Private Fostering Social worker

Private Fostering Social worker

Permanent, Full Time

£36,101 to £48,622 per annum

Location: Chelmsford

Working Style: Fixed-base worker

Closing Date: 4th June 2024

The Private Fostering Team offers a countywide service and is based in County Hall Chelmsford.

In Essex County Council we are "Serious about Social Work". Having won the Best Social Work Employer of the Year Award 2018 and been awarded 'Outstanding' by Ofsted this is an exciting time to join us. As if that wasn't enough, Essex has also been announced as a Partner in Practice by the Department of Education, and the Essex Social Care Academy (ESCA) is the only Local Authority team in the country to be accredited by BASW as a CPD provider. We have invested in our workforce and created a positive environment for our social workers to make a difference and achieve change for our most vulnerable children and families through direct relationship-based social work practice. We have supported our staff to have an understanding of systemic theoretical framework and models underpinning our interventions; to have access to the right tools, equipment and resources; and also the right supervision, training and learning opportunities they need to be strong practitioners.

Private Fostering

Private Fostering is when a child/young person under 16 (18 if disabled) lives with someone who is not a close relative for more than 28 days. This is a private arrangement between a parent and another adult (private foster carer).

Once the team are notified about a private fostering arrangement, the worker will go out to visit the arrangement, undertake safeguarding checks and complete an assessment to ensure that the child/young person is safeguarded and that the private foster carers are able to provide a reasonable standard of care. The Private Fostering Team then continue to regularly visit the arrangement, offering ongoing advice and support.

The Role

• Completing visits and assessments within required timescales.
• To provide support and guidance to private foster carers through regular home visits and telephone contact, including at least one unannounced visit every year.
• Direct work with children/young people.
• To monitor and review the care provided by private foster carers to privately fostered children/young people in their care, ensuring that they provide a safe, healthy and nurturing environment in accordance with the requirements of Private Fostering National Minimum Standards.
• To keep in regular contact with parents, keeping them up to date with information.
• To work within the national minimum standards for Private Fostering 2005, Children (private arrangements for fostering) Regulations 2005 and Children Act 1989 and 2004 section 44.

Accountabilities

• To work in partnership with professionals to ensure that children and young people have their assessed needs met.
• Attend Child in Need or Child Protection meetings or reviews as required.
• To participate in Private Fostering awareness raising to the public and professionals.
• Attend private fostering team meetings monthly and other meetings such as team development and service development activities.
• Attend supervision with the team manager once a month.
• Complete private fostering assessments and other required paperwork within required timescales.
• Ensure that written work is of a high standard and that reports are submitted in line with agreed time scales.
• Work within all Essex County Council policies and procedures.
• Ensure that Health and Safety is observed at all times
• Undertake any other tasks deemed reasonable within the role of Private Fostering Social Worker.

The Experience You Will Bring

• Diploma in Social Work, CQSW, CSS or equivalent.
• Social Work England Registration as a Registered Social Worker
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• IT/Word Processing Skills
• Evidence of recent practice at an experienced social worker level, supported by comprehensive working knowledge and experience within the field of practice in Children Services
• Preferably with experience of Child Protection work including section 47 investigations and assessments since the implementation of the Children's Act 1989.Considerable, recent experience of communicating with children of all ages and working in partnership with parents and/or carers.
• Experience in planning activities and programmes for children, young people and parents.
• Experience of Court work in relation to Child Care matters and have an understanding of the legal process.
• Detailed knowledge of current legislation pertinent to Child Protection (e.g. CA1989, CJA1991), Guidance and Regulations.
• Knowledge and understanding of child development, relating theory and practice.

To read more about us please visit: Children & Families

Please take a look at our 'No Magic' Children & Families video

The role requires you to be mobile throughout a wider operational area including travelling around the county of Essex and beyond, transporting service users and their belongings and to be able to do so in an emergency. Driving licence and car or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means is essential.

Why Essex? Essex County Council has a location to be proud of. Our 1,300 square miles stretch from Constable Country to the Thames Estuary, from the dynamic M11 corridor to the traditional seaside resorts of Clacton and Walton. England's oldest town, Colchester, and two of its newest - Basildon and Harlow - are right here. Along with the City of Chelmsford, the county town, they form our major population centres. It means real choice and makes Essex the ideal place for your career. Read more about us.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We're committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process.

We're also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

What you should do next

If you are interested in finding out more about this role, we would love to hear from you. Please apply via the Working for Essex website.

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

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If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email #####

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