Principal Social Worker – Fostering

Principal Social Worker – Fostering

Job Breakdown

• Employer: Orange Grove (Part of Leaving Care Solutions Limited)

• Location: Newcastle upon Tyne (Regional office; role also covers Warrington/North West)

• Salary: £39,000 – £46,000 per annum (Dependent on experience)

• Job Type: Full-time, Permanent

• Estimated Average Salary: This role sits at the higher end of the regional average for Principal Social Workers, which typically ranges from £41,000 – £45,000 in the North East.

Key Responsibilities

• Leadership & Deputizing: Support and deputize for the Registered Manager, ensuring the effective functioning of the agency and its regulatory compliance.

• Staff Supervision: Provide direct supervision and mentorship to team members as determined by agency requirements.

• Foster Parent Advocacy: Supervise, support, and promote foster parents, helping them reach their full potential and provide stable environments for children.

• Compliance & Monitoring: Monitor and ensure full compliance with Fostering Standards and relevant legislation among both staff and foster families.

• Partnership Working: