Job summary
Adopt South is a regional adoption agency, launched in April 2019. The agency is formed through the partnership between Hampshire County Council, Isle of Wight Council, Portsmouth City Council and Southampton City Council, with support from voluntary adoption agencies, Adoption UK, Barnardos and PACT.Adopt South fulfils all aspects of its statutory duties as a regional adoption agency, to ensure matching is as quick as it can be, to improve the life chances of adopted children and to improve adopter recruitment and adoption support.
Adopt Souths Adoption Support Service offers a range of services to adoptive families, including; the provision of support groups, therapeutic parenting workshops, consultations sessions and an advice and support line. We also undertake Adoption Support Needs Assessments and deliver or commission adoption support plans.
The focus of our work with children and families is on adoption related issues, such as attachment and life story work. Whilst we work with parents to manage risks, we also work alongside other teams when thresholds are met for statutory services. As engagement with our service is completely voluntary, we need creative ways of engaging with parents, and working alongside them to improve the outcomes for the children. To ensure our services are accessible to adoptive families, this role does include the provision of workshops and events that are held on evenings and weekends and are shared across the team.
Main duties of the job
We are seeking an experienced and passionate Adoption Support Social Worker who can apply professional knowledge to transform outcomes for individuals, relatives and carers whilst facilitating effective multi-agency solutions. With your significant Social Work experience, youll have excellent communication skills and the ability to relate to all different kinds of people, plus the motivation to grow in your role through personal and professional development.
Above all, you will be determined to make a difference for both the service and the children and families who need it. you will know what excellent practice looks like and will be able and to improve outcomes for children and adopters. Most importantly however, you will have a passion for supporting children and families to ensure that they thrive and flourish.
About us
The role covers the entire Adopt South region, and will include families living on the IOW, therefore will require some face to face visits to our IOW families. This role will prominently be working with out families on the IOW and will be based on the IOW.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Providing advice and support on the Adopt South Advice and Support Line
- Develop and deliver Adopt South Services through individual, family and group work.
- Working with partner agencies to promote and provide peer support and mentoring.
- Using innovative technology to improve parental understanding of the childs journey.
- Completion of Adoption Support Needs Assessments in agreed timescales.
- Delivery and commissioning of Adoption Support Plans.
- Develop collaborative relationships with adoptive parents to improve outcomes of adopted children.
- Refer to other relevant agencies where appropriate to ensure all risks and needs are considered.
- Take appropriate action in conjunction with other agencies and within legal and statutory framework, to protect vulnerable people.
- Managing caseload of children and family cases in line with organisational policy and procedure.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Providing advice and support on the Adopt South Advice and Support Line
- Develop and deliver Adopt South Services through individual, family and group work.
- Working with partner agencies to promote and provide peer support and mentoring.
- Using innovative technology to improve parental understanding of the childs journey.
- Completion of Adoption Support Needs Assessments in agreed timescales.
- Delivery and commissioning of Adoption Support Plans.
- Develop collaborative relationships with adoptive parents to improve outcomes of adopted children.
- Refer to other relevant agencies where appropriate to ensure all risks and needs are considered.
- Take appropriate action in conjunction with other agencies and within legal and statutory framework, to protect vulnerable people.
