We are looking for a skilled qualified social worker who has the passion and drive to ensure that children and young people in Darlington who we care for, and provide foster placements for, achieve the best outcomes, and receive high quality services. Your day will be varied and interesting.You will be able to follow a flexible structure whilst supporting our foster carers. You will have an opportunity to support the recruitment of foster carers through recruitment events, initial home visits, undertaking form F assessments, Form K and viability assessments.
You will develop potential carers understanding of the fostering role through training as well as support via regularly monthly supervision.
For newly qualified social workers, you will have access to the ASYE programme and support from our ASYE co-ordinator.
Our leadership team will invest in your progression as a professional through monthly supervision and personal development plans. This is supported via our workforce development colleagues who offer up-to-date training opportunities.
Children and Families Social work in Darlington focusses on building and maintaining relationships with carers and colleagues through relational and strengths-based practice. Working in the Fostering and Supported Lodgings team involves working closely with the social workers from Children and Families’ Teams.
The successful candidate would hold a caseload of foster carers and connected carers, offering monthly supervision, and completing annual foster carer reviews. The role also involves taking part in a duty rota – dealing with placement requests and undertaking pre-placement meetings. Work in the team includes contributing to Special Guardianship support plans, and planning for permanence where appropriate.
We use Liquid Logic as a recording system, and we are operating a blended working approach with a mixture of face-to-face meetings and virtual meetings. You will be able to meet statutory timescales both for the completion of assessments and ensure compliance with The Fostering Regulations and National Minimum Standards.
Our recent Ofsted inspection graded us as good overall with the experience and progress of children in care and care leavers rated as outstanding. Ofsted commented:
Most children live in stable placements with foster carers in the local area. Placements meet their needs well and children are making very good progress. When carers require additional support, the fostering service is highly responsive, and this is leading to increased stability and a reduction in placement disruption. Foster carers feel well supported by social workers. They access high-quality support and training, which equips them well to meet the needs of individual children in their care”. “Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children are very well supported and cared for. Social workers and foster carers go to great lengths to meet their unique needs and individual interests”.
Additionally other benefits of working for Darlington Council include;
32 days Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays, with option to purchase additional Annual Leave (pro-rata for part time working)
Generous Pension Scheme
Flexi-time scheme
Generous schemes for Maternity, Paternity and Adoption Leave
Green Car Leasing Scheme
Access to a wide range of training, learning and development
Physiotherapy service
Free confidential counselling service
Great wellbeing offer
Cycle to Work Scheme
Dolphin Centre Fit for Life Discounts
Arriva Employee Travel Club
For our full range of benefits, please see our Total Reward Booklethttps://www.darlington.gov.uk/media/17398/totalreward-booklet.pdf
The successful applicant will be subject to an Enhanced DBS and Children's Barred List check and re-checking from time to time in line with the Council's policy.
For an informal discussion, please contact Phil Austen, Team Manager on 01325 406234 or email phil.austen@darlington.gov.uk
This is a 10 months Fixed Term Post.
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