Social Worker Senior Practitioner - Adoption Team in Seaham, County Durham

Job Title: Social Worker Senior Practitioner - Adoption Team
Specialism: Social Worker Children's
Location: Seaham, County Durham, UK
Salary: £32.73 per hour
Type: Full Time

Join the Adoption Team in Seaham as a Social Worker Senior Practitioner, specialising in post-adoption support. This is an excellent opportunity to support adoptive families, children and young people, helping to identify their individual needs and secure appropriate therapeutic and specialist services. Offering an hourly rate of £32.73 on a full-time basis, this role combines office-based collaboration at Spectrum Business Park with home working and visits to families across County Durham and out of county. You will manage a post-adoption support caseload, working alongside experienced professionals to deliver high-quality assessments, interventions and ongoing support.

Perks and Benefits

• Competitive Hourly Pay: Earn £32.73 per hour in recognition of your specialist social work knowledge and experience.
• Full-Time Working Arrangements: Benefit from consistent full-time hours, Monday to Friday, providing structure and continuity.
• Hybrid Working: Work from home three days a week, with two days of office attendance at Spectrum Business Park in Seaham, alongside visits to families.
• Specialist Professional Experience: Develop your expertise in adoption support, therapeutic services and collaborative working with health, education and other professionals.

What You Will Do

• Undertake comprehensive and holistic assessments of adoptive families, children and young people, working collaboratively with children's services, schools, health professionals and other relevant agencies to identify adoption support needs.
• Regularly review assessments with adoptive parents, children, young people and therapists, ensuring support plans remain appropriate and responsive to changing circumstances.
• Prepare high-quality written and verbal reports, incorporating analysis, research, relevant life story information, child histories and updated assessments.
• Work effectively within a multi-professional environment, consulting with psychologists and liaising with health and education services to ensure children's assessed needs are appropriately addressed.
• Make full use of the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund, including preparing and submitting applications to secure timely access to specialist therapeutic support.
• Identify and utilise appropriate referral pathways, coordinating access to therapeutic providers and local authority services to meet the individual needs of adoptive families.
• Maintain accurate, comprehensive and timely case recordings, ensuring all relevant information is documented to a high professional standard.
• Respond promptly and effectively to safeguarding concerns, taking appropriate action and escalating matters where necessary to protect children and young people.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Relevant Social Work qualification.
• Current professional registration with Social Work England.
• Knowledge of adoption legislation, statutory guidance and adoption support services.

Experience

• Experience working within children's social care.
• Experience in adoption social work, ideally including post-adoption support.
• Experience undertaking holistic assessments and identifying the support needs of adoptive families, children and young people.
• Ability to prepare analytical reports and maintain high-quality case records.
• Experience working collaboratively with multidisciplinary professionals, including health, education and therapeutic services.
• Understanding of safeguarding responsibilities and the ability to respond appropriately to concerns involving children and young people.

Why Seaham

Seaham offers an opportunity to work within a specialist Adoption Team based at Spectrum Business Park, supporting families across County Durham and beyond. You will contribute to meaningful work with adoptive families, helping children and young people access the support and therapeutic services they need to thrive. With a combination of office-based collaboration, home working and family visits, this role provides varied working environments and the opportunity to make a positive difference through specialist adoption support practice.

Working with Sanctuary Personnel

Sanctuary Personnel is a trusted and award-winning agency, recognised for its commitment to connecting skilled professionals with rewarding opportunities. With an ‘Excellent’ rating on Trustpilot from over 1,000 reviews and numerous prestigious industry awards, we are dedicated to finding you the best possible rates in roles that match your skills and experience.

Apply now to join the Adoption Team in Seaham and take the next step in your career with Sanctuary Personnel.