Social Worker - Family Based Care Team, Almondbank House, Perth

Main Purpose of the Role

Working within Perth & Kinross Council is more than a job, it's about being part of an organisation that puts people at the heart of all we do and provides opportunities to make a real difference by enhancing every life we touch.

We currently have the following opportunity:

Social Worker, Family Based Care Team - PKC13575
£45,987 - £49,065
Almondbank House, Perth

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a social worker post in our well-established Family Based Care Team.   

Our team’s main responsibilities are the assessment and support of current and prospective foster and kinship carers. 

The role of the Social Worker includes:

• Assessments of prospective foster and kinship carers using the secure base model.
• Presenting assessments and reviews at Fostering and Permanence and Kinship panels.
• Recruitment of foster carers.
• Facilitation and development of the Skills to Foster Preparation training.
• Support, supervision and review of foster and kinship carers.
• Relationship based practice, being flexible and open-minded whilst supporting our carers to find solutions at times of crisis.  
• Organising events to support our carers.  
• Developing the services for the carers we support.
• Offering advice to other professionals regarding any potential foster or kinship referrals.

This post may be suitable for candidates who have recently completed their Social Work Degree but have not yet graduated.  In this circumstance, a Social Work Assistant contract will be offered until you receive your qualifying certificate and are eligible to register with the SSSC as a Social Worker.

Please note, we are currently unable to offer sponsorship for this post.

Skills & Experience Required

You must have a recognised qualification in Social Work. 

You will have knowledge and experience of working with adult assessments and be familiar with the secure base model 

You will be well organised, able to prioritise and manage competing demands. 

The role will also require you to be compassionate, confident and clear in your communication. 

You will be able to demonstrate high standards in written work and have a clear understanding of the needs of vulnerable children and families. 

You will need to be flexible, supportive and approachable.  

You will have a commitment to continued professional development. 

You must be registered as a social worker with the SSSC. 

You must have a valid UK driving licence as this post requires you to travel to a variety of locations across Perth and Kinross and beyond. 

Working at Perth & Kinross Council

Our values and behaviours influence our work and support us in the delivery of our key priorities. In your application, and should you be invited to interview, you will be asked to describe situations that support the criteria required in the role and which also demonstrate our values and behaviours. Find out more about Perth & Kinross Council and you could soon be joining our team!

Here's what we can offer you:

• A generous annual leave package
• 6 days public holiday and an additional discretionary day
• Eligibility to join our pension scheme
• Family friendly and positive work/life balance policies such as Flexible Working, Maternity, Paternity & Adoption leave, time off for volunteering and our Wellbeing Framework
• Access to a range of benefits
• Paid SSSC annual membership for relevant positions

We recognise there can be benefits to flexible working and where individual jobs allow, we seek to support this. You are encouraged to discuss potential options with the recruiting manager, if this is of interest to you. A healthy work life balance is important to us and we provide supportive management and, where possible, flexible working arrangements to help you achieve that balance. You will have access to training and support for continued professional development.

This role requires you to be registered with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC)

For purposes of connection and collaboration with colleagues and with the community we serve, our full-time employees work on site for a minimum of 2 days per week with the arrangements for part time employees being agreed on a basis which will ensure that they benefit to an equivalent degree.

Our FAQs on hybrid working can be found here Hybrid working FAQs

We are committed to being a more inclusive employer - to ensure we can consider any reasonable adjustments, please either contact the recruiting manager to discuss any individual circumstances, discuss at interview or, if you prefer, after any conditional offer is made.

Next Steps

We would love to hear from you and would encourage you to get in touch with Nancy Helm via email or MS Teams at nehelm@pkc.gov.uk to find out more.

Click “APPLY NOW”

External candidates are required to provide contact details for 2 referees, including email addresses. One of these must be your current or most recent employer.

We welcome applications from everyone and as a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee to interview applicants who declare a disability and meet the essential requirements of the post. Please contact the hiring manager above or the Recruitment Team on (01738) 475555 or recruitment@pkc.gov.uk to discuss any reasonable adjustments. Appointments are based on evidence supplied during the selection process.

Diversity is important to us and although some of our jobs may be perceived to be traditionally gender specific, we welcome applications from everyone and would encourage you to apply if you meet the job requirements. That includes welcoming applications from former armed forces personnel/reservists. Many of the skills picked up during your military career could be transferred directly into a role with local government.

Working with children and/or protected adults is regarded as a regulated role and under the Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020 you will be required to join the PVG Scheme or undergo a PVG Scheme update check.

If you have lived overseas for a period of 12 months or more (continuous or total) within the last 10 years, an Overseas Criminal Record Check will be required. You will be required to provide this check.

A confirmed offer of employment and commencement in the post will be subject to the outcome of the above mentioned mandatory pre-employment checks (including references) and will also include eligibility to work in the UK, qualifications and fitness to undertake the post.