The salary scale for this full-time position is -47,884 per annum based on a 36-hour working week. We also offer a financial package of up to -6,000 which is payable in 3 instalments across your first 18 months in post.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for 2 full-time Senior Supervising Social Workers to join the General Fostering Team in Surrey''s Fostering Service, based in Woking. This role involves working in the community, foster carers homes (which may be outside of Surrey), the office and some home working.

Rewards and Benefits

• We pay your Social Worker England Registration fee
• 28 days annual leave, rising to 31 days after 5 years'' service (plus bank holidays)
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• An extensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Up to 5 days of carer''s leave per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependants leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping and many more
• 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources

About the Role

In this role you will become a vital part of our creative and compassionate fostering service. We are dedicated to supporting Surrey''s most vulnerable children and young people, working with theories of trauma, attachment and loss, alongside restorative practices. Our goal is to ensure the best possible outcomes for every child in our care, ensuring no one is left behind.

As a Supervising Social Worker, you will play a crucial role in assessing, supervising and supporting foster carers. Your responsibilities will include completing annual household reviews, supervising foster carers to ensure they are providing high quality care to children and completing assessments for temporary approval under Regulation 24 as part of a duty system. You will also contribute to the wider fostering team with various essential tasks including facilitating support groups and training.

Shortlisting Criteria

To be considered for shortlisting for this position, your application will clearly evidence the following:

• Experience of working with children and young people and a comprehensive knowledge of legislation relating to Looked After Children and Care Proceedings
• Ability to work directly with the wider public, foster carers and young people and be able to produce clear, evidence based and analytical assessments
• Flexibility to work evenings and occasional weekends, as the role includes attending events and home visits outside office hours
• You are a qualified Social Worker, registered with Social Work England

Surrey has both urban and rural areas and Social Workers will be expected to have a valid driving licence to drive in the UK, access to a vehicle and be willing to travel across a wide geographical area. Reasonable adjustments where needed will be made for successful applicants who have a disability or long term health condition to enable them to fulfil the requirements of the job.

Application Questions

To apply for this role you will be asked to upload your CV and respond to the following questions in support of your application:

1. What is your motivation to apply for this role?
2. What experience you can bring to this role?
3. What is important to you when working with fostering families and the children they care for?

Next Steps

If your application is shortlisted, you will be invited to a short first round virtual interview to explore your answers to the above questions (lasting approx. 15- 20 min). If successful following this, you will be invited for an in person interview, allowing you to meet the team, check out your potential office and get a feel for what your journey might look like.

We are committed to inclusive recruitment. That''s why, if you''re invited to a face-to-face interview, we''ll share the themes of the questions with you in advance. This way, you can prepare and feel comfortable, allowing you to confidently discuss your skills and experiences.

Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills or any barriers to employment.

For an informal discussion please contact Victoria Nyathi via email at .

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 21/09/2025 with interviews to follow.

We look forward to receiving your application, please click on the apply online button below to submit.

Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)

Surrey County Council is preparing for Local Government Reorganisation which will allow us to implement the Government led policy of devolution, which is all about giving more powers to local areas.

Currently, Surrey has a two-tier council system, with 11 district and borough councils and a county council, all responsible for different services. All these councils will be reorganised into a smaller number of new unitary councils which will come into effect in April 2027. At this point, this role will be transferred, with all existing terms and conditions intact into one of the new unitary councils.

Join our dynamic team and shape the future of local government. Make a lasting impact with innovative solutions and improved services for our community. Help us build a brighter future for our residents! Please see more information here on our website.

Our Commitment

Surrey County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. A guaranteed interview will be offered to all disabled applicants where:

• The candidate has evidenced the minimum criteria for the role through their application
• The candidate has chosen to share that they have a disability on the application form

Our application form and onboarding process will provide an opportunity to request any reasonable adjustments for the interview and/or the role. We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all underrepresented groups.