Job summary
This is not a Wiltshire Council vacancy therefore please contact Adoption West for further information.
There is a full time (37h per week) and a part time (18.5h per week) post available covering Gloucestershire and South Gloucestershire Area.
Adoption West is a Regional Adoption Agency and registered Voluntary Adoption Agency 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. As part of an internal restructure, our functions going forward will be service led across the region, rather than office/hub based.
Main duties of the job
Adoption Support Social Worker role:
Main Duties:
- Providing advice and support to adoptive families
- Assessing the support needs of adoptive families
- Working with children and families with complex needs
- Providing therapeutic support to families either directly or via ASF applications
You will need:
- A Social Work Qualification (degree or equivalent) and current registration with Social Work England
- Experience of working as a Social Worker or having had a student social work placement with children and families
- 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 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
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.
This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and will require an Enhanced DBS check before appointment can be confirmed.
Confidentiality: Employees are expected to maintain the required level of confidentiality at all times in relation to their work.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Specific duties and responsibilities include:
- The assessment of adopters and the matching and placements of children for adoption:
- Undertaking assessments of prospective adopters and presenting assessments to theAdoption Panel.
- Provide support to prospective adopters during and after approval, including through theLAC reviewing process.
- Contributing to the development and training of adopters.
- Assessment of adoption support needs giving due consideration to the wishes and opinionsof the child and the adoptive family, the nature of the problem that has called for adoptionsupport:
- To draw up support plan and implement, with the child and adoptive family, an appropriateaction plan to come to terms with or ameliorate the identified problems.
- To convene and chair case specific and other liaison/multiagency meetings asappropriate.
- All children in need procedures are completed in a timely manner.
- Applications sourced and made to the Adoption Support Fund.
- Providing an efficient homefinding service that meets the needs of children needingadoptive placements within prescribed timescales:
- To provide consultation to Social workers who are placing children for adoption.
- To work jointly with social workers to assess appropriate matches for children needingadoptive placements.
- To support and promote the development of a dedicated adoption team identity andshared objectives within a changing and developing environment which include:
- To contribute to the timeliness of the Prospective Adopter Reports (PARs), AdoptionSupport Assessments and Non Agency Adoptions Support Assessments and Non Agency Adoptions Support Assessments and Non Agency Adoptions.
- The team continues to provide and develop the adoption support core offer as outlined inthe adoption passport.
- Looked after children and adoption regulations requirements are completed within timescales.
- Provision of birth records counselling and supporting adopted adults to access birth records.
- Participate in the teams duty rota.
- Model and provide good equalities practice. Value diversity within the team and incontact with other professionals, children, young people and families.
- Operate within the County policy and regularly updates him/herself with social workmethods, new legislation and procedures, including Childrens Act 2004 and Every ChildMatters.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Specific duties and responsibilities include:
- The assessment of adopters and the matching and placements of children for adoption:
- Undertaking assessments of prospective adopters and presenting assessments to theAdoption Panel.
- Provide support to prospective adopters during and after approval, including through theLAC reviewing process.
- Contributing to the development and training of adopters.
- Assessment of adoption support needs giving due consideration to the wishes and opinionsof the child and the adoptive family, the nature of the problem that has called for adoptionsupport:
- To draw up support plan and implement, with the child and adoptive family, an appropriateaction plan to come to terms with or ameliorate the identified problems.
- To convene and chair case specific and other liaison/multiagency meetings asappropriate.
- All children in need procedures are completed in a timely manner.
- Applications sourced and made to the Adoption Support Fund.
- Providing an efficient homefinding service that meets the needs of children needingadoptive placements within prescribed timescales:
- To provide consultation to Social workers who are placing children for adoption.
- To work jointly with social workers to assess appropriate matches for children needingadoptive placements.
- To support and promote the development of a dedicated adoption team identity andshared objectives within a changing and developing environment which include:
- To contribute to the timeliness of the Prospective Adopter Reports (PARs), AdoptionSupport Assessments and Non Agency Adoptions Support Assessments and Non Agency Adoptions Support Assessments and Non Agency Adoptions.
- The team continues to provide and develop the adoption support core offer as outlined inthe adoption passport.
- Looked after children and adoption regulations requirements are completed within timescales.
- Provision of birth records counselling and supporting adopted adults to access birth records.
- Participate in the teams duty rota.
- Model and provide good equalities practice. Value diversity within the team and incontact with other professionals, children, young people and families.
- Operate within the County policy and regularly updates him/herself with social workmethods, new legislation and procedures, including Childrens Act 2004 and Every ChildMatters.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Please refer to the job description.
Desirable
- Please refer to the job description.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Please refer to the job description.
Desirable
- Please refer to the job description.
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.
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
