Adoption Support Social Worker

TL;DR

Adoption Support Social Worker: Assess support needs of adoptive families, birth families, and adopted adults, provide interventions, support plans, and deliver services including courses and family meetings. Focus on managing caseloads, conducting high-quality assessments, ensuring child safeguarding, identifying risks, and collaborating with multi-professional networks like education and social care.

Location: Onsite in Romford, United Kingdom (Town Hall, Essex, RM1 3BB)

Salary: Grade 7/8 - £43,680 - £53,172 pa

Company

Regional Adoption Agency (Adopt London East) providing adoption support services for London Boroughs of Havering, Barking and Dagenham, Tower Hamlets, and Newham.

What you will do

• Assess support needs and provide interventions for adoptive families, birth families, and adopted adults.
• Work alongside multi-professional networks including education, social care, and early help teams.
• Deliver core services: courses for parents and opportunities for adoptive families to connect.
• Complete assessments, support plans, prepare adoption records, and facilitate relationships with birth families.
• Manage caseload, carry out high-quality assessments and support planning.
• Identify risks, ensure safeguarding and protection of children and families.

Requirements

• CQSW, Diploma in Social Work or equivalent qualification and HCPC registration.
• Firm knowledge of current policy, practice, and ability to apply legislation.
• Excellent communication skills to build relationships with families in distress.
• Ability to manage caseloads, assess risks and needs, deliver protective/supportive services.
• Understanding of complex needs of adopted children, families, and adults.

Nice to have

• Experience working in an adoption service.
• Understanding of adoption-relevant issues.

Culture & Benefits

• Inclusive workplace considering applications on merits regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, faith, gender identity or sexual orientation.
• Responsibilities for safeguarding children, young people, and vulnerable adults (subject to DBS check).
• Excellent transport links to central London, town centre regeneration, highest concentration of green space in London.

Hiring process

• Submit supporting statement (max 2 A4 sides) explaining how you meet the criteria; anonymised recruitment - remove personal info from documents.
• Closing date: 19/04/2026; Shortlisting: 25/04/2026; Interviews: 06/05/2026.
• Contact Team Manager Belinda Bhatti for informal discussion.