Adoption Social Worker

London Social Work for Children; England; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional adoption agency is looking for qualified Social Workers to join their Adoption Support team. Responsibilities include providing support to adoptive families, arranging therapeutic support, and managing complex written assessments. Candidates must have at least 2 years of experience in children's social work and be registered with Social Work England. The role offers flexible working arrangements and competitive pay, along with extensive learning and development opportunities.

Benefits

Up to 31 days leave per year

Flexible working arrangements

Competitive pay with London Living Wage

Excellent local government pension scheme

Cycle to Work scheme

Discounted gym memberships

Qualifications

• Qualified and experienced Social Worker registered with Social Work England.
• Minimum 2 years experience in children’s social work teams.
• Understanding challenges related to adoption and support.

Responsibilities

• Provide support to adoptive families, adopted adults, and birth families.
• Arrange therapeutic support and case work.
• Access and share adoption records.

Skills

Qualified social worker

Experience in front-line children’s social work

Understanding of permanency arrangements

Empathy for families and adopted people

Experience in undertaking complex assessments

Education

Registered with Social Work England

Job description

Adopt London North is the Regional Adoption Agency (RAA) for 6 North London boroughs - Haringey, Enfield, Camden, Hackney, Barnet, and Islington (our host borough). On behalf of our boroughs, we provide all adoption services which include:

• Providing support to adoptive families, adopted adults and birth parents (Adoption Support team)
• Recruiting, assessing and supporting prospective adoptive parents (Recruitment and Assessment team)
• Family finding and transition planning for children with an adoption plan (Family Finding team).

Adopt London North (ALN) is a group of around 40 friendly and supportive staff, based in our dedicated office space in the Laycock Centre, N1 1TH (just 2 minutes’ walk from Highbury & Islington station). Our staff group is very stable, and you will benefit from working in a team of experienced and specialist adoption social workers.

Adopt London North is part of a wider partnership called Adopt London that covers 24 London boroughs and over 160 staff. We work together to develop and share best practice, and to connect people impacted by adoption across London.We have exciting, shared projects in place to develop our practice across early permanency, matching practice, models of adoption support, and our ‘Black Adoption Project’ which iscommitted to reducing disparities for Black children in adoption by addressing systemic and cultural barriers throughout the system.

We are looking to recruit a Social Workers to our Adoption Support team.

The Adoption Support team runs a busy service supporting adoptive families, adopted adults, and birth families. Work includes arranging therapeutic support under the Adoption & Special Guardianship Support Fund, case working with families who need advice, support and advocacy, accessing and sharing adoption records with adopted adults, and helping birth families and adoptive families remain in contact. The team also provides support through groups run for a range of clients including adopted children, adopted adults and parents of adopted teenagers.

We give the opportunity for staff to express an interest in moving to a different team within Adopt London North as spaces in the service become available, to ensure you are provided with a broad range of opportunities to develop your knowledge and expertise.

Working Arrangements

We have a flexible hybrid working style. You will be required to work from the office several times a week and will also undertake meetings with clients in the office and in their homes, but you will have flexibility to choose whether you prefer to be home or office-based on other days. We have regular training and development days, and there are opportunities to specialise your skills through delivering training and workshops, facilitating group work, and taking part in practice development projects.

About you

To be considered for this role you will need to demonstrate (in both your application and your interview):

• You are a qualified and experienced Social Worker, registered with Social Work England.
• You have at least 2 years’ experience of working in front-line children’s social work teams, including some experience of working with children with permanency plans.
• You have an understanding of both the benefits and the challenges that different permanency arrangements, including adoption, can bring to a child.
• You are committed to providing support to families and adopted people, and have empathy for the challenges they may face.
• You have experience of undertaking complex written assessments, and making recommendations to the court and / or decision-making panels.

About Islington

Islington is one of the most vibrant areas of London, with a diverse population, a unique cultural identity and a wealth of open spaces, theatres, museums, cinemas, and galleries.

Our Children’s Social Care services have been rated by OFSTED as Outstanding and praises an “unwavering commitment to improving and enriching the lives of children and their families”

A snapshot of what we offer our social workers:

• Up to 31 days leave per year, increasing to 36 days after five years of local government service
• A range of flexible working arrangements to maintain a healthy work-life balance, as well as a 35-hour working week
• Learning and development opportunities to maximise your potential
• Competitive pay and a commitment to paying all staff the London Living Wage at minimum
• Excellent local government pension scheme
• Cycle to Work scheme and discounted gym memberships
• Local discounts from restaurants, shops, health and beauty therapists, and more!
• Lead authority for Step Up to Social Work
• Social Work training through Social Work Apprenticeship Degree
• Highly valued Assessed and Supported Year in Education through Islington ASYE Academy.
• Access to Management and Coaching Apprenticeships
• Pathways Program for first time and experienced managers
• Opportunities to train as a Practice Educator

For more information and a discussion about working for London Borough of Islington, contact our Principal Social Worker Wynand McDonald, Principal Child and Family Social Worker at [emailprotected] .

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