Fostering Social Worker
Grade/Salary : Grade 7/8 - £37280 - £47181 per annum
Working Pattern: 37 hours per week (flexible patterns will be considered)
Location: Sandhill Centre, Grindon Lane, Sunderland. SR3 4EN
Join our Team
Together for Children Sunderland is on a transformative journey to make a real difference in the lives of children and young people in Sunderland. We are an outstanding Ofsted-rated Children’s service, if you’re committed to helping children, families, and our community thrive and have the skills to support our mission, we would love to hear from you. You can learn more about us here: Together for Children.
About the role
Safeguard and promote the welfare of children
Be responsible for, recruiting, assessing, supervising, training and supporting Foster Carers and Kinship Carers with the children placed with them. This includes promoting Together for Children’s values, qualities and standards to ensure a professional service for placing teams with the aim of achieving improved outcomes and experiences for children and young people placed with our Foster Carers, whilst working in the legislative and regulatory framework.
Build relationships with children, young people, their families and networks, and work directly with them to undertake assessments of kinship carers, prospective Special Guardians.
You would do this in line with the relevant policies and procedures in place within Together for Children and Sunderland Safeguarding Board, which support us to keep children and young people safe
You will need to have sound knowledge of the Children Act 1989 and be able to demonstrate excellent communication and negotiation skills. Experience of working with children, foster carers, parents and other professionals is highly desirable. Knowledge of family finding and matching children with carers would also be an advantage.
A good understanding of the Fostering Regulations, Guidance and National Minimum Standards 2011 (England) is expected.
This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check from the Disclosure and Barring Service. We will also carry out an online internet search for information that is publicly available online that might suggest that you are not fit to work with children or young people
We want you to apply if you:
* Educated to degree level with appropriate professional Social Work qualification i.e. CSS/CQSW or DipSW, MA SW, BA Hons
* Current Social Work England Registration.
* Evidence of continuous professional development.
* Current driving licence and access to a car, or means to mobility support.
Please contact lisa.strother@togetherforchildren.org.uk for an informal discussion
Why work with us?
Make a difference : Our work matters. The work we do is incredibly rewarding. Join us and make a difference in the lives of our children, families, and community.
Inclusion : Thrive in our diverse and inclusive culture and be part of our employee networks, including Accessibility, LGBTQ+, Racial Equality, Armed Forces and Menopause.
Work-Life Balance : We offer a hybrid model of working with agile and flexible working arrangements, including part-time opportunities, flexible hours, and the possibility of remote work arrangements.
Professional Development : Advance your career with our comprehensive induction, supervision, peer support, and supportive environment.
Be part of a happier, healthier workforce: Benefit from our wide range of wellbeing activities and employee assistance programmes.
Attractive Salary, Benefits and Rewards : for additional information please follow this link Together for Children Benefits and rewards · What our team think: About Us
We value diversity and strongly encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including but not limited to various ages, disabilities, neurodiverse individuals, gender identities, sexual orientations, religions, beliefs, races, and ethnicities. We aim for our team to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve.
We are committed to making our application process accessible to everyone. Please reach out to our EDI Lead EDI@togetherforchildren.org.uk or peoplesupport@togetherforchildren.org.uk so we can discuss any adjustments or support we can provide during the recruitment process or within the workplace.
We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants who can show they meet all the essential criteria and have indicated they have a disability, are a looked-after young person, are care experienced, or are a veteran.
Are you ready to make a difference?