Supervising Social Worker - Placements & General Fostering

We are looking for a dynamic, enthusiastic and knowledgeable Social Worker to supervise foster carers and complete annual reviews in line with regulatory requirements.
You will undertake Form F assessments for prospective general foster carers and support those applicants through the assessment process, proactively support the recruitment of foster carers and have up to date knowledge of Fostering Regulations.
You will be involved with our developing peer support for foster carers by attending support groups, attend/organise support and development workshops for foster carers. You will also play a key role in supporting the retention of carers by supporting events for carers and the children in their care at key times of the year and supporting consultation events.
The role will involve collaborative working across all the Childrens teams within the Local Authority, in particular the Care Experienced Team who support children looked after. We also work closely with the Kinship and Permanence Team who supported connected persons foster carers and Special Guardians and share Duty.
Bridgend County Borough is a great place to live and work. It occupies an enviable position between Swansea and Cardiff and stretches from the scenic valleys to our beautiful coastline - presenting easy access to urban centres as well as picturesque rural and coastal settings. With excellent schools, affordable housing and excellent public services, there is something for everyone here, and plenty to do all year round to support work/ life balance.
As a member of the fostering team, you will benefit from being part of a well-established, supportive and stable staff team. who provide a range of foster care placements to children and young people who are looked after by Bridgend County Borough Council.
In addition to providing emergency, short term and long-term foster care placements, we also operate specialist schemes such as transitional Foster Carers, parent and child and short breaks. We want the best Social Workers to join us, where we work closely with foster carers and other professionals to ensure the best outcomes are achieved for our children and young people.
To ensure that our foster carers are well supported, supervising social workers have manageable caseloads and can access support workers, who deliver tailored support packages to carers and children. You will also have access to consultations with a behaviour analyst to support placement stability and carer wellbeing.
You will receive a robust induction, regular reflective supervision as well as additional support and mentoring where required. We utilise the Signs of Safety model of practice and will offer support and training to practitioners joining us who have not received this training or worked with this model previously. We are a reflective organisation that continuously builds on its strengths and is committed to the principle that the most effective way of improving outcomes for all Children, Young People and Families is through the provision of accessible, universal services.
For further information on working as a Social Worker in Foster Wales Bridgend, please contact: Alex Fitzpatrick (Alex.Fitzpatrick@bridgend.gov.uk)

The ability to greet customers through the medium of Welsh is a requirement for this post.

Protecting children, young people or adults at risk is a core responsibility of all council employees.

Criminal records check by the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) is a requirement for this post.

A valid driving licence is requirement for this post.

The council's Hybrid Working Policy applies to this post. This provides a framework for establishing how you will undertake working hours between your home and the office.

Closing Date: 14 May 2025

Shortlisting Date: 22 May 2025

Interview Date: 05 June 2025

Benefits to working at Bridgend County Borough Council

Job Description & Person Specification