A fantastic opportunity has arisen to work within one of our Kinship Assessment Teams.
2 x Permanent & 1 x 12-month Secondment / Fixed Term.
It is our commitment as a team to reduce the number of looked after children in our care by not only alleviating any barriers that may prevent a child from being able to remain in their family & friends’ network but also for a carer in progressing to a permanency route which best suits their family life, but most importantly is in a child’s best interest.
The teams are both stable and have the benefit of experienced staff who are both approachable and supportive. We are a county-wide service, so you will be undertaking visits to connected carers in a range of areas; as such, home working is promoted.
Main Responsibility
In this role, you will:
* Undertake Viability Assessments, Full Connected Persons Assessments, and Special Guardianship Reports.
* Supervise and support carers who have been temporarily approved as Foster Carers.
* Prepare your applicants for Foster Panel and support them on the day with their attendance.
* Provide duty cover on a rota basis.
* Strengthen your knowledge of the different legal orders and be encouraged to show creativity when developing Special Guardianship Order support plans, making full use of the training and events our service offers.
As part of this dynamic service, you will be involved in smarter working practices in order to continuously strive for best practice, offering positive experiences for applicants whilst providing high-quality reports.
The Ideal Candidate
It goes without saying that you will need a professional social work qualification (with Social Work England registration).
You’ll also be:
* Able to work independently and as part of a team.
* Highly organised and able to manage a busy workload in order to meet deadlines.
* Able to demonstrate an understanding of Fostering and Special Guardianship Regulations.
* Possessing good report writing and communication skills.
* Experienced in a wide range of aspects of the social work role.
Interviews will likely be the week beginning 10th March 2025.
About Staffordshire County Council
We are no ordinary county council:
Our Values:
The core of who we are as an organisation. Just like we all have personal values that shape our thoughts and behaviour, organisational values drive how we think and act collectively.
Our values were created and shaped by colleague feedback and national best practice, and they sit at the heart of our People Strategy.
We have a real sense of community spirit that brings our people together. This feeling of belonging means we are all connected to what we do and take pride in the difference we make every day for Staffordshire people. We are ambitious and our sights are set firmly on a better future.
We look forward and race ahead - that goes for your career too.
We recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive working environment where employees can achieve their full potential and achieve a healthy work-life balance.
As an Authority, we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
Staffordshire County Council is an equal opportunities organisation and Disability Confident employer. We encourage applications from all backgrounds and communities.
As part of our commitment as a Disability Confident employer, a Gold Award Armed Forces employer, and our commitment to supporting care leavers - we offer a guaranteed interview as long as your application meets the minimum criteria for the post.
As you’ll know, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our children and young people/vulnerable adults is important to us, and that’s why this position is subject to a criminal record check from the Disclosure and Barring Service. If applicable, you should disclose details of unspent and unfiltered spent reprimands, formal warnings, cautions, and convictions in your application form.
* Frequency: Annual
* Job Reference: staffscc/TP/6144/2979
* Contract Type: Permanent Full time
* Closing Date: 06 March, 2025
* Job Category: Children's Services
* Business Unit: Children's Services
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