Supervising Social Worker

Randstad NV; North East; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

Randstad Care is seeking an experienced Supervising Social Worker to join a growing Independent Fostering Agency and lead child‑centred social work practice. You will supervise foster carers, support placement stability, and ensure recordings and plans reflect the voice of children.

You will work under Fostering Services England Regulations and national standards, providing analytical assessments, contributing to fostering panels, and supporting safeguarding across the region.

Qualifications

• Recognised Social Work qualification and current Social Work England registration.
• Post-qualifying experience in children’s social care.
• Experience in fostering practice within local authority or independent agency setting.
• Strong safeguarding knowledge and professional judgement.
• Ability to produce high‑quality analytical assessments and reports.
• Experience contributing to foster carer assessments, reviews and/or panel processes.
• Excellent communication and relationship‑building skills.
• Strong organisation and caseload management; able to prioritise deadlines.
• Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle, with willingness to travel across the region.

Responsibilities

• Provide regular supervision, support, and professional challenge to an allocated group of foster carers.
• Ensure the wishes, feelings, and voice of children and young people are reflected in recording, planning, and decision‑making.
• Support safe and effective matching, placement planning, and placement stability. Attend children’s reviews and multi‑agency forums.
• Respond promptly to safeguarding concerns and escalate as required.
• Undertake or contribute to fostering assessments (including Form F) and present to fostering panel.
• Contribute to foster carer annual reviews and maintain key documentation.
• Undertake announced and unannounced visits in line with agency policy.
• Maintain timely, accurate records on CHARMS with the child’s voice.
• Participate in duty and out‑of‑hours arrangements.

Skills

Communication skills

Relationship-building

Caseload management

Organisational skills

Interpersonal skills

Driving licence

Education

Social Work qualification / Degree

Tools

CHARMS

Microsoft 365

Case-management systems

Job description

We're currently looking for an experienced and ambitious Supervising Social Worker to join a growing Independent Fostering Agency.

This is an opportunity to join a developing agency where your voice will matter. You'll have the chance to influence practice, help shape the service, and work closely with an experienced and supportive leadership team - all while keeping children and young people firmly at the centre of everything we do.

If you're proactive, values-led, and passionate about excellent fostering practice, we'd love to hear from you.

The Role

As a Supervising Social Worker, you will provide safe, effective, and child-centred social work practice, supporting our foster carers and helping children and young people experience stable, well-matched, and nurturing placements.

You will work in accordance with the Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011, Fostering Services National Minimum Standards, and agency policies and procedures.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide regular supervision, support, and professional challenge to an allocated group of foster carers, including monthly face-to-face supervision in line with agency expectations. Build strong, professional relationships with carers to support their ongoing learning, resilience, and development.
• Ensure the wishes, feelings, and voice of children and young people are sought, heard, and reflected in recording, planning, and decision-making. See and engage with children in placement regularly in line with agency policy, individual need, placement circumstances, and risk.
• Support safe and effective matching, placement planning, and placement stability. Attend children's reviews, placement planning meetings, and other relevant multi‑agency forums.
• Respond promptly to safeguarding concerns, allegations, complaints, and significant events, escalating appropriately to the Registered Manager/Designated Safeguarding Lead and following organizational safeguarding procedures.
• Undertake or contribute to fostering assessments (including Form F assessments), producing clear, evidence‑based, and analytical reports. Present assessments and other matters to the fostering panel where required.
• Contribute to foster carer annual reviews and ensure key documentation remains current (safer caring plans, risk assessments, agreements, and development plans). Undertake announced and unannounced visits in accordance with agency policy.
• Support foster carers to meet their learning and development requirements, including the Training, Support and Development (TSD) Standards.
• Maintain timely, accurate, and analytical records on CHARMS, clearly capturing facts, analysis, decisions, actions, outcomes, and the child's voice. Represent the agency professionally and contribute to quality assurance, service development, and Ofsted inspection readiness.
• Participate in duty and out-of-hours arrangements as required.

About You

• A recognised Social Work qualification.
• Current professional registration with Social Work England.
• Post‑qualifying experience within children's social care.
• Experience of fostering practice within a local authority or independent fostering agency setting.
• Strong safeguarding knowledge and sound professional judgement.
• Proven ability to complete high‑quality analytical assessments and reports.
• Experience contributing to foster carer assessments, reviews, and/or panel processes.
• Excellent communication, relationship‑building, and interpersonal skills.
• Strong organisation and caseload management skills, with the ability to prioritise and meet deadlines.
• Confidence using Microsoft 365, with the ability and willingness to use CHARMS and other relevant case‑management systems.
• A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle (subject to reasonable adjustments), with the ability to travel across the region for home visits.

Safeguarding and Professional Standards

This organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. An enhanced DBS check and satisfactory employment references will be required for the successful candidate.

Randstad Care acts as an employment business when supplying temporary staff and as an employment agency when introducing candidates for permanent employment with a client. Randstad Care is an equal opportunities employer and decisions are made on merits alone.