Family Finding Social Worker - Adoption

Overview

An exciting opportunity exists to join Buckinghamshire Council Adoption Service as a Family Finding Social Worker. The Family Finder within the Adoption Service is responsible for identifying and progressing long-term matching for children who have a care plan of adoption. This role is essential in ensuring that children achieve permanency. 

The role requires a social worker who is able to form close relationships with children and to work collaboratively with their involved professionals to develop an in-depth understanding of the child’s needs for an adoptive family. In consultation with adoption team social workers, foster carers and the child’s social worker, the family finder will help to make an informed decision on adopters ability to meet a child’s assessed needs as part of the matching process.

In addition to the salary advertised, if you are appointed to Grade 7 salary, you will also receive a market premium of £2,750 per annum.

Take a look at our Children's Social Care Candidate Pack to find out more.

About us

Buckinghamshire Council is committed to ensuring that every child in our care has the opportunity to grow up in a safe, loving, and permanent family. Our Adoption Team works tirelessly to find and match adoptive families for children who need stability, care, and a fresh start after experiencing adversity.

We are seeking a passionate, skilled, and child-centred Family Finding Adoption Social Worker to join our dedicated team. This is an exciting opportunity for a motivated professional who shares our vision of achieving the best possible outcomes for children.

About the role

Main responsibilities:

• Leading on family finding activity for children with a plan for adoption.
• Preparing profiles, reports, and assessments to support high-quality matching decisions.
• To always promote the safety and well-being of children and young people.
• To establish a rapport and build a relationship with children to ascertain their views, wishes and feelings and understand their lived experiences through direct work with them and ensuring the needs of the child remain central throughout the adoption process.
• To work collaboratively in partnership with child care social workers, prospective adopters, and partner agencies and promote a strength-based, relationship-focused model of approach.
• To develop, as appropriate, relevant support plans to ensure prospective adopters can meet the assessed needs and circumstances of children.
• Attending matching panels, planning meetings, and regional collaboration events.
• Supporting siblings, older children, and children with additional needs to find the right family.
• To identify any areas of assessed need that cannot be met and to systematically record the details to report to the Assistant Team Manager.
• To practice by the agreed performance and quality best practice standards and take appropriate remedial action to address audit feedback and management recommendations as required.
• To prepare for regular, reflective supervision and annual performance appraisal and progress agreed priorities and actions promptly.
• To bring to the notice of the Assistant Team Manager any perceived failure of a commissioned service/provider to deliver the agreed level of service.

For a full list of responsibilities please see attached job description.

About you

We would like to hear from Social Workers who:

• Have a social work qualification.
• Have an active SWE registration.
• Have completed or are ready to start their ASYE.
• Have a working knowledge of legislation and guidance which applies to adoption.
• Have experience of working with Looked after Children or with adopters.
• Have knowledge of research, inquiries and recent studies affecting this sector of service and an ability to monitor its application in practice.
• Have strong written communication skills.
• Will care enough to go the extra mile.
• Will importantly, share our dedication and passion to improve the lives of children and young people.

Please see attached job description for more information on criteria.

Other information

If you would like to find out more about the role, please contact Rachel Farrell at [email protected] for an informal discussion.

Closing date: Midnight on Sunday 30th November

Interview date: 15th or 16th December

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

Buckinghamshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

• All unspent convictions and conditional cautions
• All spent convictions and adult cautions that are not protected (i.e. that are not filtered out) as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2020 and 2023).

For further information on filtering please refer to Nacro guidance and the guidance published by the Ministry of Justice (see, in particular, the section titled ‘Exceptions Order’).

Our values

We have a set of values, which our employees have chosen, that represent what we are – Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.

By joining Buckinghamshire Council, you can expect:

• a fair and inclusive culture
• the chance to really make a difference to those around you
• health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
• a unified voice through our Employee Representative Group
• ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
• opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events

At Buckinghamshire Council, we know that our biggest strength comes from the people that work for us, and that’s why we’re working hard to ensure we continue to be an accessible and inclusive organisation.

From dedicated staff networks overseen by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, to proudly standing as a Disability Confident employer, it’s important to us that all our colleagues feel engaged, listened to, and valued. Our offer of flexible working empowers a productive and happy workforce and allows employees to combine work with other responsibilities and commitments.

We believe our workforce should reflect the diverse communities we service in Buckinghamshire, and are looking for like-minded individuals to join us in promoting equality, fairness, and inclusion for everyone.

We recognise and reward you

Hard work and success deserves recognition. That’s why we pride ourselves on the benefits we give our people. We actively encourage a good work-life balance and promote flexible and agile working arrangements.

We provide discounts on various Cafés, restaurants and shops, a generous employer pension contribution in line with the Local Government Pension Scheme, discounts on gym memberships and more - https://jobs.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/working-buckinghamshire-council/

Social Workers are also entitled to a generous enhanced reward package, as follows:

• Competitive salary with a market increment
• A ‘Golden Hello’ lump sum payment upon successful completion of probation
• Annual leave up to 30 days per year, as well as other types of leave and the opportunity to buy further leave
• Up to 15 days per year training, learning and development offer
• Free parking across all of our office sites 

If you are interested in relocating to Buckinghamshire and working with us, relocation packages are also available.