At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead recruitment of foster carers and support their journey from inquiry to approval.
- Company: Join the UK's largest fostering charity, dedicated to providing loving homes for children.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, salary progression, generous holiday, and a supportive work environment.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in children's lives while working in a caring and ambitious team.
- Qualifications: Must have social work experience in fostering and a relevant degree.
- Other info: Home-based role with travel; includes training opportunities and a focus on community engagement.
The predicted salary is between 44756 - 49729 £ per year.
Fostering Social Worker
Salary: £44,756 per year (rising to £49,729 after 18 months)
Additional Allowances:
- £750 per year Homeworking Allowance
- £4,184 per year London Weighting (if eligible)
Hours: 35 hours per week
Contract: Permanent
Location: Home-based, with travel in East, North and West London, Essex and Hertfordshire
***Required social working experience within fostering!!***
- A social working degree is a must
About Us
We are the UK’s largest dedicated fostering charity. For over 30 years, we’ve provided safe, loving homes for children and young people who need them most.
As a charity, we don’t make a profit – everything we do is focused on supporting our foster carers and the children in their care. Our values guide our work every day, helping us make a real difference in young lives.
The Role
We’re looking for a motivated and caring Fostering Social Worker to lead our work in finding new foster carers across East, North and West London, Essex and Hertfordshire.
You’ll manage a small team and work closely with colleagues to make sure people interested in fostering have a great experience from first contact through to assessment. You’ll also help promote fostering in the community and support our goal of giving more children a safe, stable home.
What We Offer
- A supportive, flexible working environment
- Salary progression after 18 months
- £750 per year for homeworking costs
- London Weighting if eligible
- 31 days holiday plus bank holidays
- Pension and employee benefits
- The chance to make a real difference in children’s lives
- Homeworking ‘bundle’ including annual allowance, IT equipment and a loan for home office set up.
- Menopause Policy and free Menopause Clinician Appointments. • Stakeholder Pension Scheme (salary sacrifice). • Fantastic learning and development opportunities for all roles.
What You’ll Do
- Manage local foster carer recruitment in line with our local strategy.
- Make decisions about whether people who enquire are suitable to move forward with an application.
- Respond to all enquiries quickly and efficiently, making sure no one is left waiting too long.
- Increase our visibility in local communities by leading and attending recruitment events.
- Work closely with local foster carers to help organise and run events and activities.
- Oversee and manage all new enquiries, including carrying out initial home visits with potential foster carers.
- Lead Skills to Foster training sessions and support applicants with their pre-approval learning and development.
- Supervise and support a small team, including a Recruitment Officer and/or Assessing Social Workers.
- Review and quality-check assessments, helping to make clear and confident decisions in more complex cases.
- Make sure all assessments are completed on time and to the high standards we expect.
- Ensure all recruitment meets regulations and our high standards
About You
We’re looking for someone who is:
- Passionate about helping children and young people
- Experienced in recruitment (ideally in fostering or social care)
- A confident leader who can support and motivate others
- Good at building relationships with different people and groups
- Able to use data to improve how we recruit
- Organised and able to work from home and travel locally
It’s a bonus if you have a background in social work or have worked in a charity before.
Our Values
We are:
- Child-focused – we put children at the heart of everything
- Caring – we act with kindness and compassion
- Fair and inclusive – we treat everyone with respect
- Transparent – we are open and honest
- Ambitious – we aim high for the children and carers we support
If this is something you would be interested in, please apply via email melissa@everpool recruitment.com or call Melissa Powell on 07561 705 697.
Fostering Social Worker employer: Everpool Recruitment
Contact Detail:
Everpool Recruitment Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Fostering Social Worker
✨Tip Number 1
Network with professionals in the fostering and social work sectors. Attend local events or workshops related to fostering, as this can help you meet potential colleagues and learn more about the community's needs.
✨Tip Number 2
Familiarise yourself with the latest trends and challenges in fostering. This knowledge will not only help you during interviews but also demonstrate your commitment to the role and the children you'll be supporting.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss your previous experience in recruitment and how it relates to fostering. Be ready to share specific examples of how you've successfully engaged with potential foster carers or improved recruitment processes.
✨Tip Number 4
Showcase your leadership skills by discussing any past experiences where you've managed a team or led projects. Highlight how you motivated others and achieved positive outcomes, as this is crucial for the role.
We think you need these skills to ace Fostering Social Worker
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant social work experience, particularly in fostering. Emphasise any leadership roles or community engagement activities that align with the job description.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that showcases your passion for helping children and young people. Mention specific experiences that demonstrate your suitability for the role and how you embody the charity's values.
Highlight Relevant Qualifications: Clearly state your social work degree and any additional qualifications or training related to fostering. This is crucial as the role requires specific educational credentials.
Showcase Your Leadership Skills: Since the role involves managing a small team, provide examples of your leadership experience. Discuss how you've motivated others and led initiatives in previous roles.
How to prepare for a job interview at Everpool Recruitment
✨Show Your Passion for Fostering
Make sure to express your genuine passion for helping children and young people during the interview. Share personal experiences or motivations that led you to pursue a career in fostering, as this will resonate with the charity's values.
✨Demonstrate Leadership Skills
As a Fostering Social Worker, you'll be managing a small team. Be prepared to discuss your leadership style and provide examples of how you've successfully motivated and supported others in previous roles.
✨Highlight Relevant Experience
Since required social working experience within fostering is a must, ensure you highlight your relevant experience clearly. Discuss specific cases or situations where you made a significant impact, showcasing your skills and knowledge in the field.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect scenario-based questions that assess your problem-solving abilities and decision-making skills. Think about potential challenges you might face in the role and how you would handle them, particularly in relation to recruitment and assessments.