Qualified Social Worker – Fostering

South and South East Service – Bournemouth Area
Salary: Up to £39,547 per annum
Plus: £4,500 Car Allowance + On-Call Allowance
Contract: Permanent | Full-time | Hybrid Working Available

The South and South East Fostering Service is committed to delivering high-quality support to foster carers and children across the Bournemouth area. With a strong focus on relationship-based practice and placement stability, the service provides a supportive environment where social workers can make a genuine difference to the lives of children and young people.

As part of ongoing investment in fostering services, this is an exciting opportunity to join a dedicated team focused on supporting carers, promoting permanence, and helping children achieve positive outcomes.

About the Role

As a Qualified Social Worker within the Fostering Team, you'll work closely with foster carers, connected persons carers, and children in care to ensure fostering arrangements are safe, stable, and supportive.

You'll provide supervision and support to foster carers, undertake assessments and reviews, and contribute to care planning and permanency arrangements. Working alongside colleagues and partner agencies, you'll play a key role in strengthening fostering placements and supporting carers to meet the needs of children and young people.

This role is ideal for an experienced children's social worker looking to develop or continue a career within fostering services.

Key Responsibilities

• Supervise and support foster carers and connected persons carers.
• Undertake fostering assessments, annual reviews, and support visits.
• Promote placement stability and positive outcomes for children in care.
• Contribute to care planning, permanency planning, and statutory reviews.
• Prepare reports and assessments for fostering panels and meetings.
• Work collaboratively with children, families, schools, and partner agencies.
• Maintain accurate records and ensure compliance with fostering regulations and standards.
• Support service development and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives.

Practice Model

The service is committed to relationship-based and strengths-focused practice, recognising foster carers as key partners in achieving the best outcomes for children.

Social workers are encouraged to build meaningful relationships with carers and children, providing reflective support and professional guidance that promotes stability, resilience, and long-term success.

Working collaboratively with colleagues and partner agencies, you'll help ensure children experience safe, nurturing, and well-supported family environments.

Requirements

• Social Work degree or equivalent qualification.
• Social Work England registration.
• Post-qualifying experience within children's social care.
• Experience within fostering, looked after children, safeguarding, or permanence services is desirable.
• Strong assessment, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to work effectively within a multi-agency environment.
• Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle.

Benefits

• Salary up to £39,547 per annum.
• £4,500 annual car allowance.
• Additional on-call allowance.
• Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Comprehensive learning and development opportunities.
• Supportive management and supervision.
• Hybrid and flexible working arrangements.
• Employee wellbeing and assistance programmes.
• Generous annual leave entitlement plus bank holidays.
• Career progression opportunities within a developing service.

Interested?

Contact Josh Da Costa at Sheldon Phillips on 01635 226350 or 07513 834554, or email jdacosta@sheldon-phillips.com to discuss this role in more detail.

Referral Bonus: Know someone perfect for the role? We offer up to £500 for successful referrals.