Social Worker

We are seeking passionate and committed Fostering Social Workers to join Dorset Council's fostering service. In this role, you will provide vital support to foster carers, helping them achieve positive outcomes for the children and young people in their care. We currently have two vacancies within our pre-approval team:

• Full-time position (37 hours per week) - £32,061 - £45,091
• Part-time position (22 hours per week) - £19,063 - £26,810

Alongside supporting prospective foster carers through the assessment process, you will also work with mainstream foster carers and kinship carers, ensuring they are well supervised, guided, and equipped to provide safe and nurturing homes.

You will receive regular supervision, access to high-quality training, and ongoing professional development opportunities. This includes support from advanced practitioners, induction programmes, and Dorset's Social Work Academy. Our service is committed to a therapeutic approach and is implementing the Mockingbird Family Model, giving you the opportunity to work closely with carers within constellations.

By joining us, you will play a key role in ensuring that children cared for by Dorset Council remain close to their families and communities and receive excellent care from well-supported foster carers.

As a Fostering Social Worker, you will:

• Manage a caseload of foster carers across Dorset, providing supervision and support.
• Undertake fostering reviews and ensure compliance with statutory requirements and National Minimum Standards.
• Contribute to quality assurance and our safeguarding processes.
• Offer guidance to our foster carers, promoting best practice and a therapeutic approach.
• Work flexibly, including hybrid work (working from home and in the office).

We are looking for a dedicated and dependable professional who:

• Is a qualified social worker, registered with Social Work England (minimum three years post-qualification experience desirable).
• Holds a clear enhanced DBS check.
• Has a full, clean driving licence and the ability to travel across Dorset.
• Demonstrates strong organisational and communication skills, with the ability to meet deadlines and produce detailed written reports.
• Has experience working with foster carers in a statutory social care setting and a sound understanding of child care legislation and safeguarding practice.
• Can create an environment where social work practice can flourish and where carers feel supported and valued.

Further Information

For additional information, please contact Cristina Matei on or via email at [email protected]
 
This post involves working with children and/or vulnerable adults and/or having access to significant information about them. It will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check. See our policy on the employment of ex-offenders.
 
This post requires significant travel. You must have a vehicle (or transport we deem suitable) available for use as needed.
 
You must:

• have a degree in social work/Occupational Therapy or equivalent
• be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
• be able to fulfil the travel requirements of the post

See the children's social worker framework.
 
All social workers who qualified after September 2012 need to:

•  undertake the assessed and supported year in employment (ASYE)
•  meet the expected standards during the ASYE period

The ASYE scheme is required unless you can prove that you meet the standards laid out in the professional capabilities' framework.

About Us

At Dorset Council, we are working together to create a fairer, more prosperous, and more sustainable Dorset for everyone, now and in the future.

We: 

• provide essential services that support over 380,000 residents 
• work in partnership to make a real difference 
• value every role and the impact it has on our communities 
• support our employees to grow, develop, and thrive 

You will: 

• be part of a team that works together for a better Dorset 
• have access to a range of benefits and support 
• have access to range of training opportunities which will help with your personal development and career progression 

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation where different skills, perspectives, and backgrounds strengthen both our council and the communities we serve. 

We welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. If you declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role, we will offer you an interview. We also want our recruitment process to be accessible. If you need any reasonable adjustments, just let us know on your application. 

This role is UK-based, and we will need to confirm your Right to Work as part of the appointment process. We use generic job descriptions and person specifications, so the job title in any attachments may differ from the advert. If needed, we will provide additional details in a context statement. 

If you're passionate about making a difference, we'd love you to join us. 

Find out more about how to apply. 

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