Play a proactive role in attracting, assessing and preparing new foster carers to change lives.
At the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, we put local people at the heart of everything we do. Our Fostering & Permanence Service helps to facilitate placements that make a huge difference in the lives of care experienced children, young people and families. We are actively seeking to expand the number of foster carers in the area – and you will have a vital role to play.
As a Social Worker in our Fostering Recruitment Team, you will support an extensive recruitment campaign, to bring brilliant new foster carers onboard. Our goal is to provide a larger range of placements delivering high quality foster care to our Care Experienced Children. In this varied role, your responsibilities will range from active recruitment through to assessment and training. Put simply, you will help people with big potential to become the best foster carers – transforming children’s lives, and their own.
You will raise the profile of our service and support active recruitment in a range of settings – from fostering-focused events, through to school visits and coffee mornings. You will develop meaningful relationships as you work through the comprehensive assessment process, present cases to panel, and take part in the preparation and training of prospective foster carers. Along the way, you will enjoy plenty of scope to take initiative and influence the way we work.
As a qualified social worker, registered with Social Work England, you will demonstrate proven experience of writing analytical assessments. You are someone who always keeps the child’s voice in mind, making sure their needs are front-and-center of every assessment and recommendation. You have the experience and communication skills to build rapport with families from all walks of life. Crucially, you have a proactive spirit, bags of initiative and the ability to think in both analytical and creative ways. Bring your ideas to our team and you can influence not only this role, but also the ways in which we find foster carers. Come and do the best social work of your career with us.
Please apply online explaining how you meet the requirements set out in the person specification and job description. CV’s will not be considered for this role.
As a social worker, Kensington and Chelsea presents a unique and rewarding work environment. The borough is home to a diverse community and the demographic make up of our staff reflects this.
We are committed to promoting equality and celebrating the benefits of diversity. We are a Disability Confident Employer – committed to ensuring that our recruitment and selection process is inclusive and accessible.
The borough’s commitment to social care is reflected in its innovative approach to service delivery. For example, the Council has established a Bi-Borough partnership with neighbouring borough Westminster, which allows for the sharing of resources and expertise. The partnership has resulted in improved service delivery and better outcomes for vulnerable residents, which was recognised in our last ILACS inspection which found Kensington and Chelsea to be Outstanding in all judgement areas.
“Children in care and care leavers receive an outstanding service from workers who know them exceptionally well and are caring and ambitious for them. There is strong corporate support from the wider council to provide high-quality social work services for children, including significant financial investment so that the conditions are in place for excellent social work practice to flourish.”Ofsted
“Children in care and care leavers receive an outstanding service from workers who know them exceptionally well and are caring and ambitious for them. There is strong corporate support from the wider council to provide high-quality social work services for children, including significant financial investment so that the conditions are in place for excellent social work practice to flourish.”
Ofsted
Social workers in Kensington and Chelsea can look forward to a package that includes a competitive salary and child protection payment of £2,500 for social worker positions, membership of the Local Government pension scheme, Travel allowance scheme for zones 1 and 2, cycle scheme, reimbursement of Social Work England fees, generous annual leave plus bank holidays and discounts for many leisure activities, restaurants, shops and other establishments. Employees also benefit from an extensive training package, with access to the West London Alliance essential training and to years 1 and 2 of Systemic Practice.
In addition, we offer an annual leave purchase scheme where you can purchase up to 5 days annual leave per annum at 90 per cent of the actual cost. The Council has a staff contributory private healthcare scheme, open to all staff and offers a Dental Insurance Plan.