Fostering Social Worker

Contract type: Full Time

Salary: Up to £38,000 depending on experience

Location: Teynham, Kent

Contract term: Permanent

Hours: 35 hours per week 9am - 5pm

Benefits: £3,000 Car Allowance, 30 days Annual Leave (rising to 35 days' with length of service) + Bank Holidays, Company Pension, Life Assurance, Employee Discount Scheme

About Us

Set up in 1987 by a small but passionate group of foster parents, we became the UK's first independent foster care agency. That gives us the benefit of over 30 years' of fostering experience and we're still going strong!

The founder members recognised that looked after children - especially those who'd had very difficult starts in life - needed specialist support. So right from the beginning they put the child at the centre of their thinking and surrounded them with an integrated range of support services. In fact, that's what ISP means: Integrated Service Programme.

Over time, this circle of support has increased to include a whole range of professionals that children and foster parents can tap into, whenever they need to. This includes social workers, fostering advisors, teachers and therapists, who all work with our foster parents and the children they look after, helping them understand and manage even the most challenging situations. This is what's known as a 'therapeutic approach' to fostering and it's something that we pioneered.

Responsibilities

ISP is currently seeking a qualified and experienced Social Worker to work within an integrated team, towards promoting the excellence of foster care practice throughout the organisation. To support the Recruitment and Panel process for Fostering Households

• Supervision of Independent Social Workers including Form F Assessors and Panel Members
• Overseeing the development of Form F Assessments
• Organising and conducting annual reviews
• Quality assurance
• Delivery of Skills to Foster training courses
• Managing safeguarding concerns and complaints
• Carer recruitment activities
• The role is very diverse and enables social workers to develop and build on their skill base in all arenas of fostering
  
  

Requirements

This is an exciting and varied Social Work role, responsibilities included are:

• Hold a Social Care England recognised qualification in Social Work or equivalent
• Previous experience with children and families social work
• Previous experience or a want to work in a therapeutic model of child care
• Previous experience in the recruitment of Fostering Households
• Previous experience in Fostering Panels
• A comprehensive working knowledge of all relevant legislation pertaining to children's services as well as publications
• Ability to provide a high standard of report writing
• Full driving licence with unrestricted access to your own car
  
  

The successful candidate will be required to complete an enhanced DBS Check, cost of which will be met by ISP.

ISP is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates.

ISP is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff to share this commitment