Social Worker- Adoption

Contract Type: Permanent

Salary: Grade H. Scale 29 - £19,931 to Scale 34 - £22,545 with a professional bar at SCP 31 £ 20,885** (Actual Salary)

Hours Per Week: 18hours

Base

Location:

Tameside One

Assessment Date
:
To be arranged

We have an exciting opportunity for a qualified social worker to join our Adoption Service, which is delivered by the Regional Adoption Agency Adoption Now.

Since 2017 Adoption Now has combined local authority adoption teams from Blackburn with Darwen, Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale and Tameside with VAA’s Caritas Care & Adoption Matters to deliver outstanding adoption services across the region.

You will join a dynamic, innovative team comprising of experienced social workers from all six local authorities. The role specified has responsibility for the recruitment, assessment, training and support of prospective adopters. You will be involved with families at all stages of the adoption process, from first enquiry through to adoption orders.

Though employed by Tameside Council, with a local base, you will be seconded to the RAA and your work will take you across the Adoption Now region and will include some hybrid working from home and at our Hub in Bolton town centre.

Adoption Now has three work streams;
Recruitment and Assessment of Adopters, Family Finding and Adoption Support. The role available is a permanent part time post in the Recruitment and Assessment of Adopters workstream. In completing the application form, please weight your evidence with this workstream in mind.

You will have a strong commitment to achieving the best possible outcomes for looked after children, be registered with Social Work England and preferably have post-qualifying experience in a statutory childcare setting, ideally including work in an adoption service. Specific experience in adopter recruitment is desirable, but all applicants must have particular strengths in report writing, social work analysis, and confidence as a trainer and facilitator.

The role involves the preparation of extensive reports for Panels and Courts, delivery of preparation groups to prospective adopters and training to colleagues and other professionals as required. You will have knowledge of relevant legislation, statutory guidance and national minimum standards including the Children Act 1989 & the Adoption and Children Act 2002.

The role requires the ability to manage and prioritise the demands of a busy caseload and complete work to target timescales. Work must be reliably recorded on the appropriate systems. Evening and occasional weekend work is required, as is distanced car travel. There is an expectation that you will be part of the team duty system on a rota basis and contribute to the development of team initiatives.

We offer regular supervision and annual appraisal. Other benefits include transfer of continual service from other Local Authorities, Local Government Pension Scheme as well as training opportunities.

You will be valued for the skills and experience that you bring to the service, and you will be encouraged to build on them, with a keen eye on your Continuous Professional Development. You will be encouraged to take part in a range of training and team activity that will contribute both to our service delivery as a whole and to your own knowledge and skill base.

Message from Jill Colbert, Director of Children’s Services

“I joined the council at the beginning of 2025 and was instantly charmed by the warmth, openness, and energy of colleagues.

I came to Tameside for one reason; because I know we can do fantastic things for our families here.

We’re a children’s service on a significant improvement journey. We know what needs to be different for our children and families and we’re ambitious to deliver that change.

We have a growing range of specialist services for children, where you can test and grow your skills and practice. We have a Social Work Academy that is led by people who bring passion to learning and who know that the DCS’ of the future are right in front of them. We are working on our progression pathways so that staying in Tameside is rewarded and recognised.

We have…