Practitioner - Fostering Kinship

Herefordshire Council; Hereford; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in Hereford is seeking a skilled Senior Social Worker for their Kinship Assessment Team. You will lead on complex assessments for kinship carers, working closely with families to ensure children's stability within their families. The role offers a competitive salary, generous holiday entitlement, and opportunities for professional development.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Access to specialist training

Generous annual leave

Employee Assistance Programme

Qualifications

• Substantial experience in completing complex assessments in fostering or kinship care.
• Demonstrates strong analytical skills in assessing risk, attachment, and family dynamics.
• Confident in presenting to panels and contributing to multi-agency decision-making.

Responsibilities

• Undertake full connected persons assessments, including viability assessments.
• Engage with families sensitively and identify strengths and areas for support.
• Collaborate with colleagues across fostering, safeguarding, and legal teams.

Skills

Strong analytical skills

Effective communication

Passion for child welfare

Education

Qualified and registered social worker

Job description

Overview

We are seeking a skilled and compassionate Senior Social Worker to join our Kinship Assessment Team. In this role, you will lead on completing full assessments for Kinship carers and SGO support plans often having those with additional complexity, ensuring that children can remain safely within their family networks wherever possible. You will work closely with children, families, and professionals to deliver high-quality, evidence-based assessments that reflect the child's needs and promote stability and permanence. You will offer peer support to other members of the team.

Responsibilities

• Undertake full connected persons (kinship) assessments, including viability assessments and Special Guardianship reports.
• Engage with families in a sensitive and respectful manner, identifying strengths and areas for support.
• Present assessments to fostering panels and contribute to care planning discussions.
• Collaborate with colleagues across fostering, safeguarding, and legal teams.
• Support the development of best practice in kinship care across the service.
• Provide mentoring and guidance to less experienced staff where appropriate.

Qualifications

• Qualified and registered social worker with substantial experience in completing complex assessments, ideally within fostering or kinship care.
• Demonstrates strong analytical skills in assessing risk, attachment, and family dynamics.
• Communicates effectively and builds trusting relationships with families and professionals.
• Passionate about keeping children within their family networks wherever safe and appropriate.
• Confident in presenting to panels and contributing to multi-agency decision-making.

About Herefordshire and Our Approach

Herefordshire is a beautiful, historic county located in the heart of the Marches on the border with Wales. We are one of the most rural and sparsely populated counties in England with a wealth of unspoilt countryside, distinctive heritage, and lively and attractive market towns.

Our priority is to keep children safe and give them a great start in life. This is the priority for the council, our partners and for all of us who work with Children & Young People. We work with dynamic, dedicated, passionate and professional staff who focus on what we can achieve with children, what they can achieve themselves, and the relationship we build with families and partners to enable this. We have invested heavily in training and developing staff in our relational practice approach with our improvement partner Leeds City Council.

Herefordshire has a strong team ethos. Our teams are passionate about the work we do and the positive difference they and the teams they are in make to people's lives. This is underpinned by the focus and support from managers and the council as a whole. We aim to deliver better support to our most vulnerable children and their families, develop stronger relationships with partners across the region, and beyond. We take our commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults seriously and expect all staff, visitors and volunteers to share in this commitment. Come to Herefordshire and join the journey.

Herefordshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children & young people and vulnerable adults. If offered this position, it will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service enhanced check and further pre-employment checks.

Selection and Benefits

We welcome applicants whatever their personal characteristics or social identity. All requests for flexible working arrangements and reasonable adjustments will be considered. The following candidates will be interviewed if they meet the essential criteria for the post they are applying for:

• Those who indicate that they have a disability. This is part of our commitment to the "Disability Confident" scheme;
• Those who indicate in their supporting statement that they serve in the Armed Forces, whether Regular or Reserve, those who have served in the past, or their families. This is part of our pledge to support the Armed Forces Covenant; and
• Those who indicate in their supporting statement that they are a Herefordshire care leaver. This is part of our commitment to supporting young people leaving our care.

Regular supervision and reflective practice.

• Flexible working arrangements.
• Access to specialist training in kinship care and assessment.
• Opportunities for career development and progression.
• The chance to make a meaningful difference in the lives of children and families in Herefordshire.
• A competitive salary, generous holiday entitlement, and access to our contributory pension and staff benefits scheme, which includes:

• Senior Practitioner basic salary: HC9 £40,777 - £45,091 per annum
• Market rate supplement: plus £5,000 per year
• Welcome payment £10,000 for experienced social workers joining our children's teams (see attached guidance)
• Relocation packages: support of up to £10,000
• Pension Scheme Enrolment in the Local Government (LGPS)
• Professional development: protected time and budget to support social workers develop themselves and their careers. We have a diverse and comprehensive training offer in place to support you in your role.
• Career progression: clear pathways to progress and supported by the Social Care Academy to be a work based supervisor with the potential to become a Practice Educator as a development pathway.
• Generous Annual Leave: 31 days' annual leave (pro rata) plus bank holidays. You can also purchase an additional 10 days per annum
• Flexible working: flexi-time, job-share, part-time hours and, in some instances, home working
• Employee Assistance Programme: 24/7 access to support and counselling
• Payment of professional membership fees
• Pick your perks - our benefits include access to a range of retail, leisure, holiday and health benefits. This includes savings, cash back and discounts.