Social Worker - Fostering & Kinship

Posted 3rd Oct, 2024
Location
Kingston upon Thames
Salary/rate
£39,264 – £42,840
Hours
Full-time
Working arrangements
Blended
Contract type
Permanent
Closing date
30th Nov, 2024
About the role

Job Summary

We are looking for a new social worker to join our team.

This post will be in the fostering and kinship team based in Kingston. We are looking for an experienced social worker with good assessment, communication and report writing skills, and the motivation to achieve excellent standards in contributing to the development of our service. Ideally, you will also have experience of working with mainstream and/or connected carers, completing a variety of assessments including special guardianship, as well as experience supervising carers.

Our fostering service has a strong focus on stability and permanency for the children we care for.  We are expanding our service and if you think you would be a good fit we would like to hear from you.

About the role

Achieving for Children has an exciting opportunity within its expanding Independent Fostering Agency, located in Kingston. Your role will be to work with colleagues to provide the full range of fostering services, including recruitment, assessment, training and supervision / support, duty services, supervising regulation 24 arrangements, as well as Form F,  Form C and Special Guardianship Assessment. You will undertake a range of tasks to safely place and work to achieve permanency plans for children. Within the team we also complete initial family assessments aka viability assessments. There will be opportunities to be involved in the development/engagement of carer training, support groups, duty and out of hours support. Achieving for Children work within the framework of signs of safety and we place a strong emphasis on signs of belonging, as well as peer group supervision sessions.

About you
  • You will be required to hold a professional qualification (DipSW/CQSW/CSS or equivalent)
  • Active Social Work England registration and proven evidence of continuing professional development 
  • Knowledge and experience in working with current legislation and regulations especially fostering regulations and national minimum standards.
  • Experience in completing thorough assessments, ideally Form F/C & special guardianship assessments. 
  • Experiencing in supporting foster carers through regular supervision visits, tracking of training engagement and supporting  overall placement stability 
  • Experience of building strong partnerships, maintaining relationships and working with a range of professionals, especially foster carers. 
About Kingston upon Thames

Achieving for Children (AfC) is a community interest company (a not-for-profit social enterprise) created in 2014 by the Royal Borough of Kingston and the London Borough of Richmond to provide their children’s services. In 2017, the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead joined AfC as our third owner.

We deliver the full range of children’s services for the three councils. Achieving for Children is a great place to work for those looking for a new challenge. Our offer to you includes:

  • A role in an organisation that is supportive

  • An induction offer that starts before you join and includes a welcome event on your first day of employment.

  • 29 days annual leave, increasing to 33 days after two years and 35 days after four years

  • Local Government salary and pension scheme (LGPS or Teachers Pension)

  • Hybrid or mobile working and the technology and equipment to facilitate this

  • Positions available in three of the most desirable boroughs in the south - discrete relocation packages are available for selected roles

  • Travel assistance package for business use, including car and cycle mileage reimbursement, annual season ticket loan or business Oyster cards

  • Two days accredited Signs of Safety Foundation Training

  • 12 protected Development Days each year for all staff

  • Access to a huge range of additional professional development opportunities as part of our regional Social Work Teaching Partnership

  • On occasions we are in the position to offer some additional financial payments for particularly hard to place roles in selected service areas of AfC.

If you would like to have an informal chat about working with us, please email recruitment@achievingforchildren.org.uk