Job Description

Salary

up to 50,075 per annum (including a market supplement of 6k) per annum (Grade HI)

Contractual hours

37

Basis

Full Time

Package

Fixed Term - one year. Please note this position is open to secondments

Job category/type

Children Social Care

Date posted

17/10/2025

Job reference

REQ00000826



Are you a dedicated and passionate Social Worker looking for an exciting opportunity within the Family Placement Team at West Berkshire Council? We are seeking a Social Worker to join our Kinship Pod, reporting to the Assistant Team Manager, to provide exceptional support and services to our kinship care families.

The Role

As a Social Worker within the Kinship Pod, you will play a vital role in delivering high-quality social work services to children and families. Your key responsibilities will include:

Working collaboratively with the Assistant Team Manager to ensure the effective operation of the Kinship Pod Conducting assessments and providing appropriate interventions to support kinship care arrangements Building positive relationships with children, families, and external stakeholders Ensuring the safeguarding and welfare of children in kinship care Providing advice, guidance, and support to carers to promote positive outcomes for children Participating in regular supervision and team meetings to ensure effective case management


The ideal candidate will possess the following skills and attributes:

Qualified Social Worker with relevant registration (e.g., Social Work England) Experience working within a Family Placement or similar environment Sound knowledge of legislation, regulations, and best practices related to kinship care Excellent assessment, intervention, and report writing skills Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build effective relationships Ability to work collaboratively within a team and across multi-agency partnerships Effective time management and organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise tasks Resilient and adaptable, with the ability to manage challenging situations

Please note this role is Fixed Term for one year from start date - Time limited project.

West Berkshire Council offer excellent employment benefits such as:

Flexible working wherever possible between the hours of 07.00-21.00 Hybrid working wherever possible working 40% in the office Access to a wide range of training and development opportunities Generous Local Government pension scheme Family friendly policies A range of local discounts Wellbeing Programme including Employee Assistance Programme and employee benefits You will also be entitled to a generous annual leave entitlement starting at 29 days per annum (plus public holidays) Rising by an additional 5 days after 5 years' service.


Please note that the closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Ananda Bodenstein at email Ananda.Bodenstein@westberks.gov.uk.

This role requires the incumbent to have a car available at work to undertake their duties, as they will be expected to undertake at least 1,500 business miles per year. Essential Car User status attracts a lump sum allowance paid on a monthly basis

Join us at West Berkshire Council and make a positive impact in our community while advancing your career.

Explore everything that a career with West Berkshire Council has to offer here: Working with Us

Equal Opportunities

The Council supports Equal Opportunity of employment, and positively encourages applications from people who fall within any of the nine protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.

How to apply

Please now complete a short online application form. You will then be able to upload your CV.

This role has been identified as public facing in accordance with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016; the requirement to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in English applies.

West Berkshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all its staff and volunteers to share these values. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment. Successful candidates will be offered employment subject to Disclosure and Barring Service checks along with other relevant employment checks.

This privacy notice applies to job applicants applying for vacancies with West Berkshire Council https://info.westberks.gov.uk/pnapplications