Job Opportunity with Team Fostering: Supervising Social Worker (North Shields)

Location: Hybrid, North Shields
Salary: Newly Qualified: £38,480.00 - £40,207.89 per annum
                    Progressed: £40,207.89 - £46,646.72 per annum (minimum 2 years post-qualifying experience)
Hours: 37.5 per week​
Closing date: 9am on Monday 19 February 2024 

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We offer hybrid working which includes a blend of home and office working with a minimum of one day per week in our office

About The Role: 
Team Fostering is an ethical not for profit fostering agency with a strong reputation and track record for providing high quality, value-for-money fostering placements for looked after children in the North East, Yorkshire and East Midlands. We pride ourselves on our values and behaviours and we expect our staff to commit to and demonstrate these in their everyday work.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Supervising Social Worker to join our successful and Ofsted GOOD rated North East Team. Your office base will be located at our North Shields office and you will cover a caseload across the North East Region.  You will share our commitment to delivering high quality services for children and young people and support our foster carers to do this too.

As a Supervising Social Worker you will provide a high level of supervision and support to foster carers, as well as the children and young people who are placed in their care. You will have the knowledge and skills to undertake the full range of Supervising Social Worker tasks, including supervising foster carers, working with other professionals, report writing and attendance at meetings. Not only will you have excellent communication and interpersonal skills you will also be hardworking, positive, and motivated to improve outcomes for looked after children.

Whilst experience in fostering is beneficial, we welcome applications from newly qualified Social Workers and Social Workers with the relevant skills, commitment and enthusiasm who are seeking to move into fostering. You will benefit from a robust training and induction package to support your development within our team.


The benefits of joining Team Fostering

• Career Growth: Progress through various career paths with support for learning and professional development.
• Low Caseloads: You will typically be responsible for up to 13 fostering families, ensuring that you can provide high-quality support and assistance to each one. This manageable caseload allows you to truly focus on making a positive difference in the lives of those you work with.
• Competitive Salary@: £40,207.89 - £46,646.72 per annum (starting salary is dependent upon skills and experience
• Flexible Working: We offer hybrid working which includes a blend of home and office working with a minimum of one day per week in our office, TOIL and flexible working.
• Flexi Time Scheme: We are committed to employee wellbeing and operate a flexi time scheme for all staff to enable them to adjust their working hours to reflect their personal circumstances and support in the achievement of a good work-life balance.  
• Travel Support: Receive 45p per mile travel package and access to Salary Sacrifice Car lease scheme.
• Wellbeing Focus: Access therapeutic sessions for support from our dedicated Therapeutic Services team and the range of first class health, safety and wellbeing dedicated resources within the Agency.
• Recognition and Rewards: Enjoy access to a comprehensive range of benefits which include : Salary Sacrifice Car lease scheme; Pension Salary Sacrifice; access to reduced gym memberships; online GP;  employee assistance programme, discounted health and medical insurance schemes and hundreds of retail discounts via our Smart Hive platform.
• Professional Fees: Team Fostering will reimburse the payment for your continued Social Work England registration following confirmation of renewal.
• Life Assurance: Eligible for a life assurance scheme (two times annual salary) post-probation review.
• Sickness, Maternity and Paternity Benefit: Team Fostering offers a generous company sick pay scheme and enhanced Maternity and Paternity arrangements.
• Bonuses: Loyalty Bonus Scheme in recognition of long term service.
• Annual Leave: Generous annual leave entitlement of 30 days per annum, plus bank 8 holidays.

It is essential that you

• Are enthusiastic, aspirational and committed to achieving the very best outcomes for our children and young people.
• Have an approach and ethos that is reflective of our values of respect, honesty, transparency, reliability, and putting children at the centre of all we do.
• Can manage your own caseload of typically 13 fostering families, giving support and guidance when necessary and help them to develop their skills.
• Are committed to provide wrap around support to our foster carers by participating in an out of hours on call service.
• Are passionate and want to actively contribute to the growth and development of the Fostering service.
• Have a relevant professional qualification in Social Work.
• Are a registered social worker with Social Work England.
• Have a good knowledge of fostering regulations, childcare law and safeguarding issues.
• Can make objective professional assessments of children and young people.
• Have access to a car and a valid driving licence.
• Can meet the requirements of our out of hours service provision

You will ideally
Have worked in a fostering related social work role and /or child social care, such as a looked after children’s team, however this is not essential.
 
Our recruitment process aims to create and maintain a safe workforce and contains robust vetting procedures. The successful applicants will be offered a role subject to satisfactory references, Social Work England registration and an enhanced DBS check.

Team Fostering are wholly committed to our ongoing investment in our staff’s professional training and development, health and wellbeing. We are immensely proud of our recognition as a Living Wage Employer, an Investors in People Employer which we have held since 2006, our accreditation as a Mindful Employer and the achievement of our Better Health Award at Continuing Excellence level.

Team Fostering is an equal opportunity and Disability Confident Committed employer that is committed to equality, diversity, inclusion and belonging at work. As we continue to grow, we know that we must have the most talented employees with diverse backgrounds, cultures, perspectives, and experiences to support our children and young people.

For an informal chat about the post please contact Martin Hanson (Registered Manager – North East) on 07939 588417 or Sandra Kennedy (Assistant Director – Fostering Services) on 07717 762125.

Team Fostering strives to be diverse and inclusive – a place where we can ALL be ourselves.   We particularly encourage applications from people who identify as Black, Asian or from a Minority Ethnic background, who are underrepresented within the agency.

To apply, please complete an Application Form and Equal Opportunities Form (available below) and return to [email protected] no later than 9am on Monday 19th February 2024. 

Please note Team Fostering does not accept CV’s.

Closing date: 9 am on Monday 19 February 2024

Interviews will be held on Friday 1 March at our North Shields office

This post is subject to an Enhanced DBS Disclosure

Please note if you are shortlisted for interview, we will contact you via the email you have provided. Please ensure you check your emails regularly.

Full details and application documents here