At a Glance
- Tasks: Find safe and affordable placements for children while collaborating with a supportive team.
- Company: Bradford Children and Families Trust, dedicated to child welfare and community support.
- Benefits: Generous leave, excellent pension, health support, and career development opportunities.
- Other info: Join a passionate team focused on safeguarding and promoting children's well-being.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in children's lives while working in a rewarding and dynamic environment.
- Qualifications: Team player with strong organisational skills and a commitment to child welfare.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 40000 £ per year.
About The Role
The Home Finding Team/Placement Coordination Service is a busy yet rewarding service to be a part of. Placement Coordination Officers work with the guidance, support and supervision of the Team Manager and Service Manager to find good quality, safe and affordable placements for children referred into the Service. There are strong, well‑established relationships in place with the provider market as well as with in‑house services, social work teams across the Trust, the commissioning team, and the contracts and quality team. There is a strong ethos of working together to ensure that Bradford’s children are in safe, quality placements. The service is busy and demand‑led, but there is strong peer support from a fantastic team.
Responsibilities
- Timely and proactive searching for suitable placements for children referred into the Service
- Developing and maintaining appropriate provider relationships
- Working collaboratively with in‑house services, providers, social work teams and IROs regarding placements
- Managing a caseload of planned placement searches, ensuring each search is prioritised appropriately
- Ensuring provider offers are in line with contractual expectations and quality standards
- Negotiating placement cost / value for money where appropriate
- Ensuring all necessary funding approvals are in place for each child’s placement
- Ensuring systems are updated with searches and placements details
- Supporting the team with duty on a rota basis
Qualifications
- Ability to work well as part of a team, prioritise and flex work depending on cases
- Strong organisational skills and accurate, timely record‑keeping
- Commitment to putting the child at the heart of all work
- Values in line with the Trust’s values and a strong work ethic
- Experience forging strong working relationships and working across multi‑agency and partner services
- Understanding of commissioning and contractual elements of placements brokerage to ensure effective use of the Trust’s resources
Benefits
- Generous annual leave – 31 days rising to 34 with service, plus bank holidays
- Excellent Local Government pension
- Family‑friendly policies and enhanced parental leave
- Health & wellbeing support, including Occupational Health and counselling
- Professional development and career progression opportunities
- National Living Wage employer
Bradford Children and Families Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all employees to share this commitment. All short‑listed candidates will be required to disclose relevant information regarding criminal history prior to interview, and a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be carried out on preferred candidates.
Placement Coordinator in Bradford employer: Bradford Children and Families Trust
Bradford Children and Families Trust is an exceptional employer, offering a supportive and collaborative work environment for Placement Coordinators dedicated to ensuring the safety and quality of placements for children. With generous annual leave, a strong commitment to professional development, and a focus on employee wellbeing, this role provides meaningful opportunities to make a positive impact in the community while enjoying a family-friendly workplace culture.
Contact Details:
Bradford Children and Families Trust Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Placement Coordinator in Bradford
✨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 Bradford Children and Families Trust.
✨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 Bradford Children and Families Trust!
✨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 Bradford Children and Families Trust, 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 Bradford Children and Families Trust 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 Placement Coordinator in Bradford
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 Bradford Children and Families Trust:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Bradford Children and Families Trust! 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 Bradford Children and Families Trust
✨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.
