Location
Sutton, London Borough of Sutton

Hours
Full Time

Salary
£50,085 per annum

About the Role
Join Children Social Care as a Social Worker on a selected payscale and receive a Welcome Bonus of £1000 paid in your first month's salary, together with a generous Retention Bonus of £1000 after your first completed year, £2000 after your second, and £3000 after your third year and every year thereafter.

We are delighted to offer an exciting opportunity for a Post Order Special Guardianship Social Worker to join our Kinship Service within Children’s Social Care. Our mission is to empower children to achieve maximum independence and provide the necessary support to safeguard their well-being.

Key responsibilities include providing ongoing advice and information, referring to specialized support groups when necessary, conducting mandatory annual reviews of support plans and financial support, liaising with relevant professionals to support carers in meeting children’s needs, sourcing and arranging therapeutic support including access to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF), reviewing and managing discretionary financial allowances for special guardians, maintaining and updating the Post Order Team tracker, facilitating the Special Guardianship Support Group with Merton Council, and working closely with the Assessment team.

This role offers the opportunity to provide a kinship service that supports and offers long-term assistance to Sutton Special Guardians, promoting stability for children in their care. You will work in a dynamic and diverse environment that presents professional challenges and opportunities to expand your knowledge and skills in children’s social care. Our teams are recognised for developing outstanding care plans that prioritise the needs and voices of service users, integrating input from professionals, families, carers, and external agencies to ensure optimal outcomes.

We encourage applications from candidates with excellent communication skills and a compassionate approach, capable of managing high levels of emotional distress. Experience in Children’s Services, particularly kinship services, and a passion for person-centred care are highly valued. You will join a welcoming, supportive, and energetic team dedicated to providing first-class supervision and ongoing professional development.

About the Borough
The London Borough of Sutton is located less than 30 minutes by train from Central London with direct connections to London Victoria and London Bridge. Sutton offers award-winning parks and open spaces, low crime rates, affordable housing, and excellent schools. The borough is committed to resident engagement and satisfaction, providing quality services while addressing financial challenges.

Sutton is investing in the health, wellbeing, and education of its residents and future generations as outlined in the “Ambitious for Sutton” corporate plan. Home to the Royal Marsden Hospital and the Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton is developing the London Cancer Hub, a world-leading life-science district specialising in cancer research and treatment. This vision will create around 13,000 jobs and contribute £1.2bn annually to the UK economy.

The Council is a driving force within the South London Partnership, focusing on strategic growth, regeneration, and investment. Sutton aims to shape the future of the borough to make it a great place to live, work, and raise a family.

About the Service and Team
The Children’s Services department offers a supportive and inclusive environment for qualified social workers, including specialist support on challenging cases, regular structured supervision, and encouragement to participate and have their voices heard.

Working with Kingston University and regional partners as part of the Developing Together Social Work Teaching Partnership (SWTP), staff have access to a wide range of pre- and post-qualifying education opportunities to promote continuous learning and development. Staff are encouraged to support the practice education of social work students and those in the assessed and supported year in employment (ASYE). Opportunities include attending conferences, workshops, and access to research and practice resources.

Sutton Council also supports staff network groups such as the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic +A Network, LGBTQ +A Network, and Women’s +A Network to ensure staff have a voice to drive positive change within the organisation.

Our Offer to You
We are committed to helping you fulfil your potential by offering a supportive, friendly, and collaborative environment to grow your career and skills. We encourage ideas and innovation, supported by a dynamic and experienced management team.

Benefits include:
- Generous annual leave entitlement of 26-32 days plus bank holidays (pro-rata if part-time)
- Enhanced maternity, paternity, shared parental, adoption and dependents leave
- Two volunteering days per year
- Flexible working options and smarter working schemes
- Adjustable and agile working arrangements with Google Chromebooks
- Access to a learning and development portal
- Discounts on local shops, restaurants, gyms, and leisure centres
- Interest-free season ticket loans
- Local Government Pension Scheme
- Bicycle loan facilities and cycle to work scheme
- Electric vehicle leasing scheme
- Confidential health, wellbeing, and counselling support

Experience
- Experience working in Children’s Services is preferred, especially within kinship services.
- Experience working in a multidisciplinary team setting.
- Ability to manage high levels of emotional distress with compassion and professionalism.

About you
- Outstanding communication skills.
- Compassionate and person-centred approach.
- Enthusiastic about delivering high-quality social work support.
- Ability to communicate complex social issues clearly to both service users and professionals.
- Commitment to continuous professional development and learning.
- Ability to plan and coordinate social care plans and aspects of patient discharge.

Qualifications
- Registered with Social Work England.
- Degree in Social Care or a related field.