Job Description
1.3 year contract with a local authority
Job Purpose
* The Senior Placements Officer is responsible for delivering a high ‑quality, flexible Placements Service aimed at improving placement choice, stability, and outcomes for children in care. The role ensures social workers, foster carers, and children receive efficient support during placement identification, contributes to value for money decisions, and sources placements that meet children’s emotional, educational, cultural, and health needs. The postholder provides bespoke practical support packages to foster carers, young people, and families to maximise placement viability and prevent placement breakdown
Key Duties/Accountabilities
* Work proactively within the Placements Team to secure suitable placements for all children, monitoring referral patterns and use of Independent Fostering Agencies
* Track all referrals, placement moves, and endings; ensure high ‑quality management information for service planning.
* Deliver a responsive, efficient referral and placement process in collaboration with the Fostering Service, ensuring children’s views are taken into account
Essential Experience Required
* Experience working with foster carers and supporting the development of placement stability.
* Experience interpreting data from complex databases for service planning and management.
* Experience working independently, prioritising workloads, and meeting deadlines.
Essential Qualifications Required
* Recognised social work qualification or equivalent childcare ‑related qualification (essential)
Additional information to note
* Working hours: 36 hours per week
* Council Offices, Sumner House, Sumner Road, Southwark, Surrey, SE155QS, United Kingdom
* Enhanced DBS Check required.
* We work on Bi weekly payment schedule
The role closes on 17th April 2026, apply ASAP.
Requirements
The Senior Placements Officer is responsible for delivering a high‑quality, flexible Placements Service aimed at improving placement choice, stability, and outcomes for children in care