Social Worker Adoption and Kinship

About the Role

Suffolk County Council is seeking an experienced Social Worker to join its Adoption and Kinship Team. This is an excellent opportunity to work within a specialist service, undertaking vital assessments that support permanence planning and positive outcomes for children and families.

The role offers flexible hybrid working, with the ability to work from home when not visiting prospective carers. The successful candidate will be required to undertake home visits across the region and attend team days in the office on Wednesdays.

Key Responsibilities

• Undertake comprehensive Kinship Assessments of prospective kinship carers within their home environments.
• Produce high-quality assessments, reports, and recommendations to support decision-making and court care planning.
• Assess the suitability of family members and connected persons who wish to care for children unable to remain with their birth parents.
• Work closely with children, families, carers, legal professionals, and partner agencies throughout the assessment process.
• Contribute to permanence planning for children through evidence-based assessments and recommendations.
• Maintain accurate and timely case records in line with statutory requirements and local procedures.
• Participate in team meetings, supervision, and service development activities.

Requirements

• Qualified Social Worker with Social Work England registration.
• Experience within Children''s Social Care, ideally including Kinship, Fostering, Adoption, Connected Persons Assessments, or Permanence Services.
• Strong assessment and report-writing skills.
• Experience preparing court-quality reports and contributing to care planning.
• Ability to work independently while managing a varied caseload.
• Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle.

Benefits

• -39 per hour Umbrella
• Flexible hybrid working arrangements
• Home-based working with autonomy and flexibility
• Supportive specialist Adoption & Kinship service
• Opportunity to make a lasting difference for children and families through permanence planning

This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. As this role is eligible for an Enhanced DBS check, applicants are required to declare any cautions and convictions that are not protected under current filtering rules.

If you''re an experienced Social Worker with a passion for kinship and permanence work, we''d love to hear from you.