Part Time Senior Practitioner

At Birmingham Children’s Trust, we are committed to providing outstanding care and support to children and families across Birmingham. Our mission is to ensure every child has the opportunity to thrive in a safe, nurturing environment.

You will be joining Adoption & Fostering Family Finding Team 2, a passionate, experienced and dedicated Team that is part of a dynamic and innovative Regional Adoption Agency, Adopt Birmingham. The agency is also registered as a Voluntary Adoption Agency. The Adoption Agency was rated ‘Good’, with ‘Outstanding Leadership and Management’, at our last Ofsted Inspection in January 2023.

We are seeking a Family Finding Senior Practitioner who will be responsible for deputising for the team managers when required, supervising and supporting the teams senior social workers and who will be identifying suitable families for children with adoption or long term fostering plans. We are committed to finding internal adopters and foster carers for our Birmingham children, but we also work nationally with external Adoption and Fostering Agencies to avoid delay and to ensure we find the right permanent matches for children.

You will work closely with the team around the child, to assess each child’s permanence and support needs. You will have a lead responsibility for coordinating and chairing professionals’ meetings to plan and progress children’s permanence matches. This role includes working directly with the child and supporting relevant professionals and carers to enable each child to have a successful transition to their new family.

Adopt Birmingham value difference and are committed to ensuring that children’s needs including disability, cultural identity, heritage and their individual needs are at the heart of permanency planning.

About you:

• Do you have an approved social work qualification?
• Do you have at least 3 years post qualification in childcare social work?
• Are you registered with Social Work England?
• Do you have experience of working with vulnerable children and their families, as well as effective partnership working with statutory and voluntary agencies?
• Do you have a thorough working knowledge of professional social work practices and relevant legislation in Adoption and Fostering?
• Do you have a sound knowledge and understanding of the impact of trauma and children’s early life experiences upon their needs?
• Are you dynamic and passionate about positive outcomes for children?
• Are you a confident communicator with excellent inter-personal, written and presentation skills?
• Are you a practice educator or equivalent and have experience of supervising social workers?
• Are you committed to professional learning and development and willing to adhere to Birmingham Children’s Trust values?

Birmingham Children's Trust has been recognised as the supportive social work employer of the year at the 2025 social worker of the year awards event.

We have been rated as ‘Good’ by Ofsted, following a 2023 inspection. This is a fantastic achievement for Birmingham Children's Trust, with many positive highlights focusing on areas including the quality of staff leadership, partnership working, safeguarding and corporate parenting.

This is a hybrid role based in Birmingham so you must reside within a suitable commutable distance around Birmingham and have the correct right-to-work documents to work in the UK. Sadly, we do not support those who require sponsorship.

Benefits

Help us to change children and young people’s lives!

At Birmingham Children’s Trust, we are committed to making a positive impact on the lives of over 10,000 children and young people in our city every day. Our mission is to support the most disadvantaged children and young people in Birmingham, ensuring they are safe, happy, and healthy.

Why Join Us?

• Impactful Work - be part of a team that makes a real difference in the lives of the city’s most vulnerable children.
• Supportive Environment - enjoy a supportive and collaborative work culture where your contributions are valued.
• Career Development - benefit from tailored development programs, supportive supervision, and a range of learning opportunities to enhance your skills and advance your career.
• Generous Benefits - take advantage of our competitive reward package including generous leave allowance, Local Government pension scheme, and additional benefits.

Our Values

We approach our work with care and compassion, actively listening to the needs of the children and young people we serve. We involve them in the decisions that affect their lives, ensuring their voices are heard and respected.

We are committed to using our resources wisely, ensuring that every penny is spent where it counts the most. We foster collaboration among schools, health professionals, and the police, working together to create a supportive network for our young people.

We believe that when we work as one cohesive team, the children and young people of Birmingham are more likely to thrive. Our unified approach ensures that we provide the best possible support and opportunities for their growth and development.

Join us and together, we can create a brighter future for all.

Safeguarding

At Birmingham Children’s Trust, we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.

Depending on the role, you may be asked to undergo the appropriate level of Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check to assess your suitability for working with children and young people.

The level of check (Standard, Enhanced, or Enhanced with Barred List) is determined based on the specific responsibilities of the role and the level of contact with children and young people.

We are committed to the fair treatment of all applicants, including those with criminal records. Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar an individual from working with us. This will depend on the nature of the position and the circumstances and background of the offence.

Please note that we reserve the right to close the job early should we reach the required number of applications, therefore please ensure you submit your application and supporting statement early to avoid any disappointment.