Job Description

Qualifications required:

To be considered for this role, you must hold one of the following:

• NNEB
• BTEC in Nursery Nursing
• NVQ Level III in Childcare and Education
• NVQ Level III Children and Young People
• Health & Social Care Level III (Children and Young People)

About the Role

We are seeking a dedicated and child-focused practitioner to join our busy and proactive team supporting Kinship Foster Carers and prospective Special Guardians. Your work will play a vital role in ensuring children can safely remain within their family or friends’ networks when they are unable to live with their parents.

You will prioritise safeguarding, stability and regulatory compliance, while providing high-quality support that improves the experiences and outcomes of children and young people.

What You Will Be Doing

• Supporting Special Guardians to provide safe, stable and nurturing homes.
• Ensuring practice meets the National Minimum Standards, Fostering Regulations and Care Planning Regulations.
• Accessing appropriate services to meet the needs of children, young people and their families.
• Promoting environments where children can:
• Stay safe
• Be healthy
• Enjoy and achieve
• Make a positive contribution
• Achieve economic well-being
• Keeping accurate, up-to-date written records and contributing to assessments and annual reviews.
• Attending and contributing to Foster Panel, planning meetings, reviews and case conferences, including presenting reports.
• Preparing written reports, using IT systems effectively, and giving evidence in court when required.
• Working collaboratively with partner agencies and the local community to support children and families.
• Transporting, supervising and facilitating contact as needed.
• Escorting or accompanying children, young people and families to interviews, appointments or admissions into care.
• Working in an anti-discriminatory, inclusive and child-centred manner.
• Planning, developing and implementing programmes of work.
• Formulating accurate assessments and prioritising your own workload effectively.

What We’re Looking For

• A practitioner with strong knowledge of childcare theory, legislation, equality, diversity, and community cohesion.
• Someone passionate about supporting some of our most vulnerable children to remain within their wider family networks.
• A team player with excellent interpersonal skills who can engage carers and build positive, supportive relationships.
• An innovative problem solver able to work using initiative.
• Someone with strong organisational skills and a commitment to high-quality practice. xbpsjku

About the Team

You’ll be joining a supportive team of Social Workers, Support Workers and other colleagues all dedicated to ensuring children across Wigan can remain in nurturing family settings where they cannot live with their parents.