Social Worker - Kinship Assessment Team

The Methodist Church in Britain; Sunderland; Hybrid; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Job summary

Portsmouth City Council is seeking a qualified social worker for the Kinship Assessment Team. The role focuses on assessing relatives and friends as potential foster carers or special guardians to keep children with their wider family.

You will manage a caseload, draft evidence-based assessments for court and fostering panels, and collaborate with children's social work teams to secure permanence. The post is hybrid with at least two days in the office, and may involve private fostering and

Qualifications

• Sound understanding of legislation on children, fostering and safeguarding.
• Ability to converse at ease with customers and give advice in accurate spoken English.
• Restorative, solution-focused approach to difficult issues with carers.
• Experience in children and families work is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Assess relatives and friends as foster carers and/or special guardians so children can live within the wider family.
• Hold a caseload of families and friends being assessed as potential carers.
• Write high quality, evidence-based assessments for court and fostering panel within required timescales.
• Work closely with children's social work teams to secure permanence for children we care for.
• Complete private fostering assessments as service need requires.
• Complete stepparent adoption assessments as service need requires.
• Take part in other fostering service team tasks

Skills

Strong communication

English proficiency

Resilience

Teamwork

Stress management

Education

Social Work England registration

Qualified Social Worker

Job description

Portsmouth City Council is recruiting a qualified social worker for its Kinship Assessment Team, which assesses relatives and friends as potential foster carers or special guardians so children can stay within their wider family. The post holds a caseload of these families, working alongside children's social work teams to secure permanence and writing evidenced assessments for court and fostering panel. It is hybrid, with at least two days in the office, and includes private fostering and stepparent adoption assessments. Social Work England registration is required.

What the job involves

• Assess relatives and friends as foster carers and/or special guardians so children can live within the wider family
• Hold a caseload of families and friends being assessed as potential carers
• Write high quality, evidence-based assessments for court and fostering panel within required timescales
• Work closely with children's social work teams to secure permanence for children we care for
• Complete private fostering assessments as service need requires
• Complete stepparent adoption assessments as service need requires
• Take part in other fostering service team tasks

What’s required

Qualifications

• Qualified social worker

Registration & licences

• Registration with Social Work England

Experience

• Suitable post-qualifying experience in children and families work

Skills & knowledge

• Sound understanding of legislation on children, fostering and safeguarding
• Strong communication with children, families, foster carers and other agencies, including challenging as appropriate
• Ability to converse at ease with customers and give advice in accurate spoken English
• Restorative, solution-focused approach to difficult issues with carers
• Resilience and flexibility to manage competing demands and stress
• Supportive team member willing to join other fostering service tasks

Checks & eligibility

• Right to work in the UK
• Standard or Enhanced DBS check before any offer

Other

• Explanation of any career gaps in the last 5 years
• Personal statement showing how you meet each point of the job profile
• Full career and education history on the application form

Nice to have

• Experience of working with children we care for and foster carers

What’s offered

• Hybrid working