Social Worker - Fostering & Adoption

Are you passionate about making a real difference in the lives of children and families? Would you like to join an enthusiastic and passionate staff team where we believe every child deserves a safe, loving, and supportive home?

We are currently recruiting a qualified social worker who has experience working with children in the care system. We know all children need loving, caring and dedicated adults in their life. That's why we work hard every day to find that family who can go on that journey with children and give them the future they deserve.

About Us

We are committed to providing exceptional fostering and adoption services to ensure that children find stability, security, and the opportunity to thrive. We work closely with families, carers, and professionals to create positive outcomes for children.

Some of the Key responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Assessment of prospective foster carers and adopters using the BAAF Form F and AAR frameworks.
• Attending multi-disciplinary meetings, Looked After Children reviews and panels.
• Regular supervision and support to foster carers and adopters.
• Timely recording and good communication with all professionals involved in children's lives.
• Pre and post-approval training delivery.
• Participation in the office duty system on a rota basis.

About You

We're looking for someone who:

• Has a Degree in Social Work/ Dip SW/ CQSW/ CSS
• Is registered with NISCC
• Has demonstrable experience of working with Looked After Children
• Has access to a car. A full driving licence and appropriate business insurance are also essential and evidence of these documents will be required if appointed.* As driving is an intrinsic part of this role, applicants with a disability that prevents them from driving should be able to demonstrate an alternative means of meeting the mobility requirements of the post.

What We Offer

• A supportive and inclusive working environment.
• Ongoing professional development and training opportunities.
• Competitive salary and benefits package.
• The chance to make a lasting impact in the lives of children and families.

Apply Today

If you share our passion for creating brighter futures for children, we'd love to hear from you.

Working Hours: Monday to Friday (37 hours per week) with flexibility to undertake training / visits outside office hours on occasion

Location: Office base 230b Belmont Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT4 2AW. Travel is required across Northern Ireland.

This is a hybrid working role – We place value on colleagues spending time together at our office base on a regular basis, with flexibility to work from home for part of the week.   

Salary: £36,427.87 - £48,749.06

Closing: Midnight, Thursday 4 December 2025.

Interviews: W/C 8 December 2025

Contact email: recruitment.support@barnardos.org.uk

We will also hold a waiting list of suitable candidates to be considered in the event that other similar vacancies arise in the next 12 months.

The successful candidate will also be required to undertake Enhanced Access NI with Child and Adult Barred List check.

For informal enquires please contact Sharon McAuley via sharon.mcauley@barnardos.org.uk

We know that our colleagues go above and beyond in delivering our vital work, driven by their passion and commitment to Barnardo's values.  We also know that we can only realise our ambitions and achieve better outcomes for more children, thanks to the talent, hard work and creativity of our people. 

For all these reasons, we are committed to a new approach to pay and reward, to ensure it is fair, attractive and progressive, which was rolled out in April 2023. This is a positive change for the charity, and a part of our People & Culture Strategy. It will assist us in supporting colleagues to belong, thrive and grow in their colleague journey at Barnardo's and in time will offer clear routes of progression for colleagues in both their career and their pay. 

Whilst the full pay band and salary range is advertised, our approach to starting salaries is to appoint between the minimum to mid-point of the pay band – this ensures that pay steps are available to reward our colleagues annually based on their contribution to excellence and alignment to our values and behaviours.  More details on Barnardo's pay framework can be found upon application. 

Workplace Offer: What it means for you

Our hybrid working initiative is based on trust, flexibility and empowerment. We understand our workplace offer means different things to different people, and we encourage those conversations. This may mean working at one of our stores, services, working at home, in the community, at one of our Collaboration Hubs or depending on the role any combination of these. Please read through the advert carefully to understand the remits of hybrid working that will be specific to the role.

• Barnardo's believe in creating equality of opportunity in the workplace and supporting people to manage their work-life balance; we are therefore open to offering flexible working arrangements.
• Annual Leave entitlement for full-time colleagues is 26 days per annum, increasing to 27 days per annum, after 3 years Barnardo's service, 29 days per annum, after 5 years Barnardo's service and 30 days per annum, after 7 years Barnardo's service. Those working less than full time are entitled to the same level of holiday pro rata
• The ability to buy up to another 5 days annual leave via our HolidayPlus scheme
• A host of family friendly leave options including company Maternity Paternity and Adoption pay; together with all family additional leave options
• Service related sick pay from day 1
• Access to a Group Personal Pension with a matched 4% or 6% contribution from Barnardo's. Ability to pay via salary sacrifice to garner both tax and NI savings on your own contribution
• Death in service cover of 4x annual earnings for all staff contributing to our Group Personal Pension
• Cycle2work scheme
• Interest free season ticket loans
• Discounts and cashback from at high street shops including major supermarkets, cinemas, gyms, leisure/theme parks, holidays and much more via our Benefit Portal
• 20% discount at Barnardo's stores
• Opportunity to purchase a health cash plan to claim towards dental, glasses, therapy etc
• Free access to round the clock employee assistance program for advice and support
• Access to Barnardo's Learning and Development offer

*T&C's apply based on contract

We are committed to being an inclusive employer and cultivating a culture where everyone can belong and thrive through inclusion and connectivity. We want our workforce to be reflective of the communities we work with, and for equality, diversity and inclusion to be embedded in everything we do. We are a Disability Confident Leader, are progressing our ambition to be an anti-racist organisation with Anti-Racism Commitments and actions in place and have networks for colleagues who are disabled, LGBT+, Black and Minoritised Ethnic and Women. We particularly encourage applications from Black and Minoritised Ethnic and/or disabled candidates who are currently underrepresented in our workforce. For disabled applicants, we offer reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.  

Our basis and values