Quality Assurance Social Worker - Care Resources

Job Description

Discover yourself in Lewisham where what you do makes a difference to our vibrant and culturally diverse communities!

We have a rich history of welcoming people from all over the world and are proud to be recognised as the UK’s first Borough of Sanctuary, for our work in championing the rights of refugees and migrants.

Introduction

Are you passionate about improving the quality of care for children and young people?

We are seeking a skilled, proactive Social Worker to join Lewisham’s Care Resources service on a one year fixed term basis. This is a pivotal role focused on ensuring that every child living in residential care, supported accommodation, fostering, kinship care or under Special Guardianship receives safe, high quality and child centred support.
In this role, you will lead and deliver a programme of planned and responsive quality assurance visits across our provider network. You will evaluate care standards, highlight strengths, identify areas requiring improvement, and set clear, outcome focused actions. Visits will take place primarily across London and the South East, with occasional travel nationwide. You will work collaboratively with providers to embed improvements and ensure progress is sustained.

You will also contribute professional challenge, insight and leadership across Care Resources—supporting colleagues in fostering, kinship, SGO and placement teams to strengthen practice, build stability, and ensure compliance with statutory guidance and best practice standards.

About the Role

This is a 12 month temporary contract.

In this role, you will lead and deliver a programme of planned and responsive quality assurance visits across our provider network. You will evaluate care standards, highlight strengths, identify areas requiring improvement, and set clear, outcome focused actions. Visits will take place primarily across London and the South East, with occasional travel nationwide. You will work collaboratively with providers to embed improvements and ensure progress is sustained.

You will also contribute professional challenge, insight and leadership across Care Resources—supporting colleagues in fostering, kinship, SGO and placement teams to strengthen practice, build stability, and ensure compliance with statutory guidance and best practice standards.

Apply Now

If you’re ready to bring your experience, insight, and heart to a team that’s passionate about protecting and empowering young people apply now.

What’s the role?

• Undertake quality assurance reviews across all Care Resources services, analysing practice and outcomes.
• Monitor compliance with statutory duties, regulatory expectations and internal standards.
• Evaluate provider performance and care environments, making evidence based recommendations.
• Work with providers to drive improvement through clear action planning and follow up visits.
• Strengthen placement stability and safeguard children’s wellbeing through robust oversight.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement, learning and high expectations.
• Lead a programme of Quality Assurance visits for other placement officers to lead on
• Develop and present reports based on the outcomes and themes from quality assurance visits.

What’s in it for you?

Excellent training and development opportunities, plus a range of benefits including:

• Generous holiday allowance
• Local Government Pension scheme
• Flexible working and family friendly policies
• Season ticket and bicycle loans
• A range of staff discounts including local subsidised gym memberships
• Supportive staff networks

What we’re looking for

A qualified and registered Social Worker with strong safeguarding and assessment experience.

• Background in fostering, kinship, SGO, residential or placement services.
• Excellent analytical, communication and relationship building skills.
• Confidence to provide constructive professional challenge and influence practice.
• A commitment to ensuring children’s voices are central and their needs are met consistently.

This is an exciting opportunity to shape practice across Lewisham’s placement system and make a tangible difference to the lives of children and young people

Location

The job is primarily based in Laurence House, Catford, London, SE6 4RU, but we operate a hybrid approach where you will be required to work both in the office and from home on a regular basis.

Special conditions

• The post holder must have a social work qualification and be registered with Social Work England
• The job is subject to an enhanced DBS check
  The recruitment process is anonymous and we don’t accept CV’s.

Applicant handbook - please read the guidance in this handbook when applying. It is essential that you complete the application fully and that your supporting statement covers how you meet each of the person specification criteria listed.

Steve Chaplin, Head of Care Resources; Mobile: 07701 260890; Email: Steven.Chaplin@lewisham.gov.uk

Please click here to view the Job Description and Person Specification

Salary

£45,852 - £47,925 per annum (SW / SCP 31-33)
N.B: All appointments will be offered at the minimum spinal column point (SCP) for the grade of the role. The only exception to this will be when matching current salary (up to the maximum of the scale), which is subject to evidential proof.

Diversity

Lewisham Council is a Disability Confident employer. We welcome and encourage job applications of all abilities. If you require any reasonable adjustments in the application or interview, please contact the lead contact on this advert. We will make reasonable adjustments to make sure our disabled applicants and those with health conditions are supported throughout our recruitment process. We support the access to work scheme, further details are available at www.gov.uk/access-to-work/apply
The Council has a dedicated employment support service, Lewisham Works, which offers Lewisham residents guidance in relation to applying for jobs. If you want to join Lewisham Works, please email JobsAndSkills@lewisham.gov.uk and an advisor will be in touch with you.

The Council reserves the right to close adverts early if there is a large response.

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