Social Worker Fostering

The Methodist Church in Britain; Sheffield; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous holiday entitlement

Flexible working options

Support for staff with unpaid caring:"

Job summary

Sheffield City Council is seeking a temporary supervising social worker within the Holiday and Support Care Team to provide short breaks for children and their carers. The role focuses on supervising foster carers through home visits, group support, and training.

The post involves weekend visits, some evenings for carers who work full-time, and work with children with disabilities. A sound knowledge of fostering legislation and practice is required.

Qualifications

• Experience as a social worker.
• Sound knowledge of fostering legislation and practice.
• Relevant safeguarding checks.

Responsibilities

• Supervise and support foster carers to ensure high-quality care for children and young people
• Give guidance, support and supervision to foster carers and hosts
• Carry out announced and unannounced home visits
• Facilitate carer support groups and deliver training
• Tailor support to the needs of support carers providing weekend short breaks
• Carry out annual visits to children, which may include some weekend work
• Hold a manageable caseload
• Promote stable, nurturing homes where children can reach their full potential

Skills

Resilience and flexibility

Solution-focused approach

Motivation and commitment to deliver

Job description

Sheffield City Council's established fostering service is recruiting a temporary supervising social worker for 12 months in the Holiday and Support Care Team, which provides short breaks for children and their carers. The post centres on supervising and supporting foster carers through announced and unannounced home visits, support groups and training. Much of the work involves carers looking after children with disabilities, and visits sometimes fall at weekends, with evening support for carers who work full-time. Candidates need experience as a social worker and sound knowledge of fostering legislation and practice.

What the job involves

• Supervise and support foster carers to ensure high-quality care for children and young people
• Give guidance, support and supervision to foster carers and hosts
• Carry out announced and unannounced home visits
• Facilitate carer support groups and deliver training
• Tailor support to the needs of support carers providing weekend short breaks
• Carry out annual visits to children, which may include some weekend work
• Hold a manageable caseload
• Promote stable, nurturing homes where children can reach their full potential

What’s required

Experience

• Experience as a social worker

Skills & knowledge

• Sound knowledge of fostering legislation and practice
• Resilience and flexibility
• Solution-focused approach
• Motivation and commitment to delivering an excellent service

Checks & eligibility

• Relevant safeguarding checks

Nice to have

• Understanding of the needs of children with disabilities
• Knowledge of different communication methods

What’s offered

• Generous holiday entitlement
• Flexible working options, including reduced hours, part-time or job share
• Support for staff with unpaid caring responsibilities to work flexibly
• Starting salary at the bottom of the grade, or higher with payslip evidence of greater basic pay
• Guaranteed interview for disabled applicants, care leavers and armed forces veterans who meet the essential criteria