Senior Supervising Social Worker; South

Position: Senior Supervising Social Worker (South)
Location: Vange

Senior Supervising Social Worker – South Home-based | South Region | Senior Practitioner Join 5

Fostering and help us make a lasting difference for children and families We are looking for an experienced and motivated Senior Supervising Social Worker to join our fostering team in the South. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced fostering or children’s social work practitioner who wants to combine high-quality direct practice with greater responsibility for supporting complex placements, developing colleagues and contributing to the continued development of our service.

At 5

Fostering, relationships matter. We want children and young people to experience safe, stable and nurturing family life, and we recognise the vital role that skilled, well-supported foster carers and social workers play in achieving this. About the role As a Senior Supervising Social Worker, you will manage a caseload of foster carers while providing enhanced support where placements are complex, high-risk or at risk of disruption.

You will work closely with foster carers, children and young people, colleagues and partner agencies to promote placement stability, strong safeguarding practice and positive outcomes. As a senior practitioner, you will also help strengthen practice across the service through mentoring, coaching and professional support to colleagues, students and sessional workers where required. Your work will include: providing high-quality, reflective supervision and support to foster carers;

taking a lead role in supporting complex or high-risk placements; responding to safeguarding concerns and contributing to effective risk planning; completing and presenting high-quality foster carer reviews; supporting placement stability and foster carer retention; contributing to foster carer recruitment, engagement and development; mentoring and supporting other practitioners; working collaboratively with Local Authorities and other professionals; and contributing to quality assurance, service development and continuous improvement.

About you You will be a qualified Social Worker registered with Social Work England , with significant experience in fostering or children’s social care. You will bring experience of complex safeguarding work and high-risk placements, together with strong professional judgement, assessment and analytical skills. We are particularly interested in someone who is confident working collaboratively, able to provide both support and appropriate professional challenge, and committed to child-centred, trauma-informed and relationship-based practice.

Experience of supporting or mentoring other practitioners would be an advantage. Working with 5

Fostering This is a home-based role , with travel across the South region and occasional wider travel as required. We are looking for someone who shares our commitment to safeguarding, inclusion, professional accountability and putting children and young people at the centre of our decision-making. You will be joining a growing independent fostering agency where you can contribute not only to the children, young people and foster carers you work with directly, but also to how our practice and services continue to develop.

How to apply

Please read the attached

Job Description and Person Specification for full details of the role.

To apply , please complete and return the attached Application Form in accordance with the instructions provided. Salary: £44,000 per year (subject to pay award increase in October 2026)

Hours:

37.5 hours per week Closing date: 11.59 on 21 September 2026 Interview date:
Interviews will be arranged on a rolling basis as suitable applications are received.

Please note:

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if a suitable candidate is appointed. 5

Fostering is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. The successful applicant will be required to undertake appropriate safer recruitment checks, including an Enhanced DBS check with a Children’s Barred List check .