Social Worker – Children & Families (Fostering)
Location: County Hall, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 1UD
Pay Rate: £31.50 per hour
Hours: 37 hours per week
Working Pattern: Monday to Friday
Contract: On-Going
Start: Immediate start or short notice preferred
Are you an experienced Children’s Social Worker with a background in fostering and supporting vulnerable children and families?
We are seeking a dedicated and knowledgeable Social Worker to join the Children & Families service at the Isle of Wight Council, supporting foster carers to provide safe, stable and nurturing homes for children in care.
This is an excellent opportunity for a social work professional with fostering experience who is passionate about safeguarding children, strengthening foster placements and ensuring the highest standards of care.
Key responsibilities
- Assess foster carers’ support needs and ensure children receive appropriate care tailored to their individual needs.
- Supervise and support mainstream and kinship foster carers to maintain safe, nurturing placements.
- Ensure compliance with Fostering Regulations and National Minimum Standards.
- Monitor household checks, including DBS clearances, health assessments and safer caring policies.
- Work closely with placement teams and children’s social workers to identify suitable foster placements.
- Prepare high-quality assessments, annual reviews and professional reports.
- Attend Fostering Panel meetings to present reviews, variations and relevant reports.
- Promote safeguarding, placement stability and positive outcomes for looked-after children.
Essential requirements
- Recognised Social Work qualification, such as a Social Work degree, DipSW or CQSW.
- Current Social Work England registration.
- Significant post-qualifying experience in Children’s Social Care.
- Proven experience in fostering, looked-after children or children in need services.
- Experience assessing and supervising foster carers, including mainstream or kinship carers.
- Strong knowledge of fostering legislation, regulations and statutory guidance.
- Excellent assessment, analytical, report-writing and safeguarding skills.
- Enhanced DBS clearance required.
- Must have the right to work in the UK.
Make a meaningful difference in the lives of children and foster families by helping create safe, stable and supportive homes.
Please note: Immediate availability or the ability to start at short notice is preferred
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