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, 31 days holiday, and a supportive environment.
- Other info: Home-based role with travel; includes training opportunities and a focus on community engagement.
- 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.
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 in Derby employer: Everpool Recruitment
As the UK’s largest dedicated fostering charity, we pride ourselves on creating a supportive and flexible work environment that empowers our employees to make a meaningful impact in the lives of children and young people. With competitive salary progression, generous holiday allowances, and a strong commitment to employee development, we offer a unique opportunity for Fostering Social Workers to thrive while working from home and engaging with local communities across East, North and West London, Essex, and Hertfordshire.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Fostering Social Worker in Derby
✨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 Everpool 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 Everpool 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 Everpool 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 Everpool 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 Fostering Social Worker in Derby
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 Everpool Recruitment:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Everpool 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 Everpool 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.
