37 hours per week
This is an exciting opportunity for a qualified social worker to join a dynamic, forward thinking and enthusiastic social work team.
The post holder will be required to support the fostering service by undertaking the following:
- Recruit, train and assess potential foster carers
- Provide robust supervision and support to foster carer
- Manage a case load and deliver on targets set by Legislation and Council requirements.
- To deliver or co present comprehensive training, Skills to Foster, to prospective foster carers in line with respective legislation and regulation requirements
- To contribute to data monitoring including collating and analysing feedback to inform service development
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest and second-most populous island in England. It is in the English Channel, between two and five miles off the coast of Hampshire, separated by the Solent, 11 minutes by Hovercraft. The island has resorts that have been holiday destinations since Victorian times, and is known for its mild climate, coastal scenery, and landscapes of fields, down land and chines. The Island is designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and over half is designated an area of outstanding natural beauty.
However, hidden behind all this beauty, many families really struggle, and we have areas of socioeconomic deprivation and child poverty. Parts have a low paid rural economy reliant on tourism and agriculture, which have been further affected by the covid pandemic. However, we also have dynamic international high-tech companies, national and local investment and world class sporting events; making the Isle of Wight a great place to live and work.
The Fostering and Adoption Team encompasses the Fostering and Adoption services for the Isle of Wight. This is structured into three hubs with an Assistant Team Manager heading each hub. The Fostering Recruitment and Assessment Hub, The Fostering Support Hub and the Adoption hub. The hubs have defined activities although the team work together when needed to support each other.
Our market supplement provides up to an additional £4k a year as you progress. You have 32 days annual leave a year + Bank Holidays to enjoy all what the Isle of Wight has to offer.
Isle of Wight Children’s Services has an OFSTED rating of ‘Good’ and here in the Fostering Service we are reviewing and redesigning our support offer to Foster Carers with the aim of increasing the recruitment and retention of Foster Carers, improving the quality of reflective supervision and creating the right conditions for social workers to focus on supporting their carers to promote positive outcomes for them and the children they care for.
We are seeking dedicated, skilled, and ambitious social workers who share our vision to grow the Island’s community of Foster Carers and get things right for our carers and children, at the right time, in the right place, with the right support and intervention.
Do you...
- Have skills in completing robust and analytical assessments
- Want a new challenge?
- Want to work in a dynamic environment?
- Want to focus on improvement and continual learning?
- Share our vision and ambition to increase the recruitment and retention of foster carers?
If the answer is yes, we would love to hear from you!
Our practice model is;
- relational
- strengths based
- solution focussed
- restorative
We embody this model in all our relationships. We embrace an inclusive culture and will support you in your role and challenge you to be your best.
For further information or an informal discussion, please contact the Assistant Team Manager: Tracey Restall at 01983 823081 or [email protected] or the Team Manager: Ashley Schofield at [email protected]
Join #TeamIWC and you'll receive our staff benefits package, including:
- Annual leave entitlement of 32 days p/a PLUS public holidays!
- Local Government pension scheme
- Discounted Solent ferry travel
- Island bus network discount
- Cycle to work scheme
- Staff parking permit scheme
- Discounted island sports & leisure gym membership
- National and local discounts & benefits schemes
- Relocation scheme of up to £8,000 may be available for some roles (subject to criteria)
- Travel allowance may be available if commuting from the mainland (subject to criteria)
To discover more about our careers please visit Jobs and careers - Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight Council currently does not have a license to sponsor overseas workers.
We actively promote the diversity of our workforce, and provide flexible working options (where appropriate) to support the different needs of our employees. We are an equal opportunities employer, proud to encourage applications from all cultures, backgrounds and abilities to better reflect the diversity within our local community.
We are a Disability Confident employer. Along with a number of commitments, this means, providing you meet the basic essential requirements of the advertised role and have declared yourself as disabled, you will be offered an opportunity for an interview within the council.
The Isle of Wight Council protects its employees from discrimination, and this is supported by;
unacceptable behaviour policy
employee code of conduct
The Isle of Wight Council’s Terms & Conditions of employment are available upon request. Please contact our recruitment team via [email protected] if you would like to receive a copy.
The Isle of Wight Council reserve the right to close vacancies earlier than stated, if required. To ensure your application is considered, it is recommended to submit your application promptly.
Please note, appointment to a regulated role will require you to provide additional personal details, including full employment history, referee information, and consent for any required safeguarding checks, as part of the Council’s commitment to safer recruitment and compliance with regulatory requirements.
This council and its schools recruit according to the council’s Recruitment, Policy and Procedure and are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share in this commitment.
The Isle of Wight Council is committed to supporting all newly qualified social workers (NQSWs) via a robust post-graduate competency framework, the ‘Assessed and Supported Year of Employment’ (ASYE). The ASYE is intended to be the first stage of continuing professional development for Registered Social Workers. The framework will be closely allied to the Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF). You will be therefore, be required to satisfactorily complete the ASYE programme within a 12-month period (or 18 months if part-time).
For support completing your online application or for further information on how to apply, phone 01983 823134 or email [email protected]. Only applications submitted online by the closing date will be accepted.
We often receive a high volume of applicants for our vacancies. If you do not hear from the recruiting manager within three weeks of the closing date, we regret that your application will not have been successful on this occasion. Please revisit our job page for alternate posts that may be suitable.
