Kinship Social Worker – Kinship Assessment TeamLancashire County Council – Fostering Service

Pay rate 36 LTD per hour inclusive of holiday pay or 28.63 PAYE exclusive of holiday pay

Location: Preston, Lancashire (countywide and occasional UK travel)

Lancashire County Council’s Fostering Service is seeking a committed and experienced Social Worker to join our Kinship Assessment Team, based in Preston. This is a rewarding opportunity to play a vital role in supporting children to remain within their family networks wherever it is safe and appropriate to do so.

The Kinship Assessment Team is a countywide service, with occasional out-of-county work across the UK. Travel is therefore required, with very occasional overnight stays depending on distance.
About the Role As a Kinship Social Worker, you will be responsible for assessing, supporting, and supervising Kinship foster carers and Special Guardians, ensuring high-quality, safe, and nurturing care for children looked after.
Key Responsibilities *Assessing and supporting Kinship foster carers and/or Special Guardians on behalf of the Directorate
*Undertaking viability assessments of proposed Kinship foster carers and Special Guardians
*Participating in a duty rota to complete Regulation 24 assessments
*Preparing and assessing prospective Kinship foster carers and Special Guardians, including compiling complex assessment reports for fostering panel and Court
*Supervising and supporting approved Kinship foster carers
*Ensuring high-quality care that meets the specific needs of children looked after, in line with all relevant standards and regulations
*Attending Children in Our Care (CIOC) Reviews, court hearings, and other safeguarding meetings as required
What We’re Looking For *A qualified Social Worker with current Social Work England registration
*Experience or strong interest in kinship care, fostering, and/or court-based work
*Strong assessment, report-writing, and analytical skills
*Ability to work flexibly across Lancashire and occasionally beyond
*A child-centred, strengths-based approach and commitment to achieving the best outcomes for children
Why Join Us? *Be part of a supportive, specialist kinship team
*Meaningful work that helps children remain within their family networks
*Opportunities for professional development and reflective practice
*Competitive local authority benefits and flexible working arrangements
If you are passionate about kinship care and want to make a real difference to children and families, we would love to hear from you.

Please email your CV to .uk or call