Social Worker / Experienced Social Worker
Foster Wales RCT - Assessment Team (37 hours per week)
UNIT 2 MARITIME BUSINESS PARK, MARITIME INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, PONTYPRIDD
Grade 11 – Entry Social Worker grade and registration with Social Care Wales
Grade 12 – Experienced Social Worker grade ~ minimum of 3 years post qualifying experience and registration with Social Care Wales
Are you passionate about helping children grow up in safe, loving and stable families? Do you enjoy assessment work and making recommendations that have a lasting impact on children's lives?
If so, we'd love to hear from you.
We are looking for a Social Worker or Experienced Social Worker to join our busy, supportive and highly experienced Assessment Team within Foster Wales RCT.
Our specialist team undertakes a range of fostering and permanence assessments, including Form F Assessments, Connected Person Assessments and Special Guardianship Assessments. Working alongside children, families, carers and professionals, you will complete high-quality assessments that help children achieve stability, security and positive outcomes.
About You
We're looking for someone who:
- Has excellent assessment, analytical and report-writing skills.
- Can build positive relationships whilst maintaining professional curiosity.
- Is confident working with complex family situations and kinship networks.
- Is committed to anti-oppressive, strengths-based practice.
- Shares our passion for achieving the best outcomes for children and families.
What you will need:
- Degree or equivalent qualification in Social Work.
- Registration with Social Care Wales.
- Knowledge and experience of fostering, kinship care and permanence planning, including an understanding of the legislation, regulations and best practice that underpin fostering and Special Guardianship services.
- Experience of undertaking complex child and family assessments and making evidence-informed recommendations.
- Ability to exercise sound professional judgement and decision-making.
- Ideally have:
- Experience of completing Form F Assessments, Connected Person Assessments and/or Special Guardianship Assessments.
- Experience of presenting assessments to fostering panels, courts or other decision-making forums.
Why Join Foster Wales RCT?
At Foster Wales RCT, our work is guided by the RCT Model of Practice, with Collaborative Communication at its heart. We believe the best outcomes are achieved through strong relationships, meaningful conversations and working alongside families to understand what matters to them.
You'll be joining a well-established team with a wealth of experience, where reflective practice, learning and support are valued. This is a fantastic opportunity to develop specialist assessment skills while making a real difference to children's lives.
We offer:
- A supportive and experienced management team.
- Regular supervision and reflective practice opportunities.
- Access to our dedicated Learning and Development Centre.
- Flexible and agile working arrangements.
- Clear career progression opportunities.
- A generous employee benefits package, including:
- Leisure for Life membership discounts.
- Cycle to Work scheme.
- Local Government Pension Scheme.
Want to Know More?
For an informal discussion about the role, please contact:
Abigail Durrans
Team Performance and Practice Manager
Abigail.Durrans@rctcbc.gov.uk
Help us find families, strengthen relationships and create brighter futures for children across Rhondda Cynon Taf.
Protecting children and vulnerable adults is a core responsibility of all staff appointed to the Council.
In addition to this safeguarding responsibility, the successful applicant for this role will also be subject to an enhanced disclosure and barring service check.
The Council values diversity in its workforce. We are committed to ensuring that no unlawful discrimination occurs in the recruitment and selection process on the grounds of age, sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, transgender, including those with non-binary identities, religion or belief or pregnancy and maternity. We offer a number of staff networks for employees including the Allies Network, a Disability and Carers Network and Perthyn our LGBTQ+ Network.
An application submitted for this post in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application made in English.
As part of the Council’s longer term objectives in relation to the Welsh language and its Workforce Planning Strategy, it is committed to a guaranteed interview scheme for Welsh-speakers of Level 3 and above. If you meet the essential criteria as identified in the person specification for the job and are a Welsh-speaker of Level 3 and above, you will be invited to interview if you choose to participate in the scheme.
In view of the large number of Application Forms which are currently being submitted individual applications are not acknowledged. Consequently if you do not hear from us within four weeks of the closing date, please assume that your application is unsuccessful on this occasion. In which case you are thanked for the interest you have shown in applying for a position within the Council.
In support of the Council’s voluntary pledge to support the Armed Forces, the recruiter must always be prepared to ensure that applicants who have identified themselves as members of the Armed Forces including Service Leavers, Veterans or Reservists and who meet the essential criteria of the person specification, are offered an interview.
Care Experienced Leavers – Guaranteed Interview Scheme
As part of the Council’s corporate parenting role it is committed to supporting its care experienced leavers. This means anyone who has spent time within the care system at any point in their life. We encourage applications from individuals who are care experienced to enable them to access employment, education, experiences and volunteering opportunities.
The Council will guarantee an interview for any care experienced leavers who wish to take part in the scheme who meet the essential criteria for the role.