- Managing caseload of children and family cases in line with organisational policy and procedure.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- A degree or equivalent qualification in Social Work
- Registration with Social Work England
- Experience of working with children and families in social work setting
- Concise verbal and written communication skills
- Mediation and negotiation skills
- Experience of report writing
- Ability to assess risks, needs, and to analyse information and recognise problems
- Understand equalities issues in social work practice and principals of safety, dignity
- and empowerment
- Understand philosophies, professional social work issues and legal frameworks
- Understand data protection/confidentiality and need for accurate and timely
- recording
- Computer literate with basic numeracy skills
- Highly organised and able to manage time and conflicting demands effectively
- Willing to learn and develop in the role, with ongoing training and personal
- development
- Able to be flexible with working arrangements to meet the operational requirements
- of the post
Desirable
- A degree or equivalent qualification in Social Work
- Registration with Social Work England
- Experience of working with children and families in social work setting
- Concise verbal and written communication skills
- Mediation and negotiation skills
- Experience of report writing
- Ability to assess risks, needs, and to analyse information and recognise problems
- Understand equalities issues in social work practice and principals of safety, dignity
- and empowerment
- Understand philosophies, professional social work issues and legal frameworks
- Understand data protection/confidentiality and need for accurate and timely
- recording
- Computer literate with basic numeracy skills
- Highly organised and able to manage time and conflicting demands effectively
- Willing to learn and develop in the role, with ongoing training and personal
- development
- Able to be flexible with working arrangements to meet the operational requirements
- of the post
Qualifications
Essential
- A degree or equivalent qualification in Social Work
- Registration with Social Work England
- Experience of working with children and families in social work setting
- Concise verbal and written communication skills
- Mediation and negotiation skills
- Experience of report writing
- Ability to assess risks, needs, and to analyse information and recognise problems
- Understand equalities issues in social work practice and principals of safety, dignity
- and empowerment
- Understand philosophies, professional social work issues and legal frameworks
- Understand data protection/confidentiality and need for accurate and timely
- recording
- Computer literate with basic numeracy skills
- Highly organised and able to manage time and conflicting demands effectively
- Willing to learn and develop in the role, with ongoing training and personal
- development
- Able to be flexible with working arrangements to meet the operational requirements
- of the post
Desirable
- A degree or equivalent qualification in Social Work
- Registration with Social Work England
- Experience of working with children and families in social work setting
- Concise verbal and written communication skills
- Mediation and negotiation skills
- Experience of report writing
- Ability to assess risks, needs, and to analyse information and recognise problems
- Understand equalities issues in social work practice and principals of safety, dignity
- and empowerment
- Understand philosophies, professional social work issues and legal frameworks
- Understand data protection/confidentiality and need for accurate and timely
- recording
- Computer literate with basic numeracy skills
- Highly organised and able to manage time and conflicting demands effectively
- Willing to learn and develop in the role, with ongoing training and personal
- development
- Able to be flexible with working arrangements to meet the operational requirements
- of the post
Knowledge and skills
Essential
- A degree or equivalent qualification in Social Work
- Registration with Social Work England
- Experience of working with children and families in social work setting
- Concise verbal and written communication skills
- Mediation and negotiation skills
- Experience of report writing
- Ability to assess risks, needs, and to analyse information and recognise problems
- Understand equalities issues in social work practice and principals of safety, dignity
- and empowerment
- Understand philosophies, professional social work issues and legal frameworks
- Understand data protection/confidentiality and need for accurate and timely
- recording
- Computer literate with basic numeracy skills
- Highly organised and able to manage time and conflicting demands effectively
- Willing to learn and develop in the role, with ongoing training and personal
- development
- Able to be flexible with working arrangements to meet the operational requirements
- of the post
Desirable
- A degree or equivalent qualification in Social Work
- Registration with Social Work England
- Experience of working with children and families in social work setting
- Concise verbal and written communication skills
- Mediation and negotiation skills
- Experience of report writing
- Ability to assess risks, needs, and to analyse information and recognise problems
- Understand equalities issues in social work practice and principals of safety, dignity
- and empowerment
- Understand philosophies, professional social work issues and legal frameworks
- Understand data protection/confidentiality and need for accurate and timely
- recording
- Computer literate with basic numeracy skills
- Highly organised and able to manage time and conflicting demands effectively
- Willing to learn and develop in the role, with ongoing training and personal
- development
- Able to be flexible with working arrangements to meet the operational requirements
