Are you passionate about the real difference foster carers can make to the lives of children and young people in our care? Are you an experienced social worker looking to work closely with foster carers? We have two brilliant opportunities to choose from! 1 brand new social work post focused on the assessment of foster carers 1 brand new social work post focused on the long-term support of foster carers In each role you will work alongside foster carers supporting them on their journey. You will be joining us at a fantastic time. Inspectors have judged our Children’s Services as outstanding and “social workers told inspectors that Durham is a great place to work. Their words and actions convey a sense of belonging and they view Durham as their employer of choice.” You can read the full report here HOW WILL I BE SUPPORTED? We are passionate about social work in County Durham. We are committed to providing a culture where good practice can flourish. We will ensure you are highly supported. You will benefit from high quality professional supervision, a great induction, and access to our strong learning and development offer. If you are looking to take a step into management our aspiring managers programme “rising stars” is there for you. We encourage flexible working to achieve a good work-life balance. You can find out more about social work in Durham here WHAT WILL I NEED? You will need enthusiasm for the roles played by foster carers in the lives of children and young people in our care and: A degree in social work OR equivalent social work qualification, current Social Work England Registration and to have successfully completed the Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE) Experience of building effective working relationships with children, young people and families A friendly and flexible attitude Good organisational skills Strong communication skills Please refer to the attached person specification for the full criteria. If successful, you will be required to apply for a Disclosure and Barring Service Enhanced Disclosure. TO FIND OUT MORE It’s a great idea to speak to us before you apply. To find out more about the post, please contact John Ellison, Team Manager via e-mail at john.ellison@durham.gov.uk or Helen Milliken, Team Manager via email at Helen.Milliken@durham.gov.uk to arrange an informal discussion. INTERVIEWS Interviews will be held on 20th March 2026 We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that can show they meet all the essential criteria and have indicated they have a disability, are a looked after young person, care leaver or a veteran. OUR OFFER TO YOU We offer a competitive rewards package that includes attractive salaries, a generous annual leave entitlement of 27 days (rising to 32 after five years’ continuous local government service), membership of the excellent contributory career average Local Government Pension Scheme, and a range of flexible working arrangements including hybrid working (home and office) where applicable. Explore the full range of rewards and benefits on our website Rewards and benefits are subject to individual terms and conditions. EQUALITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION We are a proud equal opportunities employer and believe a diverse workforce brings fresh ideas and drives service improvement. We welcome applications from everyone and make employment decisions based on skills and ability. As a Disability Confident Leader, we actively encourage applications from disabled and neurodivergent people and offer support throughout the recruitment process. HOW TO APPLY Please note, we do not accept CVs. All applications must be submitted online via the Northeast Jobs portal. Use the ‘Person Specification’ section of the form to clearly demonstrate how you meet the essential (and where possible, desirable) criteria. Applications that do not evidence the essential requirements will not be shortlisted. Please visit our website to understand our position on using AI to support to your application and for guidance on completing your application. If you require assistance when applying for this role, please contact our Recruitment Helpdesk on 03000 26 27 27, or via email RecruitmentCYPS@durham.gov.uk All correspondence relating to your application will be sent from donotreply@northeastjobs.org.uk. Kindly check your spam/junk folder regularly to ensure you don’t miss any updates. CONNECT WITH US Follow us on Instagram Like us on Facebook Visit our website VPRS/161