Southend On Sea City Council

Supervising Social Worker - Fostering Support Team - Permanent

The closing date is 30 November 2025

Job summary

Southend on Sea Council's Fostering Support Team are looking to appoint a permanent, full time Supervising Social Worker to train, assess, supervise and support Foster Carers in their role of looking after children and young people. Ensuring that the highest professional standards and a good overall knowledge of relevant childrens and fostering legislation, regulations and practice methods are met.

Main duties of the job

You will provide an efficient service to children, young people, their families and fostering families, ensuring that the needs of children and their parents and carers are professionally assessed. You will be required to investigate, evaluate and analyse information on cases, demonstrating clarity of assessment, reliability of information, evidence in conclusions and realistic action plans. As well as this, you will need to develop practice which takes a holistic view of the individual, locating them in their immediate and extended social circles and having full regard to their overall development needs.

The team has an average of 15 cases per person.

Duty will be undertaken in the office approx 3 days a month, with an on-site team meeting every other week. The post is hybrid, but you will be expected to be on site a minimum of 2 days a week.

Please click the link below to meet Southend's Fostering and Adoption Service Manager Sonia Asaa, where she talks about joining the service.

Click here

About us

Our vision is a Southend Where All Children Achieve Success. By joining Southend City Council as a Supervising Social Worker, you will be key in making our vision a reality for all children. You will be joining a service where we demonstrate with pride that:

  • All paths lead back to the child.
  • We spend time getting to know each child and their story.
  • We do what we say we're going to do.
  • We work with the whole family.
  • No matter what, we aim to make things better.

You will provide support to work to the highest standard using our model of practice, Restorative Practice, to deliver the vision. You will access a professional social work development offer that has been designed by social workers, whatever stage you are at in your career. You will be given regular restorative supervision and separate supervision focussing on development and evidencing your SWE registration. We want everyone to take the lead in an area of interest for your team, and you will explore this with your line manager.

Details

Date posted

24 October 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

Depending on experience £38,862 - £45,091

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

F0033-25-0019

Job locations

Southend-on-sea City Council

Victoria Avenue

Southend-on-sea

SS1 9SB


Job description

Job responsibilities

To provide a supportive and efficient service to children, young people, their families and fostering families ensuring that the needs of children and their parents and carers are professionally assessed.

To investigate, evaluate and analyse information on cases, demonstrating clarity of assessment, reliability of information, evidence in conclusions and realistic action plans.

To develop practice which takes a holistic view of the individual, locating them in their immediate and extended social circles and having full regard to their overall development needs.

To ensure that all casework and foster care services comply with statutory requirements, fostering regulations/Nat minimum standards and the Councils policies and procedures.

To ensure that investigations, enquiries and assessments are completed to high professional standards within agreed timescales.

To use ICT as required to maintain adequate case recording as directed in the service procedures.

To ensure that all case management complies with statutory requirements and the Councils policies and procedures.

Job description

Job responsibilities

To provide a supportive and efficient service to children, young people, their families and fostering families ensuring that the needs of children and their parents and carers are professionally assessed.

To investigate, evaluate and analyse information on cases, demonstrating clarity of assessment, reliability of information, evidence in conclusions and realistic action plans.

To develop practice which takes a holistic view of the individual, locating them in their immediate and extended social circles and having full regard to their overall development needs.

To ensure that all casework and foster care services comply with statutory requirements, fostering regulations/Nat minimum standards and the Councils policies and procedures.

To ensure that investigations, enquiries and assessments are completed to high professional standards within agreed timescales.

To use ICT as required to maintain adequate case recording as directed in the service procedures.

To ensure that all case management complies with statutory requirements and the Councils policies and procedures.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Degree in Social Work, DipSW, CQSW, CSS or equivalent
  • HCPC Registration

Desirable

  • Experience of multi-disciplinary working
  • Experience of working with foster carers
  • Practice experience and ability to apply assessment skills within a statutory social work setting
  • Skills in assessment of carers
  • Ability to provide support and guidance to carers

Fostering experience

Essential

  • To be successful in this position, you must be able to work in the UK, have a recognised Social Work qualification and be registered with Social Work England and have completed your ASYE. You will need to have two years' experience of working with foster carers and have working knowledge of fostering regulations and national minimum standards.
  • You will need strong communication skills and be able to organise yourself and others. In addition, you will need to have a driving licence and have use of a car.
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Degree in Social Work, DipSW, CQSW, CSS or equivalent
  • HCPC Registration

Desirable

  • Experience of multi-disciplinary working
  • Experience of working with foster carers
  • Practice experience and ability to apply assessment skills within a statutory social work setting
  • Skills in assessment of carers
  • Ability to provide support and guidance to carers

Fostering experience

Essential

  • To be successful in this position, you must be able to work in the UK, have a recognised Social Work qualification and be registered with Social Work England and have completed your ASYE. You will need to have two years' experience of working with foster carers and have working knowledge of fostering regulations and national minimum standards.
  • You will need strong communication skills and be able to organise yourself and others. In addition, you will need to have a driving licence and have use of a car.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Southend On Sea City Council

Address

Southend-on-sea City Council

Victoria Avenue

Southend-on-sea

SS1 9SB


Employer's website

https://www.southend.gov.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Southend On Sea City Council

Address

Southend-on-sea City Council

Victoria Avenue

Southend-on-sea

SS1 9SB


Employer's website

https://www.southend.gov.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Senior Business Manager

Nathalie Storozynski

nathalie.s@hays.com

01702352452

Details

Date posted

24 October 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

Depending on experience £38,862 - £45,091

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

F0033-25-0019

Job locations

Southend-on-sea City Council

Victoria Avenue

Southend-on-sea

SS1 9SB


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