About the role
Make a Difference to Foster Care Standards in Hillingdon
Hillingdon Council is seeking a dedicated Senior Social Worker /Fostering Reviewing Officer to join our fostering service and provide robust, independent oversight of foster carers’ annual reviews. In this vital role, you’ll ensure compliance with statutory regulations and uphold the highest standards of care for children in foster placements.
This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to service development and quality assurance, ensuring that foster carers offer safe, nurturing, and effective care in line with children’s care plans.
Key Responsibilities
* Chair Annual Foster Carer Reviews: Lead high-quality reviews in accordance with the Fostering Services Regulations 2011 and National Minimum Standards, ensuring they are reflective, analytical, and within timescales.
* Promote Best Practice: Ensure the voice of the child, birth children, and foster carers is central to every review.
* Quality Assurance & Compliance: Monitor fostering practice, make recommendations for continued approval, changes, or deregistration, and flag themes for service improvement.
* Decision Making: Provide independent oversight and informed recommendations to fostering panels or management, as required.
* Multi-agency Feedback: Collate and analyse input from social workers, health, education, and other professionals involved in the child’s care.
* Recording & Reporting: Produce timely, high-quality review documentation detailing decisions, outcomes, and actions.
* Safeguarding Oversight: Identify and escalate any safeguarding concerns raised during reviews.
* Training & Development: Support professional development through mentoring and contributing to staff and foster carer training.
* Service Improvement: Participate in audits, reviews, and data analysis to help inform and shape service improvements.
* Partnership Working: Build strong relationships across fostering panels, social work teams, and partner agencies.
About You
Essential:
* Qualified Social Worker (DipSW, CQSW, BA/MA Social Work)
* Registered with Social Work England
* Minimum 5 years’ post-qualifying experience in children's social care, including fostering
* Strong understanding of fostering legislation and national standards
* Excellent analytical and decision-making skills
* Proven ability to challenge and support practice
* Strong interpersonal and communication skills
Desirable:
* Experience chairing meetings or panels
* Prior quality assurance, IRO, or reviewing experience
* Familiarity with performance frameworks and audit processes
* Experience working with fostering panels
Additional Information
* Enhanced DBS check required
* Occasional evening or weekend work may be necessary
* Travel within the borough or region expected
If you’re passionate about improving outcomes for children in foster care and have the knowledge and experience to uphold and develop best practice, we’d love to hear from you.
Apply now and play a key role in shaping the future of fostering in Hillingdon.
About us
We value our employees and are committed to ensuring that they enjoy a fulfilling and rewarding career with us. We understand that a happy and motivated workforce is essential for the success of our organisation. That is why we offer a wide range of employee benefits to enhance your work-life balance, financial wellbeing, health, and professional development.
Here’s a comprehensive overview of the fantastic benefits we provide:
* Flexible Working Hours – We recognise the importance of flexibility in managing your work and personal life.
* 36 Hour Week – Enjoy a standard 36-hour workweek for all full time staff.
* Generous Holiday Entitlement – increasing with length of service (for non-casual roles).
* Hillingdon Sports & Leisure – Stay active and healthy with discounts at council owned leisure centres and swimming pools across the borough.
* Salary Sacrifice Schemes – option to join schemes for cycle purchase, electric vehicle leasing and additional voluntary pension contributions (subject to scheme rules).
* Cycle to Work – Eco-friendly commuting with our cycle purchase scheme. We also provide bicycle parking, lockers, and showers at the Civic Centre.
* Local Government Pension Scheme – access to Local Government Pension Scheme and membership to the Credit Union.
* Vivup Benefits – Access a variety of offers and discounts through our Vivup Benefits.
* Mental Health Support and Counselling Services – Our mental health first aiders are trained to identify, understand, and help employees experiencing mental health issues. Access free 24-hour confidential advice and counselling as well as a legal advice service for you and your immediate family.
* Travel Support – Make your daily commute easier with our season ticket loans and free car parking.
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Statement
At the London Borough of Hillingdon, we are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace. This commitment means that all employees, job applicants and others who work for us will be treated fairly.
The aim is for our workforce to be representative of all sections of society and Hillingdon residents so we welcome applicants from a wide variety of backgrounds. We strive to ensure that our recruitment process is free from discrimination and bias, and we are dedicated to providing reasonable adjustments to applicants with disabilities.
Join us in building a workplace where everyone feels respected, able to give their best and be themselves at work, whilst contributing meaningfully to our organisation's success.
Recruitment Information
Hillingdon Council operates a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates with disabilities that meet the essential criteria for the role and wish to be considered under this scheme. We believe in the option to choose, so candidates declaring a disability have the choice to opt in for consideration under this scheme, on a ‘per application’ basis.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable groups and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
Some posts are subject to The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2019 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
In addition to verifying Right to Work in the UK and a new starter health questionnaire, the post is subject tothe following pre-employment screening:
* Enhanced DBS Check
* Qualifications Check
* Professional Registration Check
* 5 years of Referencing
Please note:Priority will be given to those at risk of redundancy within Hillingdon Council. Current employees who are part of the redeployment pool must meet the essential criteria for shortlisting to be prioritised.
It may be necessary due to a high volume of applications to close this role early. We therefore recommend you apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
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