Fostering Social Worker

Role Responsibility

Fostering Social Worker – Kinship Assessment Team

Full time / permanent 37 hours per week but would consider part time  – Worrall House, Kings Hill; Kroner House in Ashford or Brook House in Whitstable.

This is an exciting time to join Kent Fostering Service as we are introducing three new Kinship Assessment Teams across the County. We are looking to recruit a number Fostering Social Workers to join our teams based in Worrall House.

Alongside undertaking Connected Person Fostering Assessments, you will be completing Special Guardianship Assessments; Child Arrangement Order Assessments; Viability Assessments: and delivering preparatory training to Kinship Carers . You will also be required to present assessments to the fostering panel and at times attend court therefore it is essential to have excellent presentation skills and a confident and articulate manner.

Part of your role will be to undertake statutory supervision and support for Connected Person Foster Carers whilst in the assessment process, working collaboratively with the team around the child, to achieve the very best outcomes. You will need to show that you are disciplined, highly organised and able to meet very tight deadlines.

This is a great opportunity to be joining new teams and a supportive and established fostering service whose goals are to improve the outcomes of children through completing thorough kinship assessments along with delivering preparation courses for carers to equip them with the knowledge and skills to care for their relatives/friends.

Skills and experience:

• A motivated social work practitioner, passionate about fostering and kinship and providing  quality care for children who have experienced trauma
• Disciplined, highly organised and able to work to tight deadlines.
• Strong presentation skills and a confident and articulate style. 
• Sound interpersonal skills with proven experience of completing evidence based and high quality, analytical assessments with adults and children
• Knowledge of Fostering Regulations, National Minimum Standards and the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review Regulations
• Work with Case Management systems and ensure management information is maintained
• Ability to work flexible hours to fit with the needs of kinship carers. This will include some evenings and weekends.
• Ability to travel in a timely and effective manner across Kent and also out of county.

The post holder will receive a car allowance and the market premium ( as per criteria)

This post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure application to the Disclosure and Barring service and registration as a qualified Social Worker with Social Work England.

This post is considered by KCC to be a customer-facing position. The Council therefore has a statutory duty under Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) to ensure that post holders have a command of spoken English/Welsh sufficient for the effective performance of the job requirements. The appropriate standards are set out in the Job Description/Person Specification.

Closing date for applications is 25th February 2024

Interviews are planned for Tuesday 5th March 2024 to be held at Brook House, Whitstable.

Contact Details

Please contact Jo Moore (Team Manager, Kinship Assessment 1- Worrall House) via jo.moore@kent.gov.uk; with any questions regarding the role

About the Company

KCC is committed to building a workforce which reflects the diversity of the county’s working residents, encouraging applications from people of all ages, abilities, genders, sexual orientations, ethnic backgrounds, faiths and those with caring responsibilities, and aspires to create an inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves at work.

Please note – if you are interested, please apply as soon as possible as the closing date for this advert may be earlier than stated should a number of suitably qualified candidates apply.