At a Glance
- Tasks: Support foster carers and children, coordinating placements and managing enquiries.
- Company: Join Lewisham Council, a champion for diverse communities and fostering support.
- Benefits: Generous holiday, pension scheme, flexible working, and staff discounts.
- Other info: Hybrid working model with excellent training and development opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in children's lives while working in a supportive team.
- Qualifications: Experience in fostering or children's social care with strong assessment skills.
The predicted salary is between 41739 - 43014 £ per year.
Discover yourself in Lewisham where what you do makes a difference to our vibrant and culturally diverse communities! We have a rich history of welcoming people from all over the world and are proud to be recognised as the UK’s first Borough of Sanctuary, for our work in championing the rights of refugees and migrants.
We are seeking an experienced, motivated, and compassionate Fostering Duty Worker to join our In-House Fostering Service. This is an exciting opportunity for a skilled practitioner with experience in fostering, children's social care, or safeguarding services, who is committed to improving outcomes for children and young people. You will play a key role in providing a responsive duty service, supporting foster carers, children, families, social workers, and partner agencies. We are looking for someone with strong assessment and decision-making skills, excellent communication, and the ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment.
What’s the role?
Reporting to the Team Manager, you will provide high-quality duty and placement coordination support to the fostering service. As the first point of contact for fostering enquiries, you will offer advice, guidance, and practical support to foster carers and professionals, helping to promote placement stability and positive outcomes for children.
Key responsibilities include:
- Coordinating and matching foster placements.
- Managing duty enquiries and responding to urgent placement requests.
- Facilitating emergency placement searches.
- Supporting foster carers with advice and guidance.
- Working collaboratively with social workers and partner agencies.
- Ensuring placement decisions are child-centred, informed by assessment, and compliant with statutory requirements and best practice.
What’s in it for you?
Excellent training and development opportunities, plus a range of benefits including:
- Generous holiday allowance
- Local Government Pension scheme
- Flexible working and family friendly policies
- Season ticket and bicycle loans
- A range of staff discounts including local subsidised gym memberships
- Supportive staff networks
What we’re looking for
We are looking for a professional who has:
- Experience working within fostering, children's social care, or safeguarding services.
- A strong understanding of fostering regulations, safeguarding, child protection, and looked-after children's legislation.
- Excellent assessment, risk management, and decision-making skills.
- The ability to manage competing priorities in a busy duty environment.
- Strong partnership-working and relationship-building skills.
- A commitment to delivering high-quality, child-centred services.
This is an excellent opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of children and foster families while working as part of a supportive and dedicated team.
Location
The job is primarily based in Laurence House, Catford, London, SE6 4RU, but we operate a hybrid approach where you will be required to work both in the office and from home on a regular basis.
Special conditions
Enhanced DBS clearance is required. Substantial experience within children's social care, fostering, or looked-after children's services is essential. Experience within a fostering duty, placements, or fostering support service is highly desirable.
The recruitment process is anonymous and we don’t accept CVs. It is essential that you complete the application fully and that your supporting statement covers how you meet each of the person specification criteria listed.
Salary
£41,739 - £43,014 per annum (SO1) N.B: All appointments will be offered at the minimum spinal column point (SCP) for the grade of the role. The only exception to this will be when matching current salary (up to the maximum of the scale), which is subject to evidential proof.
Diversity
Lewisham Council is a Disability Confident employer. We welcome and encourage job applications of all abilities. If you require any reasonable adjustments in the application or interview, please contact the lead contact on this advert. We will make reasonable adjustments to make sure our disabled applicants and those with health conditions are supported throughout our recruitment process.
Family Practitioner - Fostering Support, Care Resources in London employer: Borough of Lewisham
The Borough of Lewisham is an exceptional employer, offering a supportive work culture that prioritises the well-being of both employees and the children they serve. With excellent training opportunities and a strong emphasis on collaboration, staff are empowered to grow professionally while making a meaningful impact in the community. Working in Lewisham not only provides a chance to contribute to service development but also fosters a sense of belonging through various supportive networks.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Family Practitioner - Fostering Support, Care Resources in London
✨Dive into Local Community Groups
Social work thrives on community connections, so get involved in local groups or forums specific to your interests. Whether it’s volunteering at local shelters or joining community action boards, these are great ways to boost your visibility and make direct contacts that could lead to opportunities like the one at Borough of Lewisham.
✨Attend Social Work Events and Workshops
Keep an eye out for workshops, seminars, or conferences in social work. These events are fantastic for meeting professionals in the field, learning about emerging trends, and spotting job openings. Plus, you might just bump into someone from Borough of Lewisham!
✨Showcase Your Passion and Expertise
Use platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn to share your journey and insights into the social work sector. Whether it’s writing about your experiences or sharing relevant articles, this helps to establish you as an engaged professional. Potential employers, like Borough of Lewisham, will notice your enthusiasm!
✨Leverage Your Network
Don’t hesitate to reach out to professors, mentors, or even past colleagues who are in social work. They might have inside knowledge about openings at Borough of Lewisham or be able to connect you with someone who’s hiring. Networking is key, especially in a full-time role where relationships matter.
We think you need these skills to ace Family Practitioner - Fostering Support, Care Resources in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Social Work:In your cover letter, let us see your passion for social work shine through! Talk about the experiences that made you want to pursue this career—whether it’s volunteering, personal experiences, or academic projects. We want to know why this field matters to you.
Emphasise Relevant Qualifications:Make sure your CV highlights any relevant qualifications, like degrees in social work or certifications like a DBS check. If you've done any workshops or training, don’t forget to include those as well. We're keen to see your commitment to your professional development!
Detail Your Experience with Clients:Since this is a hands-on field, detailing any direct experience you have with clients is crucial. Whether it's internships, volunteer roles, or previous jobs, highlight those experiences in your CV to show us you've got the practical skills necessary for the job!
Tailor Your Application to Borough of Lewisham:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Borough of Lewisham! Research our mission and values, and refer to them in your cover letter. This shows us that you understand our work and are genuinely interested in being a part of our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Borough of Lewisham
✨Understanding the Role of Empathy
In social work, understanding and demonstrating empathy is key. Be prepared to share personal experiences or scenarios where you effectively showed compassion and support. This helps show that you genuinely care about the well-being of others, which is crucial in social work.
✨Demonstrating Knowledge of Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with the frameworks and models used in social work, such as the Strengths-Based Approach or the Ecological Perspective. Be ready to discuss how these frameworks apply to your work, especially if you can tie them into real-world examples or case studies you've encountered.
✨Showcasing Your Multi-Disciplinary Skills
In a full-time social work role, you'll often collaborate with healthcare professionals, educators, and law enforcement. Be prepared to describe your teamwork experiences and how you've effectively communicated with other disciplines to achieve the best outcomes for clients.
✨Preparing for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical social work situations, such as dealing with a crisis or managing a complex case. Think through your thought process for these scenarios beforehand, considering how you'd assess the situation and what steps you'd take, as this demonstrates your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
