• This role involves working within the Access to Resources Team to ensure that children and young people are placed in suitable placements that meet their needs, helping them to achieve their full potential.

• You will work proactively to secure appropriate placements, track referral patterns, and manage placement costs, ensuring the best outcomes for children and young people.

• Placement Management: Ensure all children are placed in suitable placements, monitor referral patterns, and the use of Independent Fostering Agencies (IFAs). Alert senior management to any risks or threats to sufficiency.

• Referral & Placement Systems: Develop and manage systems to track referrals, placements, placement moves, and endings. Ensure that high-quality management information is available for planning and review.

• Efficient Service Delivery: Deliver a responsive service alongside the Fostering Service. Keep all parties informed when placements are made and ensure children’s views are considered in the process.

• Sourcing & Negotiating Placements: Source and negotiate suitable placements. Contribute information about the market for health to ensure the quality of services and maintain accurate records in Mosaic.

• Cost Negotiation: Negotiate placement costs and support packages to ensure cost-effective placements. Ensure placement agreements and contracts are completed timely and financial activities are updated on Mosaic.

• Foster Carer Payment Systems: Help put systems in place to ensure foster carers and providers are paid promptly and fairly, ensuring adherence to the Fostering Payment Policy.

• Placement Monitoring & Reporting: Maintain an overview of all children waiting for placements. Monitor progress and alert senior managers to any risks to the sufficiency strategy.

• Management Information: Ensure information systems are fit for purpose and generate high-quality management information to support decision-making and planning.

• Resource Optimization: Maximize the use of Southwark’s fostering resources, minimising the use of external placements, and promoting the use of Friends and Family Placements where appropriate.

• Market Knowledge & Best Practice: Stay updated on local and national changes in best practice for securing placements, including legislative changes and Ofsted guidance.

• Professional Development: Provide professional guidance and support to less experienced social work colleagues and supervise social work students. Contribute to group and individual supervision to support evidence-informed decisions.

• Case Records & Supervision: Maintain case records and management information on appropriate systems. Work independently with the ability to seek advice when necessary, contributing to professional resilience in decision-making.

• Brokerage Experience: Must have experience as a broker, preferably within children’s services or a similar environment.

• Placements Knowledge: Understanding of placement services and the dynamics of Independent Fostering Agencies (IFAs).

• Negotiation Skills: Strong skills in negotiating placement costs and managing financial aspects of placements.

• Case Management: Proficient in using case management systems like Mosaic and other placement tracking tools.

• Communication: Excellent communication skills to keep all parties informed and to deliver high-quality professional guidance.

• Problem-Solving: Ability to respond to complex and urgent placement issues in a fast-paced environment.

• Hybrid role - 2 days/week and 5 days for the week when they are on duty.