Adoption Social Worker

Adoption Social Worker 

Pay Rate: £35 per hour (Umbrella)
Local Authority: Northampton Children’s Trust
Contact: Emily Cooper on 07902 371315 or email ecooper@sheldon-phillips.com

Sheldon Phillips are working with Northampton Children’s Trust to recruit an experienced Adoption Social Worker to join their dedicated and supportive team. This is a rewarding opportunity for a skilled practitioner who is passionate about permanency planning and adoption practice.

The Role

This is a hybrid role, with the expectation that you will work in the office approximately six days per month, including alternate Wednesdays to attend team meetings. Additional in-office attendance may be required for duty cover, meetings or events, with at least 24 hours’ notice provided.

Visits will typically account for around 30% of your working time and are an essential part of the role. While some meetings may be held virtually—particularly in the final stages of assessments—there is a strong emphasis on face-to-face contact with families to support relationship building and thorough, high-quality assessments.

Key responsibilities include:

• Undertaking high-quality adoption assessments

• Working with prospective adopters and children throughout the adoption process

• Ensuring thorough information gathering and analysis to inform permanency planning

• Participating in team meetings, duty rota and case discussions as required

• Maintaining up-to-date records and contributing to reports for panel and court where necessary

• Working collaboratively with internal and external partners to support families throughout the adoption journey

About You

To be successful in this role, you will need:

• Previous experience in adoption or permanency planning

• A Social Work qualification and current registration with Social Work England

• Excellent assessment and analytical skills

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build effective relationships with families, colleagues and other professionals

• A flexible and organised approach to planning visits and managing a dynamic caseload

• The ability to be present in the Northamptonshire area to undertake regular face-to-face visits

Caseloads vary depending on complexity and are regularly reviewed to ensure they remain manageable. Candidates are welcome to discuss caseload expectations further during the interview process.

How to Apply

For more information or to apply, please contact Emily Cooper on 07902 371315 or email ecooper@sheldon-phillips.com.