Duty Social Worker

Location: Homebased - covering London, Surrey, Kent, Portsmouth & Dorset.

Hours: 35 Hours per week (Permanent) 

Salary: £32,450 p.a. + £3,613 London Weighting Allowance (if applicable)

(£29,700 salary + £1,500 & £500 OOH + £750 Homeworking)

Travelling will be required for team meetings and safeguarding meetings

TACT, the UK’s largest fostering charity and has been providing loving families for vulnerable children and young people across the country for over 25 years. Our reputation and growth rests upon our strength in providing successful placements. As a charity, we do not have shareholders who receive profits - we invest all of our surplus income into service, staff, carers, and children’s development.

Our vision is to provide better lives for our children and young people - find out more about our values here: https://www.tactcare.org.uk/about-us/

Our South London Team currently requires a dynamic and forward-thinking fostering Duty Social Worker to:

• Lead and manage the duty system effectively to increase placement numbers.
• Prioritise reduction of placement vacancies in the South East London, Kent & South Coast areas
• Supervise the Placement Officer.
• Engage actively and provide a support service to foster carers waiting for placements.
• Provide information and a response service to commissioners.
• Build relationships and liaisons with LA commissioners.
• Provide a duty service to Local Authority Social Workers and our foster carers in relation to current placements.

The successful candidate must have:

• BA or Master in Social Work or Dip SW, CSS or CQSW qualification
• Current Registration with Social Work England
• Completed a ASYE programme
• Experience of working in Children's Services
• A minimum of 1 years post-qualifying experience in family placement work or other childcare settings
• Understanding the impact of trauma on children.
• Ability to prioritise, plan and self-organise efficiently
• Capability to use electronic records systems and IT effectively, including participating in virtual meetings and webinars
• Experience of matching children and carers and reducing the number of vacancies
• Experience of offering advice and guidance to foster carers in a crisis including on out of hours rota duty
• Supervisory experience
• A proven track record in working with and on behalf of children in respecting and maintaining their individuality and promoting their positive development

An Enhanced DBS Check is required for this role which TACT will process for the successful candidate.

The Duty Social Worker will be required to participate on the out of hours’ rota and will be paid £1,500 per annum for this duty.  

The Duty Social Worker will also receive a placement allowance of £500 per annum.

TACT's Benefits include: 

• 31 days paid holiday (not including BH)
• Flexible working arrangements
• Income protection scheme in case of long-term sickness after 2 years of employment
• Death in service insurance cover
• Workplace Pension
• Perkbox discounts
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Wellbeing Programme
• Loyalty Awards
• Friendly family policies
• Learning & Development opportunities.

More details on all aspects of the role can be found in the downloadable Job Description and the Applicant Benefits Booklet.

Closing: Midnight on Monday, 1st November 2021

​Interviews: Wednesday, 10th November 2021 (via Microsoft Teams)

Safeguarding is everyone’s business and TACT believe that only the people with the right skills and values should work in social work.  As part of TACT’s commitment to safeguarding, we properly examine the skills, experience, qualifications and values of potential staff in relation to our work with vulnerable young children.  We use rigorous and consistent recruitment approaches to help safeguard TACT’s young people.  All our staff are expected to work in line with TACT’s safeguarding policies.

TACT does not accept unsolicited CVs from external recruitment agencies nor accept the fees associated with them.

TACT reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so we advise you to submit your application as early as possible to prevent disappointment. Previous candidates need not apply.