Social Worker | Fixed Term | Fostering Kinship Assessment | Preston

Salary 36363 - 40777 Per Annum Fixed Term 37 Hours Per Week Preston

International Sponsorship this role isnotopento international sponsorship

Social Worker Fostering - Kinship Assessment

Our fantastic Kinship Assessment Team currently has two opportunities for dedicated Social Workers to join us on a fixed-term basis

• 1 x Maternity cover until October 2026
• 1 x Sabbatical cover until December 2026

About us...

Lancashires Fostering Service is an exciting and dynamic place to work we are focused on improving our service in co-production with our children foster carers and staff team.

All fostering teams work in partnership with all of Lancashires Childrens Social Care teams to ensure childrens care plans are progressed with minimum delay and children are provided with the best possible care attending the required meetings to ensure appropriate planning at the early stages of a childs arrival when considering Lasting Homes and to support stability for our children and fostering families. The Fostering Service seeks to build positive relationships with professionals working with our families ensuring a strengths-based approach when meeting our children and carers needs.

About the role...

As a social worker within the Kinship Assessment team youll be responsible for undertaking viability assessments of proposed Kinship foster carers and Special Guardians as well as preparing and assessing prospective Kinship foster carers and Special Guardians. You will have a keen eye for detail as the role will also involve compiling assessment reports to present to the fostering panel and the Court.

Although the team is based in Preston you will be required to travel across the county as required therefore access to car and the ability to drive would be essential.

About you...

Were seeking a dedicated qualified Social Worker who holds a Social Work England addition to this essential qualification were also looking for Social Workers who are:

• Passionate Were searching for social workers motivated by their passion to help others as youll be responsible for undertaking viability assessments of proposed Kinship foster carers and Special Guardians as well as preparing and assessing prospective Kinship foster carers and Special Guardians including compiling assessment reports to present to the fostering panel and the Court.
• Collaborative We need social workers who are excellent communicators with the interpersonal skills needed to collaborate well with others youll converse well with the team and have the people skills needed to adapt to each situation and respond in the manner needed as an experienced social worker youll be self-aware and use the appropriate language to both children care givers and professionals whilst being reflective of your approach this is a fantastic opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of others and assist in supporting vulnerable children within our community this heart warming role really does assist in improving outcomes for children and families so if youre ready to share your knowledge then wed really love you to join us!

Reasons to join us

• Benefits: Theres fabulous flexibility and the opportunity to create the work life balance youll love with 26 days annual leave which rises with length of service 8 Bank holidays and 2 additional days at Christmas we also have a generous local authority pension with shared AVCs available and a benefits package that will exceed your expectations long service award Employee Assistance Programme support groups cycle to work schemes and 24/7 employee assistance plus much more!
• Development: you will get support and development along the journey there will be time for supportive reflection and supervision for yourself opportunities for personal growth and development multidisciplinary initiatives mentoring apprenticeships the opportunity to make a difference feel valued and achieve the job satisfaction youve always wanted plus all the benefits of working with Lancashire County Council. We are also committed to developing the training and skills of our social workers we embrace diversity and that includes around personal and family requirements therefore we support an array of flexible working opportunities to attract diverse talent.
• Inclusive: We take inclusivity seriously and would like to improve the diversity within our teams to better reflect the people and communities we serve so we are particularly keen to hear from you if you are a person of colour from the LGBTQ community or have a disability

How to apply...

To apply for this position please click the Apply Now button below and ensure you submit:

• Up to date CV
• Supporting Statement

Should you have any queries regarding the role please contact Kevin Goosey Team Manager for an informal discussion.

Email: or Tel:

Closing Date: 8th February 2026

The post you are applying for is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013). If successful you will be required to apply to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) for a disclosure. Further information can be found on the Our Recruitment Process tab.

You must be registered (Social Work England) to be appointed as a Social Worker.

You will be required to provide a car for use in connection with the duties of this post and must be insured for business use.

We reserve the right to close down a vacancy early before the closing date if we receive sufficient applications.

Job Description & Person Specification