Fostering Social Worker

What will you be doing?

Kent Fostering has a clear and ambitious vision to increase the recruitment of foster carers from within our local communities. We are committed to strengthening our support offer to foster carers across the county, improving retention, and developing carers’ skills and knowledge to ensure children experience stability, safety, and positive outcomes.

As part of ongoing developments within the service, the East Kent 2 Fostering Support Team is currently recruiting to a full-time Social Worker vacancy. This is an exciting opportunity to join a supportive and forward-thinking team at a time of positive change within Kent Fostering.

Our service continues to evolve to meet the diverse needs of children in care. As part of this, we are supporting foster carers who care for children with disabilities. While experience in this area would be beneficial, it is not essential, and we welcome applications from practitioners committed to developing their knowledge and skills in this field.

About the role

This is a varied and rewarding role where you will:

• Provide high-quality supervision, support, and guidance to foster carers and their families
• Deliver and contribute to training that enhances carers’ skills and confidence
• Work in partnership with fostering assessment teams to support the recruitment of new foster carers across Kent
• Promote placement stability by supporting carers to build strong, therapeutic relationships with children
• Support foster carers to understand the meaning behind children’s behaviour, using trauma-informed and relationship-based approaches to guide effective responses

You will be joining a team that is focused on strengthening placement stability and supporting carers to provide nurturing, resilient homes for children and young people.

About you

You will be a qualified Social Worker with a passion for fostering and supporting carers to achieve the best outcomes for children. You will bring:

• Strong relationship-building and communication skills
• A commitment to reflective practice and continuous learning
• The ability to work collaboratively within a multi-agency context
• A child-centred and trauma-informed approach

This post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure application to the Disclosure and Barring service and registration as a qualified Social Worker with Social Work England.

This role is subject to holding a Full UK Driving Licence – The Council is committed to making reasonable adjustments so whilst this job requires the jobholder to drive your application will still be considered if you are unable to drive due to a disability.

This post is considered by KCC to be a customer-facing position. The Council therefore has a statutory duty under Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) to ensure that post holders have a command of spoken English (or Welsh) sufficient for the effective performance of the role. The required standards are detailed in the Job Description/Person Specification.

Vacancy details

We are currently seeking to recruit 1 full-time Social Worker within the East Kent 2 Fostering Support Team.

Closing date: 10th August 2026

Interview date(s): 21st August 2026 at St Peter’s House

About you

For extra information, please contact:

Carla Wilkinson - [phone removed]

About us

Work that works for you and us - let's talk flexibility!

KCC is committed to building a workforce which reflects the diversity of the county's working residents, encouraging applications from people of all ages, abilities, genders, sexual orientations, ethnic backgrounds, faiths and those with caring responsibilities, and aspires to create an inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves at work.

Please note - if you are interested, please apply soon as possible as the closing date for this advert may be earlier than stated should a number of suitably qualified candidates apply.