Job Description

About The Role

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Social Work Co-ordinator vacancies in the Fostering Team and Permanence Team

One full time permanent post in the Fostering Team and one part time post in the Permanence Team

Islington's Fostering and Permanence Teams are looking for experienced administrators to join our teams as a Social Work Co-ordinator (SWC). We are busy, but enthusiastic and welcoming teams. We need SWCs to be part of a team which is committed to working to achieve the best fostering and permanence outcomes for children who are looked after.



As a SWC, your primary function is to provide enhanced administrative support in meeting the demands of frontline practice. You will work pro-actively and co-operatively within the service to ensure that timely and accurate information about activity and performance is produced and collated as required. You will maintain statistical information to agreed deadlines and a high level of accuracy. This includes managing and maintain multiple detailed spreadsheets to provide data to senior managers when requested.

As an experienced administrator in the Permanence Team

- you will support a team of Social Workers who are assessing family members to become permanent carers to children who cannot live with their birth parents. You will also work with social workers who support Special Guardians once an Order is made.

As an experienced administrator in the Fostering Team -

you will support a team of Social Workers who are assessing people interested in becoming foster carers in undertaking checks and references. You will be staffing the enquiry line and screening calls from members of the public interested in becoming foster carers. You will be involved in arranging events and information sessions to promote fostering which will involve some evening and weekend work.



For both teams, you will keep on top of collation of data, referrals to the team and help social workers organise their time to enable them to meet tight deadlines. You will be expected to help the social workers to stay organised and help them prioritise their tasks. You will be skilled in using appropriate databases, Microsoft Office, and other ICT systems to produce reports, spreadsheets, and other documents as required supporting the service and assist others in the use of information technology systems when required.


As a SWC in the Fostering and Permanence teams, you will be expected to liaise with other professionals involved in children's lives, including our Legal Department and medical advisor. You will also be expected to support social workers by liaising with families and meet with carers in the office to help them with completing forms. As SWCs you will also take minutes at various meetings, process invoices, organise travel bookings and send and receive post. You will deal sensitively with enquiries or telephone messages, logging calls accurately and alerting social work staff or managers immediately to any issues requiring immediate attention.



If you wish to discuss the role, please contact Team Manager, Kokila Chauhan, kokila@chauhan@islington.gov.uk for the Fostering Team and



Maureen Molloy, Maureen.molloy@islington.gov.uk for the Permanence Team

Note to Recruitment Agencies:

We kindly ask that recruitment agencies do not contact us regarding this vacancy. We are managing the recruitment process internally and will reach out directly should we require external support. Thank you for your understanding.

Working for the team, service and our organisation

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Islington is a place rich with diversity and culture. As a council our sense of purpose couldn't be clearer: we serve. It's in the logo. We are committed to challenging inequality in the borough and as one of the largest employers we know that to look after the place and the planet, we have to look after our people.

Together we can change the future.

We are determined to create a more equal Islington, where everyone who lives here has an equal chance to thrive.



To do this, everyone who works at Islington Council lives by a set of values which guide us in everything that we do: collaborative, ambitious, resourceful, and empowering. They spell out 'CARE', which is what we think public service is all about.

Our offer to you

We are committed to challenging inequality in the borough and as one of the largest employers we know that to look after the place and the planet, we have to look after our people. Our staff benefits include:
Up to 31 days leave per year, increasing to 36 days after five years of local government service A range of flexible working arrangements to maintain a healthy work-life balance, as well as a 35-hour working week Learning and development opportunities to maximise your potential Competitive pay and a commitment to paying all staff the London Living Wage at minimum Excellent local government pension scheme Cycle to Work scheme and discounted gym memberships Local discounts from restaurants, shops, health and beauty therapists, and more!

Please note:

Priority will be given to those at risk of redundancy within Islington Council. Current employees who are part of the redeployment pool must meet the essential criteria for shortlisting to be prioritised.

Workforce Equality, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Statement

We are dedicated to creating an inclusive and equitable workforce, where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. Our workforce strategy places equality, equity, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of everything we do, reaffirming our commitment to fostering a culture of inclusion. We strive to create an environment where all colleagues feel they belong and can safely express their thoughts, ideas, and challenges, without fear of judgement or discrimination.



We maintain a zero-tolerance approach to any unlawful discrimination, harassment, or victimisation on the grounds of any protected characteristics under the 2010 Equality Act, including but not limited to race, disability, sexual orientation, sex, religion and belief, age, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy, and maternity. Any incidents of discrimination will be promptly investigated and addressed in line with our HR policies to ensure a safe and inclusive environment for all colleagues.



We use data to identify and address disparities, ensuring that our policies and practices are transparent and impactful in promoting a diverse representation of backgrounds and perspectives at all levels of the organisation. We look at inequality through an intersectional lens, recognising that different aspects of someone's identity can combine to create unique experiences of discrimination and disadvantage.



We know that advancing diversity and inclusion is a continuous journey, and we must listen to our colleagues and learn where we can further improve. We work closely with our Colleague Forums and Trade Unions, supported by active allies from our Corporate Management Team, to monitor and evaluate our practices, identify barriers, and empower colleagues to promote equality and inclusion in the workplace.



Every one of us has a role to play in making Islington Council a truly inclusive workplace. By living out our CARE (collaborative, ambitious, resourceful, and empowering) values every day and embedding the principles of equality, equity, diversity, and inclusion in our work, we can all actively contribute to empowering people and creating a more equal Islington.

Safeguarding

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, and expects all staff, and volunteers to share this commitment. Some posts are subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

The post is subject to

a enhanced DBS check with children barred list, qualifications check and 3/5 years referencing.

Disability Confident Scheme

Islington Council operates a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria and we are committed to providing support to applicants who request reasonable adjustments to be made during the recruitment process and throughout their career with us.