Senior Social Worker - WAYPOINT Team

South Gloucestershire Council; Kendleshire; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in the United Kingdom is seeking a Senior Social Worker to provide therapeutic support to foster families. Responsibilities include managing Inclusion and Adolescent Participation Workers and offering one-to-one support to foster carers and children. Candidates must be qualified with the Social Work England registration and have relevant supervisory experience. The role encourages applications for part-time and flexible arrangements and includes a market factor retention payment alongside an attractive benefits package including generous leave and employee support.

Benefits

Generous annual leave

Employee wellbeing support

Access to staff discounts

Qualifications

• Qualified Social Worker with a valid registration.
• Experience in children's social care and team supervision.
• Willingness to learn and lead Signs of Safety practice.

Responsibilities

• Provide one-to-one therapeutic and trauma-informed support to foster carers.
• Manage two Inclusion and Adolescent Participation Workers.
• Facilitate monthly WAYPOINT Drop In sessions.

Skills

Qualified Social Worker

Experience supervising or mentoring social workers

Problem-solving skills

Passion for working with children and families

Education

Registration to practice with Social Work England (SWE)

Job description

As a Senior Social Worker, you will be working within the WAYPOINT team (Working Alongside Young People and Others in Networks Therapeutically). The service offers therapeutic support to strengthen fostering families. This can include one to one work supporting foster carers, children and young people in care, and children of foster carers. We support foster carers in considering responses to the various ways children and young people express their trauma. We also provide short-term interventions for children and young people in care and we offer short-term support to children of foster carers focusing on the opportunities and challenges of being part of a fostering family when worries or confusion arise.

Responsibilities

• Working in the "supporting fostering families" section of WAYPOINT, you will provide one-to-one therapeutically and trauma‑informed support to foster carers and also facilitate a monthly "WAYPOINT Drop In" session.
• It will be your responsibility to manage two Inclusion and Adolescent Participation Workers, known as (FACS) Foster Carer and Children’s Support Workers. FACS workers provide support to foster carers, children of foster carers, and children in care. They also support the Participation team by helping at Teen Care Council (TCC) events.

Qualifications

• You are a qualified Social Worker with registration to practice with Social Work England (SWE).
• You have experience of supervision or mentoring social workers or support staff and substantial first‑hand experience in a relevant children’s social care team.
• Ideally, you have trained in Signs of Safety practice or have a willingness to learn, as you will need to lead Signs of Safety group supervision for the WAYPOINT team.
• Given the elements of this role, you will be used to solving problems, be confident about making important decisions and be passionate about working with children, young people and families to meet their goals and aspirations.
• Although this post is advertised as a full‑time position, we encourage and welcome applications from experienced social workers who may be seeking part‑time, job share or flexible working arrangements.
• It is a requirement of employment that an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is obtained.
• You will be expected to travel throughout the authority and surrounding area, so you must have a full, valid driving licence with regular access to a vehicle insured for business use or have an alternative suitable means of travel. Business insurance will need to be added to your current car policy.

These posts are currently eligible for a market factor £3,000 "retention payment" pro rata, payable in November annually to those with two years’ service with the council in Children’s Social Care. In an eligible post, inclusive of any ASYE period.

Benefits

At South Gloucestershire Council, we’ll support you at every moment. As part of our benefits package, you will receive generous annual leave (pro rata), employee wellbeing support and access to a range of staff discounts, including eye tests, travel, shopping and leisure activities. We recognise that our diverse team of skilled and dedicated people makes us a great place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and ensure that individuals are selected, promoted and developed on the basis of their merits and abilities.