Description | Salary £35,235 - £39,513 per annum | Permanent and Fixed Term Positions Available | Full Time, 37 hours per week | Fostering Service – Preston (Countywide travel required) | International Sponsorship - this role is not open to international sponsorship. Social Worker Fostering Kinship & Assessment Team Locations: Preston, with travel Countywide Salary up to £39,513 About Us: Our Fostering Service are currently recruiting confident and compassionate Social Workers, who are passionate about making a positive difference in the lives of children and our fostering families. The Team is based at County Hall, in Preston, however travel throughout the county will be required. We currently have both Permanent and Fixed Term opportunities available. This is a fantastic opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of others and assist in supporting vulnerable children within our community. This heart-warming role really does assist in improving outcomes for children and families, so if you're ready to share your knowledge then we'd really love you to join us! We are looking for: Passion - We're searching for social workers who are motivated by their passion to help others. As part of the Kinship and Assessment team, you'll be responsible for undertaking viability assessments of proposed Kinship foster carers and Special Guardians as well as preparing and assessing prospective Kinship foster carers and Special Guardians, including compiling assessment reports to present to the fostering panel and the Court. Communication - We need social workers who are excellent communicators, with the interpersonal skills needed to collaborate well with others. You will converse well with the team and have the people skills needed to adapt to each situation and respond in the manner needed. As an experienced social worker, you'll be self-aware and use the appropriate language to both children, care givers and professionals whilst being reflective of your approach. Why Join Us? Benefits: There's fabulous flexibility and the opportunity to create the work life balance you'll love; 26 days annual leave, rising to 32 days with tenure plus 10 statutory/bank holidays and an additional 20 days that can be purchased too. An Employee Assistance Programme for your family and yourself plus a generous Local Authority Pension available. Finally, we have an enviable employee benefits platform which provides numerous discounts from your weekly shop to holidays and entertainment with salary sacrifice options on electronics, bicycles, white goods, and cars. Development: We will provide support and development throughout your journey – there will be time for supportive reflection and supervision for yourself, opportunities for personal growth and development, multidisciplinary initiatives, mentoring, apprenticeships, the opportunity to make a difference, feel valued and achieve the job satisfaction you've always wanted plus all the benefits of working with Lancashire County Council. We are also committed to developing the training and skills of our social workers, we embrace diversity and that includes around personal and family requirements, therefore we support an array of flexible working opportunities to attract diverse talent. Inclusivity: We take inclusivity seriously and would like to improve the diversity within our teams to better reflect the people and communities we serve, so we are particularly keen to hear from you if you are a person of colour, from the LGBTQ community or have a disability. Application Process: If you are interested in applying for this role, please submit the following with your application: CV/Resume Please feel free to contact us for an initial informal and confidential chat: Email: kevin.goosey@lancashire.gov.uk or Tel: 01257 517294 Closing Date: 23:59PM on 30th of June 2025 Interviews: Week Commenicing 14th of July (exact date to be confirmed) Join us in making a difference in the lives of children and families in Lancashire! The post you are applying for is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013). If successful, you will be required to apply to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) for a 'disclosure'. Further information can be found on the 'Our Recruitment Process' tab. You must be registered (Social Work England) to be appointed as a Social Worker. You will be required to provide a car for use in connection with the duties of this post and must be insured for business use. However, we may consider you if you cannot drive because of a disability. We reserve the right to close down a vacancy early, before the closing date, if we receive sufficient applications. Job Description & Person Specification