Description
This is an exciting opportunity to join the regional recruitment and assessment team, working across Havering, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest to recruit, assess and support prospective foster carers.
The successful candidates will play a key role in delivering high-quality fostering assessments, supporting applicants through the assessment process, contributing to foster carer preparation and training, and helping to ensure more children across northeast London have access to safe, stable and nurturing foster homes.
Key Responsibilities:
- Undertake comprehensive, evidence-based fostering assessments from allocation through to panel and recommendation.
- Plan and manage all stages of the assessment process, including visits, interviews, checks, references and evidence gathering within agreed timescales.
- Assess applicants, household members, significant adults and support networks to evaluate suitability to foster.
- Analyse parenting capacity, safeguarding awareness, protective care, family relationships, diversity, identity, birth family contact and ability to meet children's needs.
- Apply professional curiosity and sound judgement to explore discrepancies, test evidence, assess risk and identify safeguarding concerns.
- Evaluate references, statutory checks and agency information, triangulating evidence to inform balanced recommendations.
- Provide guidance and support to applicants throughout the process, including preparation for panel and understanding outcomes and next steps.
- Work collaboratively with agencies, partners and stakeholders to gather information, promote high standards and improve outcomes for children with care experience.
- Support the preparation and delivery of foster carer training, including identifying development needs and contributing to training materials and learning activities.
Qualifications and Requirements:
- Relevant professional social work qualification and current Social Work England registration.
- Knowledge of child development, attachment, developmental trauma, adverse childhood experiences and the capacity to assess applicants' ability to provide therapeutic, nurturing and reparative care to children with complex needs.
- Knowledge of fostering legislation, National Minimum Standards, Fostering Services Regulations and statutory guidance relating to the recruitment, assessment and approval of foster carers.
- Commitment to continuous professional development, reflective practice and professional supervision, maintaining up-to-date knowledge of legislation, research, policy and evidence-informed practice.
- Ability to undertake strengths-based, anti-discriminatory and culturally competent assessments, recognising and challenging personal bias, discrimination and inequality.
- Experience of undertaking comprehensive fostering assessments, including completing high-quality Form F assessments, analysing complex life experiences and family dynamics, and presenting balanced, evidence-based recommendations to Fostering Panel.
Benefits:
- Salary: GBP 42,492 - 53,919 per year
- Retention Bonus: £2,000 per annum (subject to eligibility requirements)
Terms and Conditions:
- Satisfactory employment references and CIFAS identity checks;
- Satisfactory declaration of interest;
- This role is subject to safer recruitment practices as it involves work with children and/ or vulnerable adults;
- Satisfactory DBS check;
- Continued professional body registration.