Supervising Social Worker - Fostering Support Team

Up to £33 per hour

Are you an experienced and dedicated Social Worker passionate about supporting foster carers and ensuring positive outcomes for children and young people? Do you thrive in a collaborative environment and possess a strong understanding of fostering regulations and therapeutic principles? If so, Shropshire Council has an exciting opportunity for you to join our established and supportive Fostering Support team as a Supervising Social Worker!

As a valued member of our dedicated support and development service, you will play a vital role in empowering our foster carers to provide safe, nurturing, and stable homes.

About the Role:

As a Supervising Social Worker within our Fostering Support team, you will:

Carry a caseload of foster parents, providing regular supervision, guidance, and support to enable them to effectively meet the needs of children in their care.
Supervise foster carers, ensuring all key aspects of their role are thoroughly discussed, accurately recorded, and constructively challenged where necessary to promote best practice.
Communicate effectively and support foster parents with a trauma-informed understanding and therapeutic principles, fostering a nurturing and stable environment for children.
Ensure all compliance requirements for foster parents are updated and meticulously recorded on LCS (Liquidlogic Children's System).
Be efficient in recording fostering annual reviews and, when required, present comprehensive and well-articulated reports to the Fostering Panel.
Actively participate in team meetings, contributing to a positive and supportive team environment and offering support to colleagues as needed.
Be part of a duty rota (approximately twice per month), providing essential support and advice to foster carers and undertaking viability assessments when required.
Work in accordance with Fostering Regulations and National Minimum Standards (NMS), demonstrating a strong knowledge and practical application of these frameworks.

Hybrid Working Opportunity:

We are pleased to offer a hybrid work-at-home policy with access to office space at the Guildhall building in Shrewsbury. Given that our foster parents predominantly reside within Shropshire County, this role offers the flexibility to work more from home with occasional office presence. For agency workers who prefer a greater office presence, this can also be accommodated. This hybrid approach aims to support a healthy work-life balance while ensuring effective service delivery to our foster carers.

About You:

You will be a qualified and registered Social Worker with significant post-qualification experience in fostering or a related field. You will be a proactive and organised individual with:

A strong understanding of Fostering Regulations and National Minimum Standards.
Proven experience in supervising and supporting foster carers.
A demonstrable understanding of trauma-informed practice and therapeutic principles.
Excellent assessment, analytical, and report-writing skills.
Proficiency in using case management systems, ideally LCS.
Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build positive relationships with foster carers and colleagues.
The ability to work autonomously and manage a demanding workload effectively.
A commitment to teamwork and a flexible approach to work.

Why Choose Shropshire Council?

Competitive hourly rate of up to £33 per hour.
Be a valued member of an established and supportive Fostering Support team.
Opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of children and foster families.
Commitment to professional development and training opportunities.
Flexible hybrid working arrangements to support your work-life balance.
Access to well-equipped office space in Shrewsbury.