Social Worker; Fostering

Contract: Permanent

Hours: 29.6 per week over 4 days, or full-time hours will be considered

Salary: NJC Grade H1/H2 SCP 27-35 £ 38,220 - £46,142 pro-rata per annum

Closing Date: Friday 19th June 2026 at 12 noon

Priority: This post is open to employees currently On Notice/At Risk and Internal. Applications from employees currently on Notice/At Risk will be given priority. On Notice/At Risk employees should complete the application form as normal; upon submission you must email the Recruitment Team –  to ensure that your application form is marked as priority.

An opportunity has arisen for a Social Worker to join the Fostering Recruitment & Assessment Team. The role involves supporting the recruitment, assessment and approval of foster carers, alongside providing essential support to the Kinship Care Team through the completion of kinship care assessments.

Applicants will ideally have experience in fostering and completing Form F and/or Form K assessments. The post requires the ability to undertake both mainstream fostering assessments and kinship assessments, ensuring a proportionate, child‑centred approach that balances regulatory requirements with the needs of children and their families.

Strong assessment and report‑writing skills and a robust safeguarding background. You must be registered with Social Work England.

• Pay: Our salary offer is strong and candidates recruited from the same or similar role may be eligible for a salary match within the above salary banding.
• Genuine flexible working: Family‑friendly patterns such as flexible start/finish times and state‑of‑the‑art technology support, so you can work from home.
• Small teams, clear line management and practice development support.
• Caseloads: Manageable, varied and appropriate to your role.
• Easy and regular access to senior leadership team & Principal Social Worker.
• Social Work England registration fee is paid.
• Annual leave: 26 days’ annual leave (rising to 28 after 5 years & 32 days after 10 years) and the option to buy an additional 5 days on top of that via salary sacrifice.
• Encouragement to take your TOIL back.
• Supervision: Strengthened supervision policy supports building a trusting relationship with your manager.
• Leadership stability. DfE appointed Independent Commissioner.
• Career development focused on supporting your growth.
• Relocation support up to £8,000.
• Staff benefit scheme. Social Work Benefits and Diversity – Next Step Blackpool.
• Employee Assistance Programme: Provides counselling, financial or legal advice.
• Mental Health First Aiders.
• Principal Social Worker Best Practice Awards. Acknowledgement of staff commitment.

For further information, please contact Danielle McMahon, Team Manager on Danie or

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children/vulnerable adults. This post is subject to satisfactory reference history of at least two years, Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check, medical clearance, evidence of any essential qualifications and proof of Right to Work in the UK in accordance with the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and amendments to the exemptions order, which means that certain offences are protected and do not need to be disclosed. Guidance on filtering of offences can be found at New filtering rules for DBS certificates (from 28 November 2020 onwards) –  ().

For further information on health and wellbeing support on offer during your employment, please see here.