Adoption Social Worker

This is not a Wiltshire Council vacancy therefore please contact Adoption West for further information.

Contract: Maternity cover for 12 months from 1st June

Closing date: 16th April 2025. Interview to be held in person.

Interview date: 23rd April 2025

Location: Across the Adoption West Area.

Adoption West is a Regional Adoption Agency and registered Voluntary Adoption Agency, owned and commissioned by Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Councils. Adoption West provides a range of adoption services including:

• The recruitment and assessment of prospective adopters.
• Family finding services for children requiring permanency via adoption.
• Post adoption support services.
• Services to birth family and adopted adults.

This is an exciting time to join Adoption West as we build on the solid foundations already in place and our Good rating from Ofsted.

This role is in our Recruitment & Assessment Team.

Main duties of the job

• Recruiting, preparing and assessing prospective adopters.
• Linking and matching approved adopters with children.
• Supporting prospective adopters following the placement of children & up until the point an Adoption Order is granted.
• Preparing reports for adoption panel and court.
• Assessing Early Permanence carers/providing fostering supervision and support to these carers.
• Providing duty support across the region.
• Assessing non-agency adopters (previously step-parent approvals).
• An understanding of early life experiences such as trauma or abuse and the impact they can have on children and young people throughout their lives.
• The ability to analyse complex information to make recommendations and informed decisions.
• The ability to complete comprehensive assessments in a timely manner.
• The ability to work both as part of a team, sharing knowledge and managing cases.
• The ability to use your own initiative and work independently.
• Experience of managing your own caseload and working to deadlines.
• To be competent in the use of IT and case management systems.

These posts require you to work flexibly and juggle a busy caseload. You need to be able to travel around the region and must be able to drive and have access to your own vehicle.

You will report to the Deputy Team Manager and contribute to the delivery and development of effective adoption services, in accordance with Adoption Standards and Regulations.

About us

Adoption West:

• is an organisation with a wealth of experience and has a learning culture committed to enabling the post holder to grow and develop in their role.
• provides support through supervision and training.
• offers flexible working arrangements, including job shares.
• provides a Local Government Pension Scheme and access to the Child Care vouchers scheme.

Job responsibilities

Please see the job description for full details.

Adoption West is a Regional Adoption Agency responsible for the effective delivery and development of adoption work across the Region on behalf of Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Councils. Service delivery will be in accordance with National Standards and Regulations and for making operational the adoption agency's recruitment and placement strategies. Service operations will be based in three Hub teams, Bristol, Gloucester and Trowbridge. Adoption West aims to improve performance in meeting the needs of those children who require permanence through adoption, particularly:

• In reducing the time that children have to wait for adoptive placements.
• In improving the experience for prospective adopters from initial inquiry, through the assessment process, panel approval and placement matching and the delivery of post-adoption support services.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Social Work England registered
• Identified as vulnerable and in need
• A post qualifying award in Social Work.
• A Practice Teachers Award
• Experience of delivering training.
• Experience of assessment of Adopters or providing adoption support services.
• Experience of supervision.
• Experience of staff/students supervision or consultation.
• Experience of delivering training.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.