Social Worker - Kinship and Special Guardianship Order SupportCouncil

Reading Borough Council is committed to improving outcomes for children, young people and families. We are looking for a passionate and experienced Social Worker to join our Kinship & Permanence Team, where you’ll play a vital role in supporting kinship carers and special guardians to provide safe, stable and nurturing homes. 

This is a rewarding opportunity to work in a specialist service, helping children thrive in permanent family arrangements while working closely with carers, professionals and therapeutic services to provide holistic support. 

We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity and inclusion is the key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities. 

About the role  

In this varied and rewarding role, you’ll manage a caseload of kinship carers and special guardians, ensuring children and families receive the right support at the right time. 

You’ll: 

• Undertake comprehensive assessments of children and carers’s needs, developing robust and forward-thinking support plans 

• Build strong relationships with carers, providing ongoing support and guidance in line with agreed support plans 

• Work closely with professionals across health, education and therapeutic services to coordinate support around each child 

• Identify, commission and monitor therapeutic interventions, ensuring positive outcomes for children and young people 

• Manage applications to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund and monitor the delivery of funded support 

• Facilitate and support monthly support groups for kinship carers, encouraging peer support and shared learning 

• Produce high-quality reports and contribute to meetings and decision-making processes 

• Play an active role in service development, audits and improving support for kinship families 

Alongside your casework, you’ll contribute to developing services, ensuring they remain responsive, child-focused and aligned to best practice and statutory requirements. 

About you 

You’ll be a confident and compassionate Social Worker who is committed to achieving the best outcomes for children in kinship and special guardianship arrangements. 

You’ll bring: 

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

• Experience working with children, families and carers, including kinship foster carers and Special Guardians 

• Strong assessment skills and the ability to analyse complex information and make informed decisions 

• Knowledge of safeguarding, childcare legislation, and special guardianship frameworks 

• Experience of multi-agency working and advocating effectively for children’s needs 

• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to build trust and write clear, professional reports 

You’ll be part of a team that relies on each individual to play their part to the best of their ability. As well as the colleagues that you work closely with every day, you’ll also be part of Team Reading, playing your personal part in making Reading a successful and vibrant place.  
 
Our vision is to ensure that Reading realises its potential as a great place to live, work and play, and that everyone shares the benefits of this success. Our values and behaviours guide how we will achieve this: 

Work Together as one team - work collaboratively, with each other and with our partners, and demonstrate the Team Reading values in everything we do 

Drive Efficiency - show initiative, be adaptable to change and put forward ideas to help improve delivery and efficiency. Take responsibility for our own learning and development and for reaching our potential 

Be Ambitious - be demanding of our own performance – striving to be even better – and be prepared to engage with and challenge leaders in a constructive and positive way 

Make a Difference to Reading - maintain the highest levels of customer service and be flexible and willing to provide the services needed at the time they are needed 

Our offer 

We offer a supportive environment to grow and develop your career with the opportunity to put your ideas across. Innovation and ambition is strongly encouraged, and you’ll get a great feel for that working in our friendly and collaborative environment. 

A competitive salary alongside a range of benefits including: 

• Generous holiday entitlement - 25 days holiday each year plus bank holidays - rising to 30 days after 5 years’ service and 33 days after 10 years' service, with the option to buy additional leave 

• A wide range of flexible working opportunities  

• Modern working environment at the Civic Offices in the heart of Reading 

• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) 

• Life Assurance - three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS) 

• On-site day nursery (Kennet Day nursery) rated outstanding by Ofsted 

• Season Ticket Loan - a loan to help with the cost of your rail or bus journey, to and from work 

• Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand new, greener car for three years.  The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax 

To arrange a confidential discussion on this position please contact [email protected] 

Closing Date: Sunday 18th October 2026
Interview Date: To be confirmed
Interview Process: To be confirmed

Position type: Full time