Support Worker - Part-Time - Permanent - Grade 6 - £28,142 - £32,061 pro rata - Fostering Service
About Us
We’re one assessment service made up of two dedicated teams, all working together with the same purpose: making sure Lancashire’s children, young people, and families receive the very best support.
Our Mainstream Assessment Team
Our Mainstream team leads on recruiting and assessing Lancashire's mainstream foster carers. This includes initial visits, completing full fostering assessments, and preparing families through tailored training so they feel confident, supported, and ready for the fostering journey. As a support worker, you will be required to undertake initial visits, support families in completing registration of interest packs and take part in our marketing and training events.
Our Kinship Assessment Team
Our Kinship colleagues focus on assessing and supporting Lancashire’s kinship carers. Their work includes carrying out viability assessments for prospective Connected Carers and Special Guardians, completing Regulation 24 assessments, supervising carers, and preparing detailed assessment reports for both Fostering Panel and Court. They play a key role in helping children remain within their wider family networks whenever this is safe and right for them. As a support worker, you will be required to undertake initial visits, support families in completing registration of interest packs and take part in our training events.
Both our Team is based at County Hall in Preston, although we currently work flexibly. As our work takes us across Lancashire, you’ll need to be able to travel independently.
Exciting Opportunities to Join Us
We’re looking for two Support Worker (Grade 6) to join our assessment service:
Everything we do is grounded in clear and heartfelt principles:
What You Can Expect When You Join Us
Who We’re Looking For
We’d love to hear from support workers who share our values and want to make a real difference. You’ll be someone who is:
Supportive – You understand how powerful it is when carers feel truly supported, and you’re committed to helping children feel safe, happy, and loved.
Innovative – You enjoy exploring new ideas and contributing to initiatives that help us continually improve what we offer.
Respectful – You recognise the diverse needs of our children, carers, and colleagues, and your practice is inclusive and anti-discriminatory.
Collaborative – You value partnership working and want to play an active role in shaping the future of our fostering service.
Interested?
If you’re passionate about relationship-building, committed to achieving positive outcomes, and want to be part of a supportive, forward-thinking team, we’d love to speak with you.
For an informal chat about the roles or to learn more about the service, please contact:
Gareth Winstanley (Mainstream Team Manager)| 01772 534627| gareth.winstanley@lancashire.gov.uk
Kevin Goosey (Kinship Team Manager)| 01772 517294| kevin.goosey @lancashire.gov.uk
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.
This position is part time, please note the salary quoted is full time equivalent, the salary received will be paid on a pro–rata basis.
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.
In return Lancashire County Council offers a range of benefits, which can be found on LCC Vacancies website.
We reserve the right to close down a vacancy early, before the closing date, if we receive sufficient applications.
Lancashire County Council is committed to improving the quality of life for everyone in Lancashire. We believe that all our citizens have the right to be treated fairly. We recognise that some people do not get an equal chance in life.
For some of our children and young people this can have a lasting impact on their future. We will play our part in helping to narrow the gaps that exist between different parts our communities and improving the quality of life of those who have less advantages and are in danger of poor outcomes.
As a community leader, employer and provider of services we want to make sure that everyone in Lancashire has the opportunity to achieve their potential, no matter where they live or what their background, individual characteristics or personal circumstances might be.
