Advanced Practitioner - Adoption Support Team – Grade 9

Salary - £54,267 - £58,461pa

1 year fixed term contract likely to be extended

Adopt London East

We are recruiting an advanced practitioner who is an experienced social worker with at least 3 years post qualifying experience to join an Adoption Support Team within Adopt London East. This is an exciting opportunity to be a part of this Regional Adoption Agency which provides adoption services on behalf of the London Boroughs of Havering (host borough), Barking and Dagenham, Tower Hamlets and Newham. The Adoption Support Team provide a service to adopted children and their adoptive families, birth families and adopted adults.

Our social work team assess the support needs of adoptive families, provide support intervention to families, work alongside multi-professional networks including education, social care and early help teams, etc. and help to deliver on our core offer which includes courses to parents, opportunities for adoptive families to meet each other and support groups for birth relatives.

Our family connections team establish and maintain relationships between adopted children and young people and their birth family. This includes arranging and supervising Family Time which is when there is an in person relationship. This service continues up to when a young person is 26 years old, so there is the opportunity for direct work with young adults.

This is a varied role which includes the opportunity to manage staff across both of these services and take a lead in developing key areas.

About You

In this role you will play a key role in the delivery of a highly effective Adoption Support Service as we work to improve outcomes for children and young people. You will be responsible for managing a small caseload, carrying out high-quality assessments, support planning and ensuring the safeguarding and protection of children. You will be required to identify and assess risk and need and deliver protective or supportive services for children and their families and have an understanding of the complex needs of adopted children and families.

You will be responsible for managing and supervising a small number of qualified and non-social work staff. You will therefore need to have leadership skills, where you are able to organise and motivate and act as a role model.

You will work alongside and support the team manager in maintaining and developing high professional standards across the team.

This is a busy and diverse service area which requires the ability to be organised and prioritise work on a daily basis. This includes providing oversight to duty services and allocating work.

Your excellent communication skills will be essential to your success in your ability to work as part of the team and develop effective working relationships with adoptive families, birth families and adopted adults who may be in distress.

As a service committed to providing excellent customer service you will proactively seek and effectively use information to inform service delivery and meet the current and future needs of children and families and adopted adults.

Along with a CQSW, Diploma in Social Work, or equivalent qualification and HCPC registration, you will possess a firm knowledge of current policy and practice and the ability to apply legislation to work practice.

You will need to have a minimum of 3 years post qualifying experience, including statutory social work and experience/understanding of adoption specific issues.

For an informal discussion about the post, please contact Belinda Bhatti – Team Manager Belinda.bhatti@havering.gov.uk

Please attach your supporting statement, explaining in no more than x2 A4 sides why and how you meet the criteria for this role.

We practice anonymised recruitment. Please ensure that you remove all personal information from any documents that you upload

Closing date: 26/04/2026

Shortlisting date: W/C 27/04/2026

Interview date: 11 – 12 May 2026

Presentation/Assessment required at interview stage.

Please view Job Profile here

Additional Information

We want everyone to choose Havering. When you apply for a job with us, your application is considered on its merits regardless of your age, disability, ethnicity, faith, gender identity or sexual orientation. Our residents and service users come from all walks of life, and so do our employees. Find out what it means to Choose Havering.

The London Borough of Havering has important responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. If you are appointed to a job that involves working with these groups, you may be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Please attach your supporting statement, explaining in no more than x2 A4 sides why and how you meet the criteria for this role.

We practice anonymised recruitment. Please ensure that you remove all personal information from any documents that you upload.