Adoption Support Worker

Wiltshire Career Site; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Local Government Pension Scheme

Child care vouchers

Job summary

Adoption West invites applications for a Support Worker to join the Adoption Support Helpdesk, operating across the Adoption West region with offices in Bristol, Gloucester or Trowbridge and home working.

You will answer enquiries, provide support and undertake initial assessments for adoptive families contacting the Helpdesk. You will assist in crisis, signpost to services, and contribute to service development.

Qualifications

• A levels / National Diploma or equivalent experience/skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proven negotiation skills with upset customers.
• Self-sufficient in planning and organising own work.
• Awareness of Government initiatives in relation to Adoption best practice.
• Active team player contributing to service development.
• Good IT skills.
• Fluent in English.
• Driving licence and travel within region required.
• Experience of working with children and/or families.

Responsibilities

• The Support Worker will answer enquiries and provide support for adoptive families contacting the Adoption Support Helpdesk.
• Undertake initial assessments for adoptive families and support people in crisis.
• Signpost to external services (education, health) and provide information about adoption support processes.
• Liaise with the Senior Practitioner and Manager daily and undertake allocated tasks.
• Record, store and retrieve required data and information, ensuring confidentiality.

Skills

Communication skills

Negotiation skills

Team player

IT skills

English fluency

Driving licence

Child experience

Organisational skills

Initiative

Education

A levels / National Diploma

Job description

Salary: Grade G £30,023 - £32,046 per annum, plus 8% market supplement (subject to review)

Hours:Full time

Contract:Permanent

Closing date: Monday 5th October 2026

Interview date: Thursday 15th October 2026

Start date: 1st November 2026 or as soon after this as possible

Location: Flexible. An office base in one of the offices within the Adoption West region (Bristol, Gloucester or Trowbridge) and working from home.

This post is an exciting opportunity to become part of the Adoption West’s adoption Support Helpdesk

Adoption West is a Regional Adoption Agency and registered Voluntary Adoption Agency commissioned by Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Councils. Adoption West provides a range of adoption services including:

• The recruitment and assessment of prospective adopters
• Family finding services for children requiring permanency via adoption
• Post adoption support services
• Services to birth family and adopted adults

This is an exciting time to join Adoption West as we build on the solid foundations already in place and our ‘Good’ rating from Ofsted. You will be joining an experienced adoption support team who are committed to developing excellent support services for adopted children and their families across the region .

Main Duties

The Support Worker post will operate within the adoption support service. The support worker will answer enquiries, provide support and undertake initial assessments for adoptive families contacting the Adoption Support Helpdesk. The role will include supporting families in crisis, giving information about adoption support services and processes, signposting to external services (including education and health), giving advice about therapeutic parenting, liaising closely with the Senior Practitioner and Manager on a daily basis and undertaking allocated tasks as required.

You will need:

• A levels / National Diploma or equivalent experience/skills.
• Ability to prioritise tasks and work on own initiative against deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proven negotiation skills especially when working with customers who may be upset and stressed.
• Self-sufficient in planning and organising own work, including recording, storing and retrieving required data and information.
• An awareness of Government initiatives in relation to Adoption best practice and procedures.
• To be an active team player by contributing to the development of the service, ensuring the customer is always at the centre of such developments.
• Good I.T. skills.
• Fluent in English.
• A driving licence and use of a vehicle as travelling around the region is required.
• Experience of working with children and/or families

Adoption West:

• is an organisation with a wealth of experience and has a learning culture, committed to enabling the post holder to grow and develop in their role.
• provides support through supervision and training.
• offers flexible working arrangements, including job shares.
• provides a Local Government Pension Scheme and access to the Child Care vouchers scheme

Additional Information:

• This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and will require an Enhanced DBS check before appointment can be confirmed.
• Confidentiality: Employees are expected to maintain the required level of confidentiality at all times in relation to their work.

If you have the experience, skills, knowledge and enthusiasm we are seeking and are looking for a new challenge then we look forward to hearing from you.

All candidates applying for Adoption West roles are assessed against the Behaviour Principles and Values during the interviewing process.

Role Description