Children's Placement Officer

Haringey Council; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 32,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Leave entitlement: up to 31 days +Bank

Potential hybrid working

Health and wellbeing support

LGPS pension scheme

Discount schemes across leisure and文化

Job summary

Haringey Council is seeking a proactive Children's Placements Officer to join the Children’s Services Placements Team. You will work with social workers to identify and secure high-quality placements, manage caseloads and ensure value for money while safeguarding and promoting children’s best interests.

You will collaborate with internal services and external providers, maintain records, and participate in duty and flexible working rotas.

Qualifications

• Experience negotiating with providers and securing services.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Identify, source and secure high-quality accommodation and support placements for children and young people.
• Assess and quality assure placement requests and match to assessed needs.
• Negotiate with providers to ensure value for money and appropriate services.
• Maintain accurate records and data systems for placements.
• Support safeguarding and promote children's best interests.
• Collaborate with social workers, internal services and external providers.

Skills

Negotiation

Communication

Problem-solving

Organisation

Data protection

Relationship building

Safeguarding

Tools

Mosaic

Liquid Logic

Job description

We are looking for a dedicated and proactive Children's Placements Officer to join our Children's Services Placements Team. In this vital role, you will work closely with social workers, internal services and external providers to identify, source and secure high-quality accommodation and support placements for children and young people, including those within Early Help, SEND, Education and Children's Social Care. You will manage a caseload of placement referrals, assess and quality assure requests, negotiate with providers and ensure children are matched with placements that best meet their assessed needs while delivering value for money. The role offers the opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of children and young people by helping them access safe, suitable and effective placements. You will also contribute to market development, maintain accurate records and data systems and participate in the team's duty and flexible working rotas.About the team

About the team

Our Placements Team is committed to achieving the best possible outcomes for children and young people. We work collaboratively across Children's Services, Education, Health and partner agencies to identify and secure high-quality accommodation and support services. As part of a supportive and solution-focused team, you will build strong relationships with providers and professionals, contribute to service improvements and play a key role in ensuring children receive the right placement at the right time. We value teamwork, innovation and a positive approach to problem-solving, creating an environment where colleagues can develop their skills while making a meaningful impact.

We are looking for someone with excellent negotiation, communication and problem-solving skills who is confident working with a range of professionals, providers and partner agencies. You will be highly organised, able to manage competing priorities and deadlines and capable of working independently while contributing effectively to a team environment. To be successful in this role, you will demonstrate:

• Excellent negotiation and problem-solving skills.
• Experience of prioritising workloads and managing competing demands.
• Knowledge and understanding of the legislative and policy framework relevant to children's placements.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to effectively manage a caseload.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Confidence using IT systems and managing information in line with data protection requirements.
• The ability to build effective working relationships across internal services and external agencies.
• A commitment to safeguarding children and promoting their best interests.
• High levels of integrity, professionalism and personal accountability.
• Knowledge of Mosaic or Liquid Logic systems and experience working within children's and families services would be advantageous.

This role is subject to an Enhanced DBS check.

Haringey is a fantastic place to live and work - the world in one borough. A place brimming with creativity, personality, radicalism, and community. It is a place where we stand up for each other. A place that is proudly distinctive. We'll be celebrating all this and more as the "rebel borough" when we are the 2027 London Borough of Culture. Our history champions change-makers and everyday rebels; revelling in our differences, battling discrimination, championing equality, and doing things our own way. Haringey's people are a huge asset, with knowledge, expertise, and passion. Our staff members embody our organisational values: Caring, Creative, Courageous, Collaborative and Community-focused. These values keep us looking forward, ambitious for the future, and continuously striving to do our very best for all of our residents.

At Haringey Council we are committed to creating a workplace culture where all our people feel valued, included, and able to be their best at work, and we recognise the benefits of a diverse workforce so welcome applications from all ethnicities and communities so that we continue to make a difference to our residents and community.

Our benefits package includes:

• leave entitlement of up to 31 days + bank holidays
• potential hybrid working opportunities
• health and wellbeing support
• a generous local government pension scheme
• a range of discount schemes across leisure and culture that provide both financial and money-saving discounts