We are looking for an exceptional and dynamic Social Worker to join the ACE team

Set up almost 4 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. Based on a Hub and Spoke model. Warwickshire County Council is the host agency for the regional adoption agency.

This vacancy is within the Central Spoke Team based in Warwick. Spoke social workers provide post order support offering a range of therapeutic support to adoptive families, letterbox contact, young people’s groups, stay and play and 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.

Both the Hub and Spoke social workers provide a wide range of training to adoptive parents to ensure they have the understanding of the impact of their child’s early trauma, develop their insight to therapeutic parenting and support their children to build long trusting relationships in the future.

All social work staff are required to develop their understanding and practices based upon the principles of Dyadic Developmental Practice (DDP). Social workers will support adoptive families and offer the sort of attuned, empathic, responsive care that builds their child’s capacity to seek comfort, to experience curiosity and to experience joy in this relationship.

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 new environment as our aim is to ensure that adopters are prepared and supported to parent in an emotionally connected way, taking account of the therapeutic, developmental and behavioural needs of their children. You are able to work in a multi-agency environment to ensure all the needs of adopted children are met.

You are 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 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.

For further information please see the Job Description and Person Specification.

Additional information

This organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you would like to discuss the role informally, please contact:

ACE Central Team Manager – Fiona Chikumbirike – fionachikumbirike@aceadoption.com

or ACE Operations Manager, Spokes – Louise Hathaway - louisehathaway@aceadoption.com

Closing date: 03 November 2021

Interview date: 12 November 2021

Our method of application is online, please note, CV’s should not be 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 particularly encourage applications from global ethnic majorities (GEM), individuals with disabilities and men, who are currently under-represented within WCC within this service area. 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.