Childrens Social Worker

We Manage Jobs(WMJobs); England; On-site; GBP 46,000; Full time

Job summary

A local council in England is seeking a Children’s Social Worker for the Fostering Kinship team. The role involves conducting thorough kinship assessments and providing support to families. Candidates must have experience in assessment and be registered with Social Work England. This position offers a competitive salary and a supportive working environment.

Benefits

£10,000 welcome payment

Relocation package up to £10,000

Professional development opportunities

31 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays

Qualifications

• Experience in completing assessments ideally within fostering or kinship care.
• Confident in analysing risk and family dynamics.
• Registered with Social Work England.

Responsibilities

• Complete full kinship assessments for Kinship carers.
• Work with families, children, and professionals.
• Engage sensitively with families to understand their strengths.

Skills

Completing assessments

Analysing risk

Effective communication

Relationship building

Education

Degree/DipSW/CQSW

Job description

About the Role

Job Title: Children’s Social Worker – Fostering Kinship
Salary: HC8 £36,363 - £40,777 (plus £5,000 market rate supplement per year £41,363 - £45,777)
Welcome payment: £10,000 (see attached guidance)
Contract: Permanent
Hours: 37
Location: Herefordshire
Relocation package: up to £10,000 available
Closing date: 30/11/2025

The Fostering Kinship team consists of a Team Manager, Managing Practitioner, Senior Practitioners, Social Workers, and a Family Support Worker, all working together to provide comprehensive support for children and families. We are proud of our restorative approach to social work – a way of working that is firmly embedded in our team culture and management style. Collaboration and reflection are at the heart of how we practice: senior managers are always available for guidance and support, especially when navigating complex cases.

The Role

Are you passionate about supporting children to remain within their family networks? Do you have a strong background in completing robust, child‑centred assessments? If so, we’d love to hear from you! Herefordshire Council’s Kinship Team is looking for a dedicated Kinship Assessing Social Worker to join our friendly and supportive service. This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a specialist team focused on ensuring children can thrive in safe, nurturing kinship arrangements.

As a Kinship Assessing Social Worker, your primary focus will be on completing full kinship assessments for Kinship carers. You’ll work closely with families, children, and professionals to explore the suitability of kinship placements, ensuring assessments are thorough, evidence‑based, and reflective of the child’s needs.

• Undertake full connected persons (kinship) assessments, including viability assessments and Special Guardianship reports.
• Engage with families in a sensitive and respectful way to understand their strengths and challenges.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across fostering and safeguarding teams.
• Present assessments to fostering panels.
• Contribute to the development of best practice in kinship care across the service.

About You

• Experience in completing assessments, ideally within fostering or kinship care.
• Confident in analysing risk, attachment, and family dynamics.
• Communicate effectively and build strong relationships with families and professionals.
• Passionate about keeping children within their family networks wherever safe and possible.
• Registered with Social Work England and hold a recognised Social Work qualification (Degree/DipSW/CQSW).

We Offer

• Salary range: £36,363 – £40,777 per annum
• Market rate supplement: £5,000 per annum
• Welcome payment: £10,000 (see attached guidance)
• Retention payment: £2,000 – £4,000 depending on team.
• Relocation packages: support up to £10,000
• Professional development: protected time and budget to develop yourself and your career.
• Enrolment in the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).
• Career progression: clear pathways to progress.
• Annual Leave: 31 days’ annual leave (pro rata) plus bank holidays. Additional 10 days per annum can be purchased.
• Flexible working: including job‑sharing, part‑time hours and agile working.
• Employee Assistance Programme: 24/7 access to support and counselling.
• Professional membership fees: paid (based on role requirements).
• Benefits: access to a range of retail, leisure, holiday and health benefits, including savings, cash‑back, and discounts.

Why Choose Us?

Herefordshire is a beautiful, historic county on the Welsh border, one of England’s most rural and unspoilt areas, with vibrant market towns and a strong sense of community. Our priority is clear: to keep children safe and give them the best start in life. We do this through passionate, dedicated professionals who build strong relationships with children, families, and partners to make a lasting difference. It’s an exciting time to join us. We’re investing in our people and our relational practice approach, working alongside our improvement partner, Leeds City Council. You’ll be supported by experienced managers, continuous professional development, and a genuine team ethos that values collaboration and care.

Reasonable Adjustments

Our recruitment process runs in partnership with Hoople Resourcing. If you require any reasonable adjustments or alternative methods for the online application process, please contact the resourcing team by email: [e-mail]. If you’re shortlisted for interview and require any reasonable adjustments, our Children & Young People Recruitment Team will be happy to support you.

Creating an Inclusive Workplace

We encourage our employees to feel empowered and to use their voices to help embrace diversity, promote inclusivity and shape our organisation. We have eight employee network groups, collectives of colleagues who often share identities, life experiences or cultures and offer support and community. They also play an important role in strengthening the voices of employees at Herefordshire Council. Embedded in the Council's values is a commitment to listen to people's views and needs.

Commitments, Covenants and Statutory Obligations

• Those who indicate that they have a disability – part of our commitment to the “Disability Confident” scheme.
• Those who indicate in their application that they are an Armed Forces Veteran or Reservist – part of our pledge to support the Armed Forces Covenant.
• Those who indicate in their application that they are a Herefordshire care leaver – part of our commitment to supporting young people leaving our care.

How to Apply

To apply for a position, please upload an up‑to‑date CV and complete the application form demonstrating your experience, skills and abilities for the role. Be sure to include reference to the job description and person specification or role profile! If you are successfully shortlisted, the C&YP Recruitment Team will contact you via email to arrange your interview and/or assessment. They will confirm the date, time and location of your interview – please keep an eye on your email inbox (and your spam/junk folder).

Good luck, we’re looking forward to meeting you!

Please note: the council is currently unable to offer overseas visa sponsorship for Social Worker roles in Children & Young People. Overseas prospective candidates that require sponsorship to work in the UK should not apply for these roles. We appreciate your interest in Herefordshire Council and would encourage you to consider other opportunities with us that may be open to sponsorship. A full list of current vacancies can be found here: https://spiritofherefordshire.com/children-young-people/jobs/