Specialist Adoption Social Worker (Child)

Southampton City Council; Southampton; On-site; GBP 49,000 - 53,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Local government pension

25–31 days holiday

Flexible working options

Training and development

Health and wellbeing support

Armed Forces Covenant

Staff discounts

Volunteer days

Job summary

Southampton City Council is seeking an experienced Child’s Adoption Social Worker to join the Adoption Team in a specialist permanence role, guiding children through care proceedings, placement and family finding with a focus on their wishes and identity.

You will have a recognised social work qualification, current Social Work England registration and at least three years of post-qualifying experience in statutory children and families social work, including work with trauma and transitions.

Qualifications

• Recognised social work qualification and current Social Work England registration.
• Minimum three years' post-qualifying experience in statutory children and families social work.
• Experience with trauma, development and transitions in children’s lives.
• Ability to prepare high-quality reports for formal decision-making.
• Ability to work collaboratively within a multi-agency network.

Responsibilities

• Contributing specialist adoption knowledge during care proceedings and permanence planning.
• Supporting Child Permanence Report and Agency Decision Maker processes.
• Undertaking statutory case responsibility following the granting of a Placement Order.
• Family finding and contributing to matching decisions.
• Direct work and preparation with children.
• Supporting children, foster carers and adopters through introductions and placement.
• Completing statutory visits, assessments, reviews and case management.
• Identifying emerging risks and helping to put support in place to promote placement stability.
• Completing life journey work, life-story books and later-life letters.
• Contributing to keeping-in-touch arrangements; and
• Working closely with birth families, foster carers, adopters and the wider professional network.

Skills

Assessment skills

Analytical skills

Report writing

Collaboration

Education

Social work qualification

Registration with Social Work England

Job description

Southampton City Council is seeking an experienced Child’s Adoption Social Worker to join the Adoption Team in a specialist permanence role, guiding children through care proceedings, placement and family finding with a focus on their wishes and identity.

You will have a recognised social work qualification, current Social Work England registration and at least three years of post-qualifying experience in statutory children and families social work, including work with trauma and transitions.