Adoption Support Worker - Birth Links

Job summary

Location: Flexible. An office base in one of the offices within the Adoption West region (Bristol, Gloucester or Trowbridge) and working from home.

Hours: 21 per week

Interview Date: Friday 8th December 2023

Adoption West is a Regional Adoption Agency and registered Voluntary Adoption Agency commissioned by Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Councils. Adoption West provides a range of adoption services including:

• The recruitment and assessment of prospective adopters
• Family finding services for children requiring permanency via adoption
• Post adoption support services
• Services to birth family and adopted adults

This is an exciting time to join Adoption West as we build on the solid foundations already in place and our Good rating from Ofsted.

We have a vacancy for a part time Support Worker in the Birth Links team and although the post will cover the whole Adoption West region and we welcome all applications, we are particularly keen to hear from applicants who are able to cover the Gloucestershire area.

Main duties of the job

Birth Links is the team within Adoption West, which provides independent 1:1 support and group work to birth relatives and adopted adults. The tasks the Support Worker will undertake include providing emotional support to birth relatives, giving and clarifying information about the adoption process, supporting birth parents to write a later life letter for their child, supporting birth parents to meet with the adopters of their child, liaising with childrens social workers and with letterbox support workers regarding contact plans, running birth parent groups and signposting to a range of other services.

You will need:

• A levels / National Diploma or equivalent experience/skills.
• Ability to prioritise tasks and work on own initiative against deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proven negotiation skills especially when working with customers who may be upset and stressed.
• Self-sufficient in planning and organising own work, including recording, storing and retrieving required data and information.
• An awareness of Government initiatives in relation to Adoption best practice and procedures.
• To be an active team player by contributing to the development of the service, ensuring the customer is always at the centre of such developments.
• Good I.T. skills.
• Fluent in English.
• A driving licence and use of a vehicle as travelling around the region is required.

About us

Adoption West:

• is an organisation with a wealth of experience and has a learning culture, committed to enabling the post holder to grow and develop in their role.
• provides support through supervision and training.
• offers flexible working arrangements, including job shares.
• provides a Local Government Pension Scheme and access to the Child Care vouchers scheme