Job Details:
Job Reference: HCC621379
Salary Range: GBP 39,382 : GBP 43,679 per annum
Work Location: Glen House, Swanwick
Hours per week: 37
Contract Type: Permanent
Closing Date: 14 July 2025
Interview Date: 25 July 2025
The Role:
Adopt South, the partnership Regional Adoption Agency for Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton, has an exciting opportunity for a qualified Social Worker to be part of our Stage 2 Assessment and Support Team.
You will be responsible for undertaking assessments of Prospective Adopters (PAs) and supporting them from approval through the placement phase until Adoption Orders are made. You will have flexibility to work from our main office in Swanwick and manage your own schedule for home visits. working from home can be part of you working week. Your flexibility will accommodate the needs of the service to include regular evening work and occasional weekends to support training delivery. You will manage your own calendar, adjusting your hours to meet the needs of the people you are assessing.
Our Social Workers are assets to us, and we encourage our workforce to be creative and autonomous, while enabling them to work flexibly. We are committed to providing regular, reflective, and effective supervision to support you, while ensuring you have the working conditions you need for good practice to flourish.
What you'll do:
:Undertaking the assessment of Prospective Adopters and presenting these to our Adoption Panel for their recommendation. These are to a clear and regulatory timescales.
:Social Workers the hold the families through Family Finding, matching and until Adoption Orders are made. This includes regular visiting and working closely with our childrens social work colleagues.
:Safeguarding is at the heart of everything we do and that is paramount in all work within the team. You will be responsible for assessing this within prospective adopter households throughout.
:You will maintain records in a timely manner, ensuring all required documentation is completed.
What we're looking for:
You will be registered with Social Work England, with at least 3 years post:qualifying experience, and with knowledge of adoption and the needs of children who require permanence outside of their families. You will be highly skilled at building meaningful relationships with all different kinds of people. You will need to be creative, flexible and forward thinking in your approach, whilst constantly striving for continuous improvement to provide the best outcomes for children.
Why join us?
Hampshire County Council is recognised nationally as one of the highest performing local authorities in the UK. A modern, forward:looking local authority, it offers a pleasant, supportive, and collaborative working environment.
Hampshire County Council is also a flexible employer interested in making the most of your skills and offers a great work life balance. We invest in you through our internal development programmes and training and offer a competitive salary and benefits package.
Additional Information:
Adoption Social Worker Candidate Pack
Vetting Requirements:
This post is subject to a Criminal Records Check. As such, please note that under safer recruitment requirements for Children's Services, references will be requested prior to interview.
Contact Details for an Informal Discussion:
Sandi Melsa, Team Manager on or
Hampshire County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment.
In order to combat discrimination, no unnecessary conditions or requirements will be applied which could have a disproportionately adverse effect on any one group. All sections of the population will have equal access