Placements Officer (Grade H)

Job Description

Job title: Placements Officer (Grade H)
Job Category: Social Care Non-Qualified
Location 2 Bristol Avenue, Colindale, London, London, NW9 4EW, Barnet Council
Hours per week 36
Salary: £20.92 per hour

Hybrid working tp be discussed at interview
Hybrid working arrangements. this is a Placements and Retention Officer with a focus on retention of foster carers
Job description
To support the recruitment, engagement and retention of in-house foster carers, while also ensuring effective placement matching and sufficiency for children and young people in care.

The postholder will play a central role in strengthening foster carer support systems, coordinating engagement initiatives, and identifying suitable placements that promote stability, safety and positive outcomes for children and young people.

• Act as a key point of contact for in-house foster carers, promoting positive working relationships and ongoing engagement.
• Coordinate and organise foster carer activities, appreciation events, training-linked engagement sessions and recognition initiatives.
• Plan, facilitate and support foster carer support groups in collaboration with supervising social workers.
• Design, distribute and analyse surveys and feedback mechanisms to inform service improvement and strengthen retention.
• Maintain and operate systems to monitor foster carer availability, capacity, engagement and support needs.
• Support the development of peer networks and buddy systems for new and existing carers.
• Work proactively with supervising social workers and managers to identify carers who may require additional support to prevent deregistration.
• Contribute to strategies that improve foster carer satisfaction, stability and long-term retention.