Social Worker - Placement / Kinship Care - ABS48853

Aberdeenshire Council; Huntly; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

Aberdeenshire Council is seeking a committed Social Worker to join our Kinship Care Team, helping children and young people remain safely within family networks and communities. You will assess and support kinship options to provide safe, loving and lasting care.

The post is based in Huntly with potential bases at Turriff FC or Midmill School. The interview date is 6/11/2026 and the contract is fixed-term up to 1/9/2029.

Qualifications

• Qualified Social Worker with a strong commitment to relationship-based and child-centred practice.
• Ability to work collaboratively with families, CFSW colleagues, FGDM and partner agencies.
• Sound assessment, analysis and written communication skills.
• Confidence in working independently across a wide geographical area while remaining connected to the wider team.

Responsibilities

• Work alongside colleagues in FGDM service to identify and explore viable family options for children and young people.
• Build effective relationships with colleagues across Children and Families Social Work, FGDM and partner services to support robust assessments and sound decision-making.
• Travel as required across the Shire and work independently while staying connected to the team.

Skills

Social work

Collaborative working

Assessment skills

Written communication

Independent working

Education

Social Work degree

Job description

Social Worker - Placement / Kinship Care - ABS48853

Help children and young people grow up within their families and communities.

Aberdeenshire Council is seeking a committed and enthusiastic Social Worker to join our experienced Kinship Care Team. This is an opportunity to play a vital role in helping children and young people remain safely within their family networks, wherever this is possible and in their best interests.

Putting family first

This role is especially important as we continue to deliver on the ambitions of The Promise and Aberdeenshire Council's commitment to putting family first. You will contribute to early, purposeful family exploration and help identify, assess and support kinship options that can provide children and young people with safe, loving and lasting care.

About our team

Our dedicated Kinship Care Team has been established for 16 years. We are proud of the specialist knowledge, experience and relationships we have developed, while remaining ambitious about what comes next. We are embracing new challenges, strengthening our partnership with FGDM and continuing to develop practice in this evolving area of social work.

The post is currently based in Huntly but the successful candidate can be based at Turriff FC or Midmill School.

Expected interview date is 6/11/2026

Fixed term for a period not exceeding 1/09/2029

Requirements

This post is regulated work with Children and/or Protected Adults under the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007. The preferred candidate will be required to join the PVG Scheme or undergo a PVG Scheme update check. Where an individual has spent a continuous period of 3 months or more out with the UK in the last 5 years, an Overseas Criminal Record Check will be required. You will be required to provide this check. A confirmed offer of employment and commencement in the post will be subject to the outcome of both these pre-employment checks being deemed satisfactory.

This post has a minimum requirement of two references, one of these must be your current or most recent employer.

Responsibilities

About the role

You will work alongside colleagues in our newly expanded Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) Service to identify and explore viable family options for children and young people. By bringing together the strengths, knowledge and connections within families, you will help ensure that potential kinship arrangements are considered carefully, fairly and without avoidable delay.

Collaborative working will be central to your practice. You will build effective relationships with colleagues across Children and Families Social Work (CFSW), FGDM and partner services, sharing information and professional expertise to support robust assessments, sound decision-making and positive outcomes for children and their families.

We are a geographically dispersed team working across the Shire. You will therefore need to be confident managing your own workload, travelling as required and working independently. At the same time, you will be expected to stay connected, seek advice when needed and contribute actively to a supportive team culture. Although colleagues may be based in different locations, regular communication, reflective supervision and peer support are important parts of how we work.

The Individual

What we are looking for

• A qualified Social Worker with a strong commitment to relationship-based and child-centred practice.
• An ability to work collaboratively with families, CFSW colleagues, FGDM and partner agencies.
• Sound assessment, analysis and written communication skills.
• Confidence in working independently across a wide geographical area while remaining connected to the wider team.
• Curiosity, resilience and enthusiasm for developing specialist kinship practice.

Kinship care social work can be challenging and requires thoughtful professional judgement, persistence and compassion. It is also exceptionally rewarding. You will have the opportunity to make a meaningful difference by helping children and young people maintain important family relationships, supporting carers through significant change and contributing to plans that can shape a child’s life for the better.

If you are passionate about keeping families connected, value collaborative practice and want to help shape the next stage of kinship care in Aberdeenshire, we would be delighted to hear from you.