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- Tasks: Support foster carers and adopters while ensuring the welfare of children remains central.
- Company: Join Barnardo's Scotland, a leading charity dedicated to supporting vulnerable children.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, generous annual leave, and a range of employee discounts.
- Other info: Embrace a culture of inclusion and diversity, with opportunities for personal growth.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in children's lives while working in a supportive team environment.
- Qualifications: Qualified Social Worker with experience in fostering/adoption assessments and child protection.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 40000 £ per year.
Barnardo's Scotland have a fantastic opportunity in the North of Scotland for a Social Worker to work across our Fostering and Adoption team. Join our busy team on a part-time (22.2 hours) permanent basis.
Location: The successful candidate will work hybridly, with some travel required across the Aberdeen/Aberdeenshire area and other areas as required. Please also note that some meetings and training occur Scotland Wide, this is often virtual. The Service has an office base in Aberdeen.
You will work within a team of supervising social workers, children's workers, therapists, managers, and administrative staff responsible for the recruitment and support of foster carers and adopters who provide care to looked after children and young people.
Some of the key responsibilities are:
- Work alongside others in undertaking assessments, providing supervision, support and advice to carers, being able to demonstrate initiative whilst also being part of a team.
- Ensure that Children & Young Peoples welfare remains paramount and central in all aspects of the service.
- Incorporate the voice of children/young people and carers in all areas of practice.
- Deliver relevant training to Barnardo's cohort of foster carers and adopters to the relevant standards on both a group and individual basis.
- Be flexible to respond to the needs of young people, carers and colleagues.
Candidates should be able to:
- Demonstrate both excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience of Fostering/Adoption assessments or similar.
- Have a good understanding of the legislation and National Standards we work within.
- Qualified Social Worker and valid Social Work Registration with SSSC.
- Demonstrable and applied knowledge of child protection and safeguarding procedures.
- Relevant experience in child and families or family placement settings.
- Ability to demonstrate knowledge of therapeutic resources to be able to support adopters and foster carers in challenging circumstances.
- Hold a full UK driving licence with access to their own vehicle or have ability to travel.
Due to a high number of applications for some posts, please note this vacancy may close before the displayed closing date. We recommend you apply as soon as possible.
Benefits Workplace Offer: What it means for you
Our hybrid working initiative is based on trust, flexibility and empowerment. We understand our workplace offer means different things to different people, and we encourage those conversations. This may mean working at one of our stores, services, working at home, in the community, at one of our Collaboration Hubs or depending on the role any combination of these. Please read through the advert carefully to understand the remits of hybrid working that will be specific to the role.
Barnardo's require colleagues to be UK residents, based in the UK and to complete their roles from within the UK (with the exception of colleagues providing Barnardo's services in Jersey and colleagues who live in the Republic of Ireland providing services in Northern Ireland). Barnardo's believe in creating equality of opportunity in the workplace and supporting people to manage their work-life balance; we are therefore open to offering flexible working arrangements.
Annual Leave entitlement for full-time colleagues is 26 days per annum, increasing to 27 days per annum, after 3 years Barnardo's service, 29 days per annum, after 5 years Barnardo's service and 30 days per annum, after 7 years Barnardo's service. Those working less than full time are entitled to the same level of holiday pro rata.
The ability to buy up to another 5 days annual leave via our Buy Your Leave scheme.
A host of family friendly leave options including company Maternity Paternity and Adoption pay; together with all family additional leave options.
Service related sick pay from day 1.
Access to a Group Personal Pension with a matched 4% or 6% contribution from Barnardo's. Ability to pay via salary sacrifice to garner both tax and NI savings on your own contribution.
Death in service cover of 4x annual earnings for all staff contributing to our Group Personal Pension.
Cycle2work scheme.
Interest free season ticket loans.
Discounts and cashback from high street shops including major supermarkets, cinemas, gyms, leisure/theme parks, holidays and much more via our Benefit Portal.
20% discount at Barnardo's stores.
Opportunity to purchase a health cash plan to claim towards dental, glasses, therapy etc.
Free access to round the clock employee assistance program for advice and support.
Access to Barnardo's Learning and Development offer *T&C's apply based on contract.
About Barnardo's
We are committed to being an inclusive employer and cultivating a culture where everyone can belong and thrive through inclusion and connectivity. We want our workforce to be reflective of the communities we work with, and for equality, diversity and inclusion to be embedded in everything we do. We are a Disability Confident Leader, are progressing our ambition to be an anti-racist organisation with Anti-Racism Commitments and actions in place and have networks for colleagues who are disabled, LGBT+, Black and Minoritised Ethnic and Women. We particularly encourage applications from Black and Minoritised Ethnic and/or disabled candidates who are currently underrepresented in our workforce. For disabled applicants, we offer reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.
Social Worker in Aberdeen employer: BARNARDOS
Contact Detail:
BARNARDOS Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Social Worker in Aberdeen
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current or former employees at Barnardo's through LinkedIn or local community events. A friendly chat can give you insider info and maybe even a referral!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by practising common questions related to social work. Think about your experiences in fostering and adoption, and how they align with Barnardo's values. We want to see your passion shine through!
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your flexibility! Since the role involves hybrid working and travel, be ready to discuss how you can adapt to different situations and support both children and colleagues effectively.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team at Barnardo's!
We think you need these skills to ace Social Worker in Aberdeen
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Skills: Make sure to highlight your excellent written and verbal communication skills in your application. We want to see how you can demonstrate your experience in fostering and adoption assessments, so don’t hold back!
Tailor Your Application: Take a moment to read through the job description carefully and tailor your application to match. Use the same language and key phrases that are mentioned, as it shows us you understand what we’re looking for.
Be Yourself: Let your personality shine through! We’re looking for someone who can incorporate the voice of children and young people into their practice, so share any relevant experiences that showcase your passion for this work.
Apply Early: Don’t wait until the last minute to submit your application. With a high number of applications expected, it’s best to apply as soon as possible through our website to ensure you don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity!
How to prepare for a job interview at BARNARDOS
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on the legislation and National Standards relevant to fostering and adoption. Familiarise yourself with Barnardo's values and how they align with your own approach to social work. This will show that you're not just interested in the role, but that you understand the bigger picture.
✨Showcase Your Communication Skills
As a social worker, excellent communication is key. Prepare examples of how you've effectively communicated with children, young people, and carers in the past. Think about times when you’ve had to adapt your communication style to suit different audiences – this will demonstrate your versatility.
✨Be Ready for Scenario Questions
Expect to be asked about specific scenarios you might face in the role. Think through potential challenges you could encounter while working with foster carers or adopters and how you would handle them. This will help you showcase your problem-solving skills and ability to think on your feet.
✨Emphasise Teamwork and Flexibility
Barnardo's values collaboration, so be prepared to discuss your experience working in teams. Share examples of how you've supported colleagues and adapted to changing circumstances. Highlighting your flexibility and willingness to respond to the needs of others will resonate well with the interviewers.