Adoption Social Worker (Adopt London North)
London Borough of Islington
About The Role
Adopt London North (Regional Adoption Agency)
Help create new adoptive families. Change lives. Build futures.
We are looking for passionate children’s social workers to join Adopt London North as part of our team preparing, assessing and supporting new prospective adoptive parents.
At Adopt London North, you will help create safe, loving adoptive families for children who need permanence, working alongside prospective adopters, children, families and partner boroughs. We are looking for skilled, compassionate social workers who bring strong assessment skills, warmth and curiosity, and a commitment to trauma-informed, anti-racist practice. In return, you’ll join a welcoming and ambitious team where learning, innovation and professional development are genuinely valued.
Through our Black Adoption Project, we are removing barriers for Black prospective adopters and strengthening the support, advice and confidence families receive throughout the adoption process. This role is part of that wider ambition to build adoption services that are inclusive, responsive and trusted by the communities we serve. You can read more at www.AdoptLondon.org.uk by selecting Black Adoption Project from the main menu.
Adopt London North
We are the Regional Adoption Agency for North London, providing statutory adoption services on behalf of Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey and Islington. We are hosted by the London Borough of Islington and currently based in the Laycock Centre, N1 1TH, with a planned move to new office space in Elwood Street, N5 1EB. Our team of around 40 staff works flexibly between home, office and client visits across three specialist adoption teams, with opportunities to learn across the full range of adoption practice and collaborate through the wider Adopt London partnership.
The role
Due to expansion of our team, we are looking to welcome two new Adoption Social Workers to our Recruitment & Assessment team. Your work will include:
- Being part of the recruitment of potential new adoptive parents
- Working with prospective adoptive parents to support, prepare and assess
- Delivering training
- Supporting newly approved adoptive parents through the family finding process
- Providing supervision and support to your adoptive parents as they welcome children into their family
We encourage everyone to keep learning and developing their practice. You will work alongside experienced colleagues, learn from people with lived experience of adoption, and build the specialist skills needed to prepare, assess and support adoptive families with confidence.
Our staff also contribute to direct group work across the service, including group work with adopted children and young people, adopted adults and adoptive parents. This is a growing area of our practice, and there are lots of opportunities to get involved in work that reflects your interests and strengthens your practice.
Across Adopt London, we are investing in staff training to deliver specialist therapeutic programmes in-house, including the Great Behaviour Breakdown, BUSS model approaches supporting sensory integration for children, and Foundations for Attachment, a DDP-based early parenting support programme.
About you
You do not need to have direct experience in adoption to apply - we welcome applications from any experienced social worker with an understanding of permanency work and the needs of looked after children. Most importantly we are looking for social workers with:
- Strong interpersonal abilities – can you build a good rapport quickly and make someone feel comfortable to have in-depth discussions with you?
- Fantastic assessment skills – are you able to bring together lots of different pieces of information and write a readable, analytic, and logical assessment?
- Commitment to learning – do you want to learn and develop your skills, as well as share your experience with others?
We are particularly interested in hearing from Black social workers. Through the Black Adoption Project and our wider service development, we are committed to challenging inequality, improving outcomes for Black children and families, and ensuring Black professionals can shape practice, influence change and feel valued in our service.
We also strongly encourage applicants who are themselves care or adoption experienced. Our staff who are adopted people themselves have so much additional knowledge and passion to bring to their roles and are valued in our service.
The application process
Please complete the application form and tell us why you want to work for Adopt London North, what you would bring to the role, and how your skills and experience relate to the three qualities highlighted in the ‘about you’ section above.
If shortlisted, you will be invited to an interview consisting of two parts:
- A panel interview for which you will be provided with questions in advance to allow you to prepare.
- A short role-play scenario which will allow you to demonstrate your interpersonal skills and ability to build connection with clients.
If you require any adjustments to the interview process, you are welcome to discuss these with us in advance.
For more information
We would love to hear from you if you are interested in the role, even if you are not sure whether you meet every part of the person specification. For an informal conversation, please email Lydia Samuel, Head of Service: [email protected].
Working for the team, service and our organisation
Islington is a place rich with diversity and culture. As a council our sense of purpose couldn’t be clearer: we serve. It’s in the logo. We are committed to challenging inequality in the borough and as one of the largest employers we know that to look after the place and the planet, we have to look after our people. Together we can change the future.
We are determined to create a more equal Islington, where everyone who lives here has an equal chance to thrive.
To do this, everyone who works at Islington Council lives by a set of values which guide us in everything that we do: collaborative, ambitious, resourceful, and empowering. They spell out ‘CARE’, which is what we think public service is all about.
- Up to 31 days leave per year, increasing to 36 days after five years of local government service
- A range of flexible working arrangements to maintain a healthy work-life balance, as well as a 35-hour working week
- Learning and development opportunities to maximise your potential
- Competitive pay and a commitment to paying all staff the London Living Wage at minimum
- Excellent local government pension scheme
- Cycle to Work scheme and discounted gym memberships
- Local discounts from restaurants, shops, health and beauty therapists, and more!
We maintain a zero-tolerance approach to any unlawful discrimination, harassment, or victimisation on the grounds of any protected characteristics under the 2010 Equality Act, including but not limited to race, disability, sexual orientation, sex, religion and belief, age, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy, and maternity. Any incidents of discrimination will be promptly investigated and addressed in line with our HR policies to ensure a safe and inclusive environment for all colleagues.
We use data to identify and address disparities, ensuring that our policies and practices are transparent and impactful in promoting a diverse representation of backgrounds and perspectives at all levels of the organisation. We look at inequality through an intersectional lens, recognising that different aspects of someone’s identity can combine to create unique experiences of discrimination and disadvantage.
We know that advancing diversity and inclusion is a continuous journey, and we must listen to our colleagues and learn where we can further improve. We work closely with our Colleague Forums and Trade Unions, supported by active allies from our Corporate Management Team, to monitor and evaluate our practices, identify barriers, and empower colleagues to promote equality and inclusion in the workplace.
Every one of us has a role to play in making Islington Council a truly inclusive workplace. By living out our CARE (collaborative, ambitious, resourceful, and empowering) values every day and embedding the principles of equality, equity, diversity, and inclusion in our work, we can all actively contribute to empowering people and creating a more equal Islington.
Pre‑Employment Checks
Any offer of employment will be subject to the successful completion of required pre‑employment checks. These may include:
- Proof of address
- Evidence of any name changes (if applicable)
- Right to work in the UK
- Overseas criminal record check (if applicable)
- Satisfactory references
- Occupational Health clearance
- Evidence of professional qualifications or registrations
- DBS check at the appropriate level (if applicable)
