Social Worker - Fostering

Social Worker – Connected Care (Fostering) | Blackpool Council

Position: Social Worker
Team: Connected Care (Fostering)
Contract: Locum
Hours: 37 hours per week
Pay Rate: £38–£41 per hour
Location: Blackpool, Lancashire
Contact: Emily Cooper – 07745200325 | ecooper@sheldon-phillips.com

Sheldon Phillips are working with Blackpool Council to find an experienced Social Worker to join their Connected Care Team (Fostering) on a locum basis. This is a fantastic opportunity for a practitioner with strong experience in kinship care and fostering to work in a team that is focused on providing children with safe, stable care within their extended family networks.

The role will involve completing kinship and connected person assessments, contributing to care planning within court processes, and working closely with Family Safeguarding Teams to ensure robust and child-focused decision-making.

What You Can Expect:

  • A stable, well-structured fostering service committed to the Kinship Care Strategy

  • Flexible working arrangements (hybrid considered)

  • A team that prioritises high-quality assessment, family engagement and permanency planning

  • Supportive management and experienced colleagues

  • A focus on safe, sustainable family-based placements

Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Complete detailed Connected Persons Assessments (Regulation 24 and full assessments)

  • Liaise closely with the Family Safeguarding Team and contribute to multi-agency care planning

  • Prepare high-quality, analytical reports for court proceedings

  • Apply working knowledge of fostering regulations and National Minimum Standards

  • Demonstrate a strong understanding of kinship care, including Special Guardianship

  • Assess family and friends carers' strengths and support needs, using a balanced and creative approach

  • Ensure assessments are timely, evidence-informed, and aligned with the Government’s Kinship Strategy

  • Support permanency planning for children who cannot live with their parents

Requirements:

  • Social Work England (SWE) Registration

  • A recognised Social Work qualification

  • Post-qualified experience in fostering or connected care

  • Sound understanding of kinship care legislation and assessment frameworks

  • Familiarity with fostering regulations and National Minimum Standards

  • Experience of court-related work and multi-agency planning

  • A thoughtful, child-centred approach to assessment and family support

Contact: Emily Cooper – 07745200325 | ecooper@sheldon-phillips.com