At a Glance
- Tasks: Secure safe and suitable placements for children in care while ensuring compliance with policies.
- Company: Join a dedicated team focused on improving the lives of children and young people.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, professional development, and a chance to make a real difference.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with opportunities for growth and impact.
- Why this job: Be part of a mission to provide stability and support for vulnerable children.
- Qualifications: Strong organisational skills and experience in placement coordination preferred.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 40000 £ per year.
Job Description
- Job Title
- Senior Placement Broker (Unqualified)
- Reports To
- Team Manager
- Purpose of the Role
To deliver a responsive, high-quality placements service that secures safe, suitable, and cost-effective placements for children and young people in care.
The role is responsible for identifying and sourcing placements that meet children’s emotional, educational, cultural, health, and safeguarding needs while promoting placement stability and achieving the best value for the local authority.
Working collaboratively with social workers, fostering teams, independent providers, and partner agencies, the post holder manages the placement process from referral through to placement confirmation, ensuring compliance with statutory requirements, council policies, and agreed timescales.
Key Responsibilities
- Placement Brokerage and Coordination
- Source, coordinate, and secure suitable foster care, residential, supported accommodation, and kinship placements for children and young people.
- Assess referrals and identify placement options that best meet the individual needs of each child.
- Work proactively to minimise placement delays and reduce placement breakdowns.
- Maintain oversight of children awaiting placements and **escalate** placement risks where appropriate.
- Promote the use of in-house fostering resources and Friends and Family placements wherever suitable, reducing reliance on external providers.
- Stakeholder Management
- Build and maintain effective working relationships with social workers, team managers, fostering teams, independent fostering agencies, residential providers, carers, education professionals, health services, and other partner agencies.
- Ensure all stakeholders are kept informed throughout the placement process.
- Take children’s views and wishes into account when identifying appropriate placement options.
- Provide placement updates and briefings to managers and senior leadership when required.
- Provider Management and Negotiation
- Liaise with internal and external providers to identify suitable vacancies.
- Negotiate placement fees and support packages to achieve quality placements while ensuring value for money.
- Complete placement agreements and associated documentation within required timescales.
- Monitor provider performance and contribute intelligence regarding the local placement market.
- Financial and Contract Management
- Authorise placement payments within delegated authority.
- Apply fostering allowances and payment policies consistently and fairly.
- Monitor expenditure relating to externally commissioned placements and identify opportunities for cost efficiencies.
- Ensure providers and foster carers receive accurate and timely payments.
- Maintain accurate financial records relating to placements.
- Case Management and Administration
- Maintain accurate placement records, case notes, financial information, and contracts using Mosaic.
- Ensure referral, placement, movement, and placement ending information is recorded accurately.
- Produce management information and reports to support service planning and performance monitoring.
- Maintain organised and compliant case records at all times.
- Service Improvement
- Monitor referral patterns, placement demand, placement stability, and use of independent providers.
- Identify trends, risks, and gaps in placement sufficiency and **escalate** concerns appropriately.
- Contribute to the development and review of placement and sufficiency strategies.
- Keep up to date with relevant legislation, statutory guidance, Ofsted expectations, and best practice within children’s placements.
- Professional Practice
- Work independently while recognising when advice and escalation are required.
- Support and share knowledge with colleagues, including less experienced staff.
- Contribute to supervision, service development, and continuous improvement activities.
- Promote relationship-based practice focused on achieving positive outcomes for children and young people.
- Key Working Relationships
- Children’s Social Workers
- Team Managers
- Service Managers
- Foster Carers
- Independent Fostering Agencies
- Residential Care Providers
- Virtual School
- Clinical Teams
- Finance Teams
- Commissioning Teams
- Partner Agencies
- Knowledge and Skills
- Strong organisational and prioritisation skills.
- Excellent communication and relationship-building abilities.
- Experience coordinating complex referrals or placement processes.
- Negotiation and influencing skills.
- Ability to analyse information and make informed recommendations.
- Financial awareness and budget monitoring experience.
- Good working knowledge of case management systems, preferably Mosaic.
- High level of accuracy and attention to detail.
- Ability to manage competing priorities within tight deadlines.
- Understanding of safeguarding principles and children’s social care practice.
- Key Outcomes
- Suitable placements identified within required timescales.
- Improved placement stability for children and young people.
- Effective use of internal fostering resources.
- Cost-effective placement decisions.
- Accurate financial and placement records.
- Strong relationships with providers and partner agencies.
- Compliance with statutory guidance, council policies, and service standards.
- #J-18808-Ljbffr
Contact Details:
Carrington Blake Recruitment Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Broker – AR
✨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 Carrington Blake Recruitment.
✨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 Carrington Blake Recruitment!
✨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 Carrington Blake Recruitment, 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 Carrington Blake Recruitment 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 Senior Broker – AR
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 Carrington Blake Recruitment:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Carrington Blake Recruitment! 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 Carrington Blake Recruitment
✨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.
