Full job description

Reading Borough Council | £42ph | Hybrid WorkingAre you an experienced Children’s Social Worker with a strong background in Kinship Care, Special Guardianship, Connected Persons Assessments, Fostering or Permanence Planning?
Reading Borough Council is looking to appoint a skilled Consultant Practitioner to join its Kinship & Permanence Service, playing a key role in securing safe, stable and long-term family placements for children in care.
This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced practitioner who enjoys complex assessment work while also supporting service development and mentoring colleagues.
Key Responsibilities*Complete Viability Assessments, Regulation 24 Assessments, Full Kinship Foster Carer Assessments, Special Guardianship Order (SGO) Assessments, and Private Fostering Assessments.
*Produce high-quality, evidence-based assessment reports with clear recommendations.
*Present assessments to Fostering Panels and provide professional evidence within Court Proceedings where required.
*Support and prepare Kinship Carers, Connected Persons Carers and Special Guardians to provide safe and stable placements for children.
*Provide direct support and guidance to Regulation 24 carers looking after children in Reading’s care.
*Chair Placement Planning Meetings and Placement Support Meetings.
*Lead on service development projects and contribute to improvements within the Kinship & Permanence Service.
*Mentor, coach and support less experienced Social Workers and colleagues.
*Deliver training and practice guidance relating to permanency planning, kinship care and adoption.
*Undertake quality assurance work, case audits and support preparation for Ofsted inspections.
*Build strong working relationships with families, carers, courts and multi-agency professionals.
*Ensure safeguarding concerns are identified, managed and escalated appropriately.
*Maintain accurate case recordings and ensure compliance with relevant legislation, policies and procedures.
Requirements*Social Work England Registration.
*Significant post-qualified experience within Children’s Services.
*Experience completing Kinship, Connected Persons, SGO, Fostering or Permanence Assessments.
*Strong report writing and analytical assessment skills.
*Experience presenting to Fostering Panels and/or Court.
*Ability to manage complex cases and work autonomously.
*Excellent multi-agency working and communication skills.
Location & Rate*Reading Borough Council
*Hybrid Working (Minimum 3 days per week onsite)
*£42 per hour
If you are interested in discussing this opportunity, please send your CV or get in touch today.
Adarsh Parihar
Senior Recruitment Consultant | Eden Brown Synergy



Eden Brown Synergy is an equal opportunities employer.


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