Job Description

Role: Fostering Social Worker

Salary: £38,000 per annum.

Location: Northeast England, Home based (with regular travel to support foster carers in the Northeast area)

Contract/Hours: Fixed Term Contract until 1st September 2027, 37 hours per week (flexible hours considered)

Benefits:

Over 7 weeks inclusive paid leave and the option to buy or sell leave
Excellent training and the opportunity to undertake professional training for some roles
Flexible maternity, paternity and adoption packages
Up to 5% employer contribution and life assurance cover
Blue Light Card eligibility with discounts at 15,000 national retailers

At Action for Children, we offer more than just a job. Join us and you’ll be part of a team dedicated to giving children safe and happy childhoods. See how your skills can make a real difference, helping solve the problems children and young people face every day.

A bit about the role

Fostering Northeast is a small and developing service that offers fostering placements using a therapeutic framework. Holding a manageable caseload, you will be supported to draw upon theory and evidence around attachment and trauma-informed principles to scaffold the support that we offer to children and young people. This includes working closely with a team of clinical psychologists.

Our aim is to provide safe, stable, supportive homes for children and young people who have a history of attachment disruption, abuse, neglect and trauma.

We as a service promote flexible working arrangements and can discuss options such as a 9 day fortnight. We are clear though that we are looking for full time hours in any arrangements.

How you'll help to create a brighter future

We are looking for an outstanding Fostering Social Worker who can support carers from across the Northeast, you will make a difference by:

Providing professional supervision and developmental support, including advice and guidance to fostering families and working with other professionals where appropriate.
Completing complex assessments of applicants to foster, making appropriate recommendations.
Supporting fostering families to look after children and young people who have experienced trauma.
Undertake fostering reviews, providing high quality, analytical reports and presenting to Panel where appropriate.
Ensure all regulatory body requirements are met.
Enthusiasm for learning and development.
Contributing to an out of hours foster service (this will be done on a rota basis).

Let's talk about you.

Are you resilient and have a positive approach to change and challenge? We are looking for someone with a ‘can do' attitude to join our team. You will find our full job description attached but our must haves are:

A Social Work qualification.
Social Worker England Registered
The ability to prioritise and manage your work to deadlines complying with regulatory requirements.
Strong ethos of keeping the child at the centre.
Strong commitment to work within our therapeutic framework to support the needs of children.
Be able to use IT effectively including participating in virtual meetings and webinars.
Experience of working in fostering is preferable.
Access to a suitable means of transport to undertake the duties of the role, travelling across the area is essential.

Why Action for Children?

Every child should have a loving home, food, warmth, the chance to grow and learn - the support to cope with life’s challenges. But too many children don’t.

By bringing your passion and unique skills and experience, you’ll help us create change that really matters. And when we succeed, we’ll recognise what you did to make a difference.

We've been driven by love to take action for children for over 150 years, giving them the protection and practical help they need. A lot’s changed since 1869. But what children really need, hasn’t. So as long as children need us, we’ll be here.

Will you join us?

For more information about our Fostering Social Worker role, please check out job description here

How to apply

If you require any support to apply, please contact: Scott Jones via email at recruitmentservice@actionforchildren.org.uk quoting reference 13313

For any questions about the role, please contact Paul Goodwin via email at paul.goodwin@actionforchildren.org.uk

Diversity, equality and inclusion

We work hard to create an inclusive environment. One where individuality is celebrated and where everyone feels valued and supported. Because when we come together, with skills like yours, we’re capable of amazing things.

We actively encourage applications from people with Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds and people with a disability, as these groups are under-represented within Action for Children.

Men are currently under-represented within our Children Service roles. We’d like to change that. So, we really encourage men to apply for any of our Children Service roles.

See below for further information about working with us:

Action for Children Employee Benefits

AfC Commitment Statement