#bestinthenorthwest

We are seeking to appoint a Supervising Social Worker within the Fostering Team on a permanent basis. Your main role will be support and assessments of prospective foster carers on our Friends and Family Team, averaging up to 6 assessments at any one time. The role will require excellent assessment and analytical skills whilst representing the authority in undertaking timely assessments of friends and family. Once assessed and approved at panel the newly approved carer will transfer from you for support in completing their training standards.

We are looking for Social Workers with experience of undertaking assessments within set times scales. Social workers with positive approaches, solution focused and able to display and promote positive practice whilst demonstrating enthusiasm and passion for protecting children and young people across the city.

The friends and family team has a manager and two ASWs who undertake viability assessments, reg 24 assessments and support to family and friend carers, a busy team who work to support the placement needs for children to be this Immediate or preplanned.

In terms of support there are six support workers across the service, two in friends and family, two in focus and two in mainstream, who work to provide streamlined support. There are two therapeutic social workers that sit within the STARLAC team.

All staff on the team have training in therapeutic care giving which is to be rolled out to all our carers enhancing training for all those supporting children in Salford foster families. As we transition to the mockingbird model this will further support stable placements and builds resilient networks.

In Salford, we are interested in you as a person and the practitioner you are or who you aspire to be.

You will be responsible for:

  • Building trusted relationships while making sure peoples wishes, feelings and beliefs are central to decision making.
  • Having conversations with people based on what matters most to them.
  • Connecting people to wider networks of opportunity and support.
  • Increasing peoples creative potential and self-esteem.
  • Responding quickly to crisis and sticking with children and families until things are better.
  • Keeping in touch with children, young people and families and taking a genuine interest in how they are and if anything needs to change.
  • Being ambitious, curious with a desire to learn and reflect.

Our offer to you:

  • Up to 34 days holiday a year (plus bank holidays).
  • Competitive salary following pay and grading review in 2023.
  • Free parking
  • Hybrid working giving flexibility for you to manage your diary and offer a better work/life balance.
  • Training in the Family Partnership Model which Salford is adopting across the Local Authority.
  • Recently refurbished office space with free parking on site. The majority of our teams are sat together in Swinton at Unity House.
  • Rich in resources to help you with any child or family you work with.
  • Robust training offer and mentoring scheme to support you with your career and aspirations.
  • A comprehensive Wellbeing Offer
  • Regular, quality, reflective supervision from a consistent management and leadership team.

If you are interested in knowing more about the make-up of our teams, how we work, our offer to you please visit: Be a social worker in SalfordSalford City Council

Our friendly teams could talk your socks off when it comes to all things Social Work. We appreciate you may want to have a look around our offices, meet some staff or your future potential teams and shadow we’re happy to arrange this.

We'd love to hear from you and find out more about what you're looking for so if you'd like to talk to us please just drop a quick message to social.work@salford.gov.uk and we'll get a call arranged. We look forward to hearing from you!

Please be aware that this post is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. If you have lived or worked abroad for 3 months or more in the last 5 years or 12 months or more (whether continuously or in total) in the last 10 years whilst aged 18 or over, please refer to the link below for details for how to obtain your Certificates of Good Character. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/criminal-records-checks-for-overseas-applicants

Want to know more about Salford?
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Find out about our city as a place to live, work & grow, and learn more about the amazing work we are doing. You’ll also find out about the wealth of benefits we have to offer you on our Salford pages!

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Supporting Documents

Role Profile

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Location

Chorley Road, Salford Civic Centre, Salford, M275AW, United Kingdom

Job ID

2617

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This section brings together everything you need to succeed - from guidance on writing an authentic application to and understanding how to use AI responsibly.

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Applying Authentically With AI: Our Greater Manchester Approach

Across Greater Manchester’s local authorities, we want to hear your genuine experiences, skills and motivations, expressed in your own words.

To keep our recruitment process fair and inclusive, please complete your application personally and follow the instructions carefully. AI can be used to support you - for example, to help structure your answers or as a reasonable adjustment - but your application should still reflect your authentic voice. If you do use AI as a support tool, a brief explanation helps us ensure an equitable selection process.

Applications that depend too heavily on AI‑generated content may not progress to shortlisting.

This guidance outlines acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI, along with suggestions for using it in a way that supports you while keeping your application true to you.

  1. What Is AI and How Do We Use It Across Greater Manchester?

    AI refers to technology that can create or refine content, such as text, ideas, summaries, or planning. It can help improve productivity, problem-solving, and creativity.

    We’re open to using innovative digital tools where they can help us work smarter and deliver better services for our residents. However, every use of AI is carefully considered to make sure it is ethical, responsible, and aligned with public-sector values.

    When it comes to recruitment, we take a human-centred approach.

    This means:

    • A trained hiring manager reads every application

    • Shortlisting is based on objective criteria required for the job

    • Interviews are conducted in person or via teams by the hiring manager for the role

    • All hiring decisions are made by hiring managers, not algorithms

    AI does not make decisions in our recruitment process and our managers are being upskilled to spot AI in applications, particularly when this might have been used in a way that doesn’t feel genuine. If something in an application raises a question or concern, we will test this out with assessments or at the interview stage to confirm authenticity.

    Our aim isn’t to catch anyone out but to make sure we’re getting to know the real you, giving every candidate a fair chance and finding the right person for the role.

  2. Using AI in Your Application

    When it comes to job applications, what matters most to us is you. We want to see your personality, your experience, and what excites you about joining our team. 

    We recognise that AI can be a helpful tool to support accessibility during the application process. If you choose to use AI for support, please read the instructions carefully and make sure your application is written in your own words, reflecting your genuine skills, knowledge, experience and enthusiasm.

    We’re looking forward to hearing your story.

  3. How to use AI Effectively and Responsibly

    Your application is your chance to show us:

    • Who you are

    • What you can bring

    • The values you hold

    • Why you want to make a difference

    AI can help you organise your thoughts or improve clarity but it cannot express your unique voice, experiences, or motivations.

    AI is most helpful when used to:

    • Help you structure the information you are providing to evidence the criteria

    • Give examples of how to use STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result)

    • Proof-read to highlight grammar or spelling errors

    • Provide inspiration if you're finding it difficult to find the right words to explain something

    But remember: your honesty, lived experience, and motivations are irreplaceable.

  4. Do’s and Don’ts for Using AI in the Recruitment Process

    Do:

    • Use AI as a supportive tool, not a replacement

    • Ask AI to help tidy up your writing or clarify structure

    • Use it to brainstorm examples, then rewrite them in your own voice

    • Reflect on AI suggestions and adapt them to match your experience

    • Use AI to help with research, but express your understanding yourself

    Don’t:

    • Copy and paste AI-generated content directly into your application

    • Let AI exaggerate or invent experience you do not have

    • Rely on generic statements that don’t reflect the specific role requirements

    • Remove your individuality, we want to hear your voice