- of the post
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- A degree or equivalent qualification in Social Work
- Registration with Social Work England
- Experience of working with children and families in social work setting
- Concise verbal and written communication skills
- Mediation and negotiation skills
- Experience of report writing
- Ability to assess risks, needs, and to analyse information and recognise problems
- Understand equalities issues in social work practice and principals of safety, dignity
- and empowerment
- Understand philosophies, professional social work issues and legal frameworks
- Understand data protection/confidentiality and need for accurate and timely
- recording
- Computer literate with basic numeracy skills
- Highly organised and able to manage time and conflicting demands effectively
- Willing to learn and develop in the role, with ongoing training and personal
- development
- Able to be flexible with working arrangements to meet the operational requirements
- of the post
Desirable
- A degree or equivalent qualification in Social Work
- Registration with Social Work England
- Experience of working with children and families in social work setting
- Concise verbal and written communication skills
- Mediation and negotiation skills
- Experience of report writing
- Ability to assess risks, needs, and to analyse information and recognise problems
- Understand equalities issues in social work practice and principals of safety, dignity
- and empowerment
- Understand philosophies, professional social work issues and legal frameworks
- Understand data protection/confidentiality and need for accurate and timely
- recording
- Computer literate with basic numeracy skills
- Highly organised and able to manage time and conflicting demands effectively
- Willing to learn and develop in the role, with ongoing training and personal
- development
- Able to be flexible with working arrangements to meet the operational requirements
- of the post
Qualifications
Essential
- A degree or equivalent qualification in Social Work
- Registration with Social Work England
- Experience of working with children and families in social work setting
- Concise verbal and written communication skills
- Mediation and negotiation skills
- Experience of report writing
- Ability to assess risks, needs, and to analyse information and recognise problems
- Understand equalities issues in social work practice and principals of safety, dignity
- and empowerment
- Understand philosophies, professional social work issues and legal frameworks
- Understand data protection/confidentiality and need for accurate and timely
- recording
- Computer literate with basic numeracy skills
- Highly organised and able to manage time and conflicting demands effectively
- Willing to learn and develop in the role, with ongoing training and personal
- development
- Able to be flexible with working arrangements to meet the operational requirements
- of the post
Desirable
- A degree or equivalent qualification in Social Work
- Registration with Social Work England
- Experience of working with children and families in social work setting
- Concise verbal and written communication skills
- Mediation and negotiation skills
- Experience of report writing
- Ability to assess risks, needs, and to analyse information and recognise problems
- Understand equalities issues in social work practice and principals of safety, dignity
- and empowerment
- Understand philosophies, professional social work issues and legal frameworks
- Understand data protection/confidentiality and need for accurate and timely
- recording
- Computer literate with basic numeracy skills
- Highly organised and able to manage time and conflicting demands effectively
- Willing to learn and develop in the role, with ongoing training and personal
- development
- Able to be flexible with working arrangements to meet the operational requirements
- of the post
Knowledge and skills
Essential
- A degree or equivalent qualification in Social Work
- Registration with Social Work England
- Experience of working with children and families in social work setting
- Concise verbal and written communication skills
- Mediation and negotiation skills
- Experience of report writing
- Ability to assess risks, needs, and to analyse information and recognise problems
- Understand equalities issues in social work practice and principals of safety, dignity
- and empowerment
- Understand philosophies, professional social work issues and legal frameworks
- Understand data protection/confidentiality and need for accurate and timely
- recording
- Computer literate with basic numeracy skills
- Highly organised and able to manage time and conflicting demands effectively
- Willing to learn and develop in the role, with ongoing training and personal
- development
- Able to be flexible with working arrangements to meet the operational requirements
- of the post
Desirable
- A degree or equivalent qualification in Social Work
- Registration with Social Work England
- Experience of working with children and families in social work setting
- Concise verbal and written communication skills
- Mediation and negotiation skills
- Experience of report writing
- Ability to assess risks, needs, and to analyse information and recognise problems
- Understand equalities issues in social work practice and principals of safety, dignity
- and empowerment
- Understand philosophies, professional social work issues and legal frameworks
- Understand data protection/confidentiality and need for accurate and timely
- recording
- Computer literate with basic numeracy skills
- Highly organised and able to manage time and conflicting demands effectively
- Willing to learn and develop in the role, with ongoing training and personal
- development
- Able to be flexible with working arrangements to meet the operational requirements
- of the post
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
