Fostering Senior Placements Officer - Permanent

Your new role
Southend City Council are looking to appoint a full-time, permanent Fostering Senior Placements Officer.The Placement Officer plays a central and strategic role within the Fostering Service, ensuring that children and young people who require care are matched with the most appropriate in-house foster carers. The purpose of the role is not simply to find a bed, but to facilitate thoughtful, child-centred matching that promotes stability, safety, and positive long-term outcomes.

The Placement Officer is responsible for coordinating and leading the day-to-day placement process for children who require short-term, long-term, respite, emergency, or parent-and-child placements. This involves receiving and quality assuring referrals, analysing the child's needs, and working closely with supervising social workers, children's social workers, team managers, and commissioning colleagues to identify the most suitable placement options. A key function of the role is to und...