Social Worker (Adoption Assessing and Support)

Are you a Social Worker who is passionate about supporting families? You could help us transform the lives of adopted children and young people. Adopt South, the partnership Regional Adoption Agency for Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton have an exciting opportunity for a qualified Social Worker to be part of our Adoption Assessment and Support team, who offer a holistic approach to helping families and children when they have challenges and need our support.

Based at Glen House in Swanwick, you will work directly with families to positively transform the lives of adopted children. Your passion, enthusiasm and collaborative style will play a crucial role in ensuring successful outcomes for our parent(s) and children. Adopt South is a regional adoption agency, launched in April 2019. The agency is formed through the partnership between Hampshire County Council, Isle of Wight Council, Portsmouth City Council and Southampton City Council, with support from voluntary adoption agencies, Adoption UK, Barnardo’s and PACT. Adopt South fulfils all aspects of its statutory duties as a regional adoption agency, to ensure matching is as quick as it can be, to improve the life chances of adopted children and to improve adopter recruitment and adoption support.

What you’ll do:

• Adopt South’s Adoption Stage 2 Service involves the full assessment of prospective adopters and supporting them as adoptive families after children have been placed with them.
• The focus of our work is to assess the suitability of individuals who wish to adopt.
• We need to ensure they have the abilities and understanding to care for children that have experienced adverse childhood experiences.
• Should we assess them to become prospective adopters we then support them from when a child is placed with them, through to the Adoption Order.
• Along the way it is important that we work with prospective adopters to develop and continue their learning.
• This role does include the provision of workshops and events that are held on evenings and weekends and are shared across the team.

What we’re looking for:

• We are seeking an experienced and passionate Adoption Support Social Worker who can apply professional knowledge to transform outcomes for individuals, relatives and carers whilst facilitating effective multi‑agency solutions.
• With your significant Social Work experience, you’ll have excellent communication skills and the ability to relate to all different kinds of people, plus the motivation to grow in your role through personal and professional development.
• Above all, you will be determined to make a difference for both the service, and the children and families who need it.
• You will know what excellent practice looks like and will be able to improve outcomes for children and adopters.
• You will have a passion for supporting children and families to ensure that they thrive and flourish.
• Having extensive experience and strong assessment skills, you will meet with families to complete Suitable To Adopt Report Assessments, deliver robust support plans, as well as development work and training of prospective adopters.
• Your experience and skills will also contribute to our training and workshop objectives, peer‑to‑peer support groups and family fun events.
• This varied role is a fantastic opportunity for a social worker professional with three years' experience, who has empathy and creative thinking.
• We will support your learning and development, so you will be confident in introducing innovative therapeutic approaches and ideas that support families and our adoptive community.

Why join us?

We offer a flexible, motivating and inclusive workplace, where talent is truly recognised and developed. We have created an environment that you can look forward to being a part of and where you are empowered to be your best and believe in creating a workplace built on teamwork where people can grow and develop in their roles.

If you think you have what it takes to make a real difference in Hampshire, get in touch!

Benefits: To find out more about what we can offer you in return, please see benefits package.

Additional Information: This post is subject to a Criminal Records Check. As such, please note that under safer recruitment requirements for Children’s Services, references will be requested prior to interview.

Hampshire County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment. In order to combat discrimination, no unnecessary conditions or requirements will be applied which could have a disproportionately adverse effect on any one group. All sections of the population will have equal access to jobs. No applicant or employee will receive less favourable treatment because of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership and pregnancy or maternity, unless a Genuine Occupational Requirement (GOR) applies.

We are a Disability Confident Employer - committed to ensuring that our recruitment and selection process is inclusive and accessible.