Adoption Support Worker

Job description

Job summary

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The Support Worker post will operate within the adoption support service. The support worker will answer enquiries, provide support and undertake initial assessments for adoptive families contacting the Adoption Support Helpdesk. The role will include supporting families in crisis, giving information about adoption support services and processes, signposting to external services (including education and health), giving advice about therapeutic parenting, liaising closely with the Senior Practitioner and Manager on a daily basis and undertaking allocated tasks as required.

Main duties of the job

• A levels / National Diploma or equivalent experience/skills.
• Ability to prioritise tasks and work on own initiative against deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proven negotiation skills especially when working with customers who may be upset and stressed.
• Self-sufficient in planning and organising own work, including recording, storing and retrieving required data and information.
• An awareness of Government initiatives in relation to Adoption best practice and procedures.
• To be an active team player by contributing to the development of the service, ensuring the customer is always at the centre of such developments.
• Good I.T. skills.
• Fluent in English.
• A driving licence and use of a vehicle as travelling around the region is required.
• Experience of working with children and/or families

About us

Adoption West:

• is an organisation with a wealth of experience and has a learning culture, committed to enabling the post holder to grow and develop in their role.
• provides support through supervision and training.
• offers flexible working arrangements, including job shares.
• provides a Local Government Pension Scheme and access to the Child Care vouchers scheme

Job description

Job responsibilities

Specificduties and responsibilities include:

Asduty worker, to act as the front door for adoption service. Using problem solving skills to respond to allenquiries that come into the Adoption Team, providing advice and support insituations that may not be straight forward.

Toassist social workers in the assessment of the support needs and servicesrequired by adopted children and their families; This involves gatheringappropriate information from parents, children and other professionals inrelations to the childs needs and family functioning. Using skills to engagewith families often at a time of crisis to develop an understanding of theissues impacting on the family. Analysis and decision making with regards to theassessment will be jointly with a social worker.

Usingknowledge of the impact of trauma, separation, loss and adoption to work in acollaborative way with families encouraging and supporting them to establish approachesto parenting that improves and enhances the quality of family life andattachments.

Toundertake direct work with adopted children and young people to promote theirsense of identity, understanding of their life story and contribute to their wellbeing.

Tocomplete case records as required in accordance with the councils recordingpolicy and procedure.

Contributingto multiagency meetings to consider the eligibility of service users need. Working with partner agencies using creativityto develop packages of support that are responsive to the needs of individualchildren and families.

Totake responsibility for the direct provision of support to families identifiedby the team manager. This may involve the post holder identifying anysafeguarding concerns or where childrens needs are not met and reportingaccordingly to the Team manager in accordance with the councils procedures. Toreport regularly to the supervisor and/or team manager.

Tounderstand and support the different needs of members of the birth family andthe adoptive family when facilitating and or supervising direct contact; alwayspromoting the best interests of the child.

Toidentify and disseminate up-to-date information of relevant services,legislation and research to adopters in the Adoption West region.

Totake a lead role in facilitating the Letter Box arrangements between adoptedfamilies and special guardians and birth families. This involves managingchallenging situations and negotiation skills between all parties.

Toassist in the organisation and facilitation of social and support events andtraining for adoptive families to promote their access to learning, networkingand peer support.

Attendand contribute to team meetings. Take on duties and tasks to assist the developmentof the service.

Assistin the Home finding process for the children requiring adoption placements, byliaising with social workers and carers to write profiles of children,highlighting their particular needs.

Supportbirth parents/relatives on a 1-1 and group basis whose birth children have aplan of adoption

Abilityto travel on a daily basis and to undertake visits to families in their ownhomes or in other settings

To undertake suchother duties in respect of each case as directed by Adoption Managers.

Job description
Job responsibilities

Specificduties and responsibilities include:

Asduty worker, to act as the front door for adoption service. Using problem solving skills to respond to allenquiries that come into the Adoption Team, providing advice and support insituations that may not be straight forward.

Toassist social workers in the assessment of the support needs and servicesrequired by adopted children and their families; This involves gatheringappropriate information from parents, children and other professionals inrelations to the childs needs and family functioning. Using skills to engagewith families often at a time of crisis to develop an understanding of theissues impacting on the family. Analysis and decision making with regards to theassessment will be jointly with a social worker.

Usingknowledge of the impact of trauma, separation, loss and adoption to work in acollaborative way with families encouraging and supporting them to establish approachesto parenting that improves and enhances the quality of family life andattachments.

Toundertake direct work with adopted children and young people to promote theirsense of identity, understanding of their life story and contribute to their wellbeing.

Tocomplete case records as required in accordance with the councils recordingpolicy and procedure.

Contributingto multiagency meetings to consider the eligibility of service users need. Working with partner agencies using creativityto develop packages of support that are responsive to the needs of individualchildren and families.

Totake responsibility for the direct provision of support to families identifiedby the team manager. This may involve the post holder identifying anysafeguarding concerns or where childrens needs are not met and reportingaccordingly to the Team manager in accordance with the councils procedures. Toreport regularly to the supervisor and/or team manager.

Tounderstand and support the different needs of members of the birth family andthe adoptive family when facilitating and or supervising direct contact; alwayspromoting the best interests of the child.

Toidentify and disseminate up-to-date information of relevant services,legislation and research to adopters in the Adoption West region.

Totake a lead role in facilitating the Letter Box arrangements between adoptedfamilies and special guardians and birth families. This involves managingchallenging situations and negotiation skills between all parties.

Toassist in the organisation and facilitation of social and support events andtraining for adoptive families to promote their access to learning, networkingand peer support.

Attendand contribute to team meetings. Take on duties and tasks to assist the developmentof the service.

Assistin the Home finding process for the children requiring adoption placements, byliaising with social workers and carers to write profiles of children,highlighting their particular needs.

Supportbirth parents/relatives on a 1-1 and group basis whose birth children have aplan of adoption

Abilityto travel on a daily basis and to undertake visits to families in their ownhomes or in other settings

To undertake suchother duties in respect of each case as directed by Adoption Managers.

Person Specification

Experience

Desirable

• Experience in working with adoptive families
• Experience of work in a childrens social care or similar setting

Qualifications

Essential

• A levels / National Diploma or equivalent experience/skills

Person Specification
Experience

Desirable

• Experience in working with adoptive families
• Experience of work in a childrens social care or similar setting

Qualifications

Essential

• A levels / National Diploma or equivalent experience/skills

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name

Wiltshire Council
Address

Adoption West

Bythesea Rd

Trowbridge

Wiltshire

BA14 8JN

United Kingdom

Employer's website