Adoption Central England (ACE) - Regional Adoption Agency
Social Worker opportunities exist in ACE
Salary Scale K/L - Pro rata for part-time posts
Opportunities are available in the regional adoption agency to join an experienced staff group committed to providing the best possible service to children and adoptive families through adoption.
Set up 5 years ago, ACE is the regional adoption agency for Coventry, Solihull, Herefordshire, Warwickshire, and Worcestershire. ACE provides the full range of adoption services including assessment of adoptive parents, support to adoptive families including therapeutic interventions, independent support to birth families, services to adoptive adults including access to adoption records and step-parent adoption work. Our offer to you.
HUB – Recruitment, assessment and placement
The Hub is concerned with the recruitment, preparation and assessment of adoptive parents and matching and placement of children. Hub social workers also provide support to adoptive families for 12 months after the child is adopted.
Spoke – Post adoption support
The Spoke social workers, following an assessment of need, provide post order support offering a range of therapeutic support to adoptive families including young people’s groups, stay and play, family-based activities, birth records counselling and non-agency assessments. This work is underpinned by adoption best practice and knowledge of attachment, developmental trauma and DDP informed principles.
We have 6 vacancies in the service and would welcome interest and applications from social workers with 3 years post qualifying experience in statutory childcare practice.
Key requirements
All applicants need to have knowledge of children’s social work and adoption practice and a strong commitment to ensuring permanency, healthy and developmentally enhancing experiences for children. You will be prepared to work in a dynamic and ever-changing environment as our aim is to ensure that adopters are recruited, prepared and supported to parent in an emotionally connected way, taking account of the therapeutic, developmental and behavioural needs of their children. You must be able to work in a multi-agency environment and in partnership with the Children’s Teams across the region, to ensure all the needs of adopted children are met.
You must also be willing to embrace the principles of Dyadic Developmental Practice (DDP) and will be supported to develop these skills and to bring the attitude of PACE into your relationships with adopters, colleagues and stakeholders. Our aim to support social worker’s capacity for connection, regulation and reflection. You will be committed to supporting adopters to understand and help children recover from trauma and loss and to feel secure in their new family, ensuring long-term placement stability and resilience.
Finally, you will need to be able to work flexibly and efficiently recognising that ACE is a regional agency and be willing to deliver services on an individual, family and group work basis that on occasions may require evening or weekend working.
Find out more about Warwickshire Children & Families Service
For further details please see the Job Description and Person Specification.
Additional Information:
Warwickshire County Council are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS disclosure.
For information about the vacancies in the Spoke teams please contact:
Louise Hathaway - Operations Manager
louisehathaway@aceadoption.com
For information about the fixed term Hub position please contact
Jemma Fordham – Operations Manager
jemmafordham@aceadoption.com
In your Personal Statement please state which post and base you are applying for or if you are making a general application and prepared to be considered for any of the vacancies
Closing date: 30 March 2023
Interview dates: 18 & 20 April 2023
To apply for this vacancy please click on the 'Apply' button.
Our method of application is online, please note, CV’s should not been submitted unless asked to do so.
If you are unable to apply using the 'Apply' button please contact the Recruitment Centre on hrandpayroll@warwickshire.gov.uk including your contact details and any relevant screenshots.
You will be notified of our shortlisting decision via email, so please check your email on a regular basis after submitting your application.
As part of being a Disability Confident employer we guarantee to interview anyone with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post. By ‘minimum criteria’ we mean that you must provide us with evidence in your application form which demonstrates that you generally meet the level of competence required for each competence, as well as meeting any of the qualifications, skills or experience defined as essential in the person specification.
Should you require application forms in an alternative format / language or any adjustments to be made throughout the application process or upon appointment, please contact hrandpayroll@warwickshire.gov.uk and we will make every effort to meet your specific requirements.
Warwickshire County Council (WCC) is committed to equality of opportunity for all employees and is keen to address areas of under representation in its workforce, this is because we really understand the importance of different voices, experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds within our workforce. Therefore, we strongly encourage applications from members of underrepresented groups. WCC has a number of staff network groups which provide peer support and safe spaces for employees who hold these and other identities. See more.