for peopleof the highest calibre, with the skills, knowledge and experience to help usdeliver our compelling vision.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s diverse andtalented workforce is its greatest asset. The skills, knowledge and experienceof our employees are essential to delivering our ambitions for the organisationand the city. We want to be an employer people are proud to work for, wherestaff are supported, developed and rewarded in an inclusive way that helps themexcel and deliver the high-quality services our residents need.

We are growing and developing our Childrenand Families workforce as part of an ambitious programme of servicetransformation. We are looking for talented, committed and values-ledprofessionals to join us.

The Role

Help children find the security, belongingand lasting family relationships they deserve. As an Adoption Social Worker,you will work with prospective adopters, children and partner professionals tosupport well-planned, timely adoption journeys and positive outcomes forchildren who cannot return to their birth families.

You will recruit, assess and prepareprospective adopters, contribute to family finding and matching, and providesupport to approved adopters and adoptive families. Combining thoughtfulassessment with purposeful direct work, you will keep children’s needs,identities and experiences at the centre of permanence planning. The post isbased at the Civic Centre, with hybrid working arrangements.

About You

• A recognised professionalsocial work qualification and the ability to meet Social Work Englandregistration and re-registration requirements and professional standards.
• Knowledge of children andfamilies social care legislation and guidance, including safeguarding, careplanning, fostering and adoption.
• Experience of direct work withchildren, young people and families, with the ability to build trustedrelationships and support people through complex decisions.
• Strong assessment, interventionand case management skills, informed by child development, evidence-basedpractice and a clear focus on outcomes.
• Excellent communication andreport-writing skills, with the confidence to present complex information andwork collaboratively with carers, families and partner agencies.
• A reflective, restorative andchild-centred approach, with sound professional judgement, strong organisationand a commitment to equality and continuing development.

Key Responsibilities

• Recruit, assess and prepareprospective adopters, completing Stage 1 and Stage 2 adoption assessments toagreed standards and timescales.
• Contribute to family finding,linking and matching children with adoptive families, keeping children’sindividual needs and permanence plans central to decisions.
• Prepare clear, analyticalreports and attend and present at Adoption Panel, providing professional adviceand evidence to support robust decision-making.
• Provide support to approvedadopters and adoptive families, working with colleagues and partners toidentify needs and coordinate appropriate post-adoption support.
• Participate in activity days,exchange events and family-finding initiatives, building effectiverelationships that help children achieve permanence without avoidable delay.
• Maintain accurate records,review plans and outcomes, follow safeguarding procedures and contribute toregional and national adoption performance expectations.

Why Join Us?

• Make a lasting difference tochildren’s lives by helping secure stable, loving adoptive families.
• Work across adopterrecruitment, assessment, matching and support, bringing your skills to eachstage of the adoption journey.
• Develop your professionalpractice through supervision, learning and partnership working within ourAdoption Service.

What we offer

• A permanent role with a salaryof £43,149–£46,579 per annum.
• 28 days’ annual leave rising to33 days after five years’ continuous service, plus eight public/bank holidays.
• Access to the Local GovernmentPension Scheme.
• Opportunities for professionaldevelopment, learning and management development.

Furtherinformation on our Rewards and Benefits can be found here

Any offer of employment will be subject tothe successful completion of required pre-employment checks. These may include:

• Right to Work in the UK.
• Proof of address.
• Satisfactory references.
• Occupational Health clearance.
• Evidence of relevantprofessional qualifications or registrations.

A DBS check at the appropriatelevel.

Safeguarding

We are committed to safeguarding andpromoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, and weexpect all employees and volunteers to share this commitment. This position isexempt under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the successfulapplicant will be subject to a criminal record check from the Disclosure andBarring Service (DBS).

Additional information

Your career matters here. At Stoke-on-TrentCity Council, we are committed to helping our people thrive. From competitivepay and a supportive working environment to opportunities for development andcareer progression, we invest in our workforce because we know it is ourgreatest asset. We are building an inclusive organisation that reflects thecommunities we serve, where everyone is welcomed, valued and encouraged to makea difference.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

At Stoke-on-Trent City Council, we believeour strength comes from the diversity of our community, and we want ourworkforce to reflect that. We welcome applications from people of allbackgrounds and experiences. We understand that some people, especially thosefrom underrepresented or marginalised backgrounds, may hesitate to apply if they do not meet every listed requirement. If this role interests you and youthink you could be a good fit, we encourage you to apply. We are proud of whatmakes each of us unique and are committed to creating a workplace whereeveryone feels included, can be themselves and can succeed together.

If an employee who is currently at risk ofredundancy within the organisation applies for this vacancy, their applicationwill receive priority. If this happens, you will be advised accordingly.