Senior / Supervising Social Worker

Polaris Community; Devon and Torbay; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 44,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

30 days annual leave (pro-rated)

Bank holidays

Life assurance

Employee Discount Scheme

Medical Cash Plan

Job summary

Foster Care Associates (The FCA) is seeking a Senior / Supervising Social Worker to support Foster Parents and looked-after children across Cornwall and Plymouth. The role covers 22.5 hours per week with a fixed-term 12-month contract and base location in Ivybridge.

You will monitor foster carers, provide regular supervision, and participate in meetings while ensuring compliance with FCA standards and safeguarding requirements.

Qualifications

• Professional registration with Social Work England or equivalent.
• Proven ability to produce a high standard of report writing.
• Comprehensive knowledge of relevant legislation and child safeguarding procedures.
• Flexibility to work across the South West region including areas like Somerset, Cornwall, Devon, Torbay and Plymouth.
• Full UK driving licence required.

Responsibilities

• Support Foster Parents and their families to achieve outstanding outcomes for all children.
• Monitor suitability and competence of Foster Parents and provide supervision.
• Ensure Foster Parents understand tasks, competencies and FCA policies.
• Attend meetings and/or provide reports for commissioning teams.
• Promote child and young people participation in agency development and community access.
• Provide out-of-hours support on a rota basis.
• Undertake initial home visits and Form F assessments.

Skills

Social work qualification

Social Work England registration

Report writing

Knowledge of safeguarding legislation

Willingness to travel

Full UK driving licence

Education

Social work degree

Job description

Foster Care Associates (The FCA)
Role: Senior / Supervising Social Worker
Hours: 22.5 hours per week
Salary: Up to £40,081.10 per annum FTE, depending on experience
Contract: 12-month fixed-term contract
Base Location: Ivybridge
Covering Area: South West – Plymouth, Devon and Cornwall
Ofsted Rating: Outstanding, 2026

• 30 days’ annual leave, rising to 35 days with length of service
• Bank holidays
• Life assurance
• Employee Discount Scheme & Medical Cash Plan
• All benefits will be pro-rated

Help transform the lives of children and young people across Cornwall and Plymouth.

Join Foster Care Associates, one of the UK’s leading independent fostering agencies and part of the Polaris Community. With an Outstanding Ofsted rating and a strong reputation for supporting both children and staff, we’re looking for a passionate, highly motivated and enthusiastic Senior / Supervising Social Worker to join our friendly and highly supportive South West team.

About Us

Set up by a former Foster Parent and former social worker in 1994, Foster Care Associates (FCA) is an established fostering agency which forms part of the Polaris Community, one of the UK’s largest communities of children’s services providers.

The business was born out of an enthusiasm for delivering fostering services to make a positive difference to the lives of looked-after children. Our first office was in the Worcestershire countryside, and that’s still where our head office is today.

We’ve come a long way since those early days and, over the years, FCA has built a strong reputation for excellence and now offers a wide range of services to children and families. But our purpose remains the same: ‘to make a positive and lasting difference for children, families and communities’, and it’s underpinned by a series of values designed to help us assist children and young people to reach their full potential.

Today, we’re one of the country’s largest and most experienced independent fostering agencies. But just because we’re large doesn’t mean we’re impersonal. At FCA, we’re one big family, and we’re committed to supporting every single child and Foster Parent, every single minute of the day.

About the Role

Our friendly South West team is seeking a Senior / Supervising Social Worker to help support and empower Foster Parents and young people within the Cornwall and Plymouth area.

• Support Foster Parents and their families to achieve outstanding outcomes for all children and young people in foster care
• Support and monitor the continued suitability and competence of Foster Parents, ensuring they provide a safe, healthy, nurturing and learning environment for children and young people
• Ensure that Foster Parents fully understand the fostering task, competencies to be achieved and the standards expected, including complaints and representation procedures as detailed in FCA policies and procedures
• Provide and record regular supervision to allocated Foster Parents in line with FCA’s Operational Standards
• Work in partnership in a team parenting approach to help identify any needs within the foster family, e.g. respite, activities, therapy and holidays, with all members of the child’s network, including contributing to all relevant meetings and any other tasks defined
• Ensure each child and Foster Parent are fully compliant in respect of all key documentation
• Attend meetings and/or provide reports for commissioning teams to address individual packages of care
• Promote the participation of children and young people in the development of the agency and in accessing resources and opportunities in their local community
• Participate in an out-of-hours support service on a rota basis
• Undertake occasional initial home visits and Form F assessments

You Must Have

• A social work qualification
• Professional registration with Social Work England or equivalent
• Proven ability to produce a high standard of report writing
• A comprehensive working knowledge of relevant legislation and child safeguarding procedures
• The South West region covers Somerset, Cornwall, Devon, Torbay and Plymouth, so the role may occasionally require the successful candidate to work in these areas as part of the team; therefore, a willingness to travel is essential
• Confidence in transporting children and young people in sometimes stressful or difficult situations
• A full UK driving licence

If you’re passionate about improving the lives of children and young people and want to work for an Outstanding fostering agency where you’ll be valued, supported and encouraged to develop, we’d love to hear from you.

Foster Care Associates is an equal opportunities employer and has been awarded Disability Confident Employer status by Jobcentre Plus.

The successful applicant will be subject to an enhanced DBS check.