Independent Social Worker

About Coram

Coram is committed to improving the lives of the UK’s most vulnerable children and young people.

We support children and young people from birth to independence, creating a change that lasts a lifetime.

Coram is the UK’s oldest children’s charity founded by Thomas Coram in London helping vulnerable children and young people since 1739. Today, the Coram group helps more than one million children, young people, families and professionals every year by providing access to the skills and opportunities they need to thrive.

About Coram Adoption

Coram Adoption, a member of the Coram Group of charities, has over 40 years’ experience in finding permanent loving families for children needing adoption. As a voluntary adoption agency, we work mostly in London and Home Counties and in partnership with ten local authorities to deliver the Coram Ambitious for Adoption regional adoption agency.

We are committed to making adoption happen for children where this is the plan and are very proud to be working with our adoptive families and our adopted young people in shaping the future of the service. We maintain the very best of local authority adoption practice and continue to be rated an outstanding Adoption Agency by Ofsted. Coram Adoption is a member of CVAA, the Consortium of Voluntary Adoption Agencies.

At Coram Adoption, everyone is passionate about what we do because we understand that our work is life changing for the children and families we support.

We are seeking to recruit experienced freelance Social Workers to assess applicants for their suitability as adoptive parents and Early Permanence carers. You must be able to take work in London and the surrounding counties. Applicants must be self-motivated, able to work to deadlines and be flexible in meeting the needs of the applicants and the agency. Substantial experience in adoption work is essential. An Induction and ongoing training will be provided.

In addition to adoption experience applicants interested in working with Coram Adoption should also have the following credentials:

• A Social Work qualification and registration with Social Work England
• At least three years post-qualifying experience in children's social care settings
• Experience of completing adoption assessments and writing Prospective Adopters Reports.
• Willingness / ability to travel to applicants' homes as well as conducting video meetings
• A good understanding of the issues affecting adopted people, and particularly those from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds.
• To apply for this role, please click on the 'apply now' button below to complete the application.

Main duties:

• To assess applicants for their suitability as adopters using the CoramBAAF Prospective Adopters Report (PAR).
• To assess applicants for their suitability to be dually approved as foster carers to provide Early Permanence placements for children whose plan may become adoption.
• To set clear timescales with applicants and with the Agency for the assessment process aligned to the statutory timescales for completing prospective adopters assessments.
• To prepare reports, either full or brief for the Adoption Panel.
• To attend for supervision sessions as and when required by the Line Manager within the Recruitment Assessment Team.
• To prepare summary reports of all contacts with applicants.
• To participate in Agency training as and when required.
• To adhere to Agency policies and procedures including those on confidentiality and record keeping.

Other Duties

• Undertake any such other tasks as may be reasonably requested from time to time by the relevant manager.

Coram is an equal opportunities employer and we believe a diverse workforce enables us to improve the services to the children and families we help. We are genuinely committed to encouraging candidates from all sections of the community we seek to support. This includes those from, Asian, African, Caribbean and other minority ethnic backgrounds, those that identify as LGBQT+, those with disabilities, those with lived experience of care, those with neuro-diversity, and those from other groups who are underrepresented at Coram.

If applicants feel comfortable, we would encourage them to draw on lived experience as well as professional experience in their personal statement as part of their application.

We are committed to the safeguarding of children and where appropriate will require the successful applicant to undertake a check from the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Registered Charity No. 312278.