Family Finding Social Worker

Buckinghamshire Council; Aylesbury; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job description

An exciting opportunity exists to join Buckinghamshire Council Fostering Service as a Family Finding Social Worker. The Family Finder within the Fostering Service is responsible for identifying and progressing long-term matching for children and young people who have a care plan of long-term fostering. This role is essential in ensuring that children achieve permanency.

The role requires a social worker who is able to form close relationships with children and young people and to work collaboratively with their involved professionals to develop an in-depth understanding of the child’s needs for a long-term foster family. In consultation with supervising social workers, foster carers and the child’s social worker, the family finder will help to make an informed decision on carers ability to meet a child’s assessed needs as part of the matching process and placement planning.

In addition to the salary advertised, you will also receive a market premium of £2,750 per annum.

About us

Buckinghamshire Council is committed to providing the best foster placements for our children and young people and to ensuring that they are matched to a foster family that can go the distance.

A recent review of children in care has identified several children waiting to be long-term matched. We believe that this post could proactively identify children suitable for long-term foster placements and progress these matches, as well as identifying alternative placements for children in residential care, where they could be matched to a foster placement or an in-house residential unit.

This will improve outcomes for children and young people who may be waiting in emergency or temporary placements for extended periods or who are placed far from their family and community.

About the role

Main responsibilities:

• To complete high quality assessments considering the needs of children in care with prospective foster families including analyse of how prospective carers can meet the children and young people’s needs, risks and circumstances as necessary and appropriate.
• To always promote the safety and well-being of children and young people.
• To establish a rapport and build a relationship with children and young people to ascertain their views, wishes and feelings and understand their lived experiences through direct work with them.
• To work collaboratively in partnership with prospective carers and promote a strength-based, relationship-focused model of approach.
• To develop, as appropriate, relevant support plans to ensure prospective carers can meet the assessed needs and circumstances of children and young people.
• To identify any areas of assessed need that cannot be met and to systematically record the details to report to the Assistant Team Manager.
• To practice by the agreed performance and quality best practice standards and take appropriate remedial action to address audit feedback and management recommendations as required.
• To prepare for regular, reflective supervision and annual performance appraisal and progress agreed priorities and actions promptly.
• To bring to the notice of the Assistant Team Manager any perceived failure of a commissioned service/provider to deliver the agreed level of service.

For a full list of responsibilities please see attached job description.

About you

We would like to hear from Social Workers who:

• Have a social work qualification.
• Have an active SWE registration.
• Have completed their ASYE.
• Have a working knowledge of legislation and guidance which applies to family and friends work.
• Have experience of working with Looked after Children or with foster carers.
• Have knowledge of research, inquiries and recent studies affecting this sector of service and an ability to monitor its application in practice.
• Have strong written communication skills.
• Will care enough to go the extra mile.
• Will importantly, share our dedication and passion to improve the lives of children and young people.

Please see attached job description for more information on criteria.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

Buckinghamshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

• All unspent convictions and conditional cautions.
• All spent convictions and adult cautions that are not protected (i.e. that are not filtered out) as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2020 and 2023).

We have a set of values, which our employees have chosen, that represent what we are – Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.

By joining Buckinghamshire Council, you can expect:

• a fair and inclusive culture.
• the chance to really make a difference to those around you.
• health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops.
• a unified voice through our Employee Representative Group.
• ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us.
• opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events.

At Buckinghamshire Council, we know that our biggest strength comes from the people that work for us, and that’s why we’re working hard to ensure we continue to be an accessible and inclusive organisation.

From dedicated staff networks overseen by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, to proudly standing as a Disability Confident employer, it’s important to us that all our colleagues feel engaged, listened to, and valued. Our offer of flexible working empowers a productive and happy workforce and allows employees to combine work with other responsibilities and commitments.

We believe our workforce should reflect the diverse communities we service in Buckinghamshire, and are looking for like-minded individuals to join us in promoting equality, fairness, and inclusion for everyone.

We recognise and reward you

Hard work and success deserves recognition. That’s why we pride ourselves on the benefits we give our people. We actively encourage a good work-life balance and promote flexible and agile working arrangements.

We provide discounts on various Cafés, restaurants, shops and auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme with an employer contribution of 22.6%.

Social Workers are also entitled to a generous enhanced reward package, as follows:

• Competitive salary with a market increment.
• A ‘Golden Hello’ lump sum payment upon successful completion of probation.
• Annual leave up to 30 days per year, as well as other types of leave and the opportunity to buy further leave.
• Up to 15 days per year training, learning and development offer.
• Free parking across all of our office sites.

If you are interested in relocating to Buckinghamshire and working with us, relocation packages are also available.