Assessing Social Worker - Mainstream Fostering Recruitment & Assessment team

Job Introduction Assessing Senior/Social Worker (Fostering)
Mainstream Recruitment & Assessment Team Salary:
Grade PO1 – PO3, SCPs 27 - 35 - £39,481 - £47,665, permeant contract, 37 hours per week, Based at Sir Henry Mitchell, Hybrid – home working allowed.

Working for the Bradford Children and Families Trust offers the opportunity to work with some great people who are passionate about delivering change in a city whose culture offers as much diversity as it’s geography. You can make a real difference to families and children and be an active part in delivering the service Bradford families should receive.

We are fully committed to equal opportunities, and we welcome applications from all backgrounds.

About the Role The Fostering Service includes a Recruitment & Assessment Team and Assessing Social Workers who complete full mainstream fostering assessments.

Assessing Social Workers work closely with Fostering Recruitment Officers, who complete initial home visits.

Assessing Social Workers complete thorough, in-depth assessments (Bradford version of the ‘Form F’) within regulatory timescales and then present to Fostering Panel. Evening work will be required essing Social Workers deliver pre-approval training bi-annually.

Assessing Social Workers are expected to assist with foster carer training events and enrichment events.

Our strategic vision and values are upheld across the Trust, fostering a reliable and supportive environment for both staff and the children in our care.

Our approach is rooted in restorative and relational practice, fostering trust, mutual respect, and meaningful relationships with children, families, and professionals.

You’ll also need to:

Engage in supervision, manage workload independently, identify CPD needs.

Understand professional accountability, ethics, and legislation. anti-discriminatory practice, challenge inequality.

Understand developmental trauma, attachment theory, therapeutic parenting. critical reflection and analysis to decision-making.

Use judgement in complex cases, record analysis and decisions accurately.

Operate effectively in multi-agency settings, build collaborative networks.

Knowledge of the statutory and regulatory frameworks governing fostering, including the Children Act 1989, Fostering Services Regulations, and Care Planning, Placement and Case Review Regulations.

To be successful in this role you will need:

MA in Social Work, BA in Social Work, DIPSW, CSS, or CQSW.Registration with Social Work  able to drive and have access to a car.

You’ll also be joining an organisation that truly values its people, offering a range of benefits designed to support your wellbeing, growth, and work-life balance, including:

Retention Payment:
You will be eligible for our annual retention payment, paid in 12 monthly instalments. This is non contractual (reviewed annually)
Enhanced annual leave allowance, please refer to the benefits booklet

Excellent Local Government pension

Family-friendly policies and enhanced parental leave

Health & wellbeing support, including Occupational Health and counselling

Professional development and career progression opportunities

For full details of our benefits, please see the attached ‘Our Benefits’ brochure.

Bradford Children and Families Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all employees to share this commitment.

If shortlisted, you will be required to disclose relevant information regarding criminal history prior to interview.

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check including a check against the Children’s barred list, will be carried out on preferred candidates.

To arrange an informal discussion, please contact Team Manager Ben Whitehead Benjamin.whitehead.uk Closing Date: 29 November 2026

Interviews:
Thursday 17th December 2026

Internal candidates:
If you wish to for this secondment, you must obtain explicit consent from your line manager. A secondment does not affect your permanent role, and you will retain your permanent employee status throughout.

Salary Level 2 Social Worker - PO1 £ 39,481- £42,123 / Level 3 Social Worker - PO3 £ 44,253 - £47,665 per annum

Job Reference bradfordcft/TP/652/RE304

Contract Type Full Time / Permanent Closing Date 29 November, 2026

Job Category Corporate Parenting Location Bradford, United Kingdom Posted on 28 October, 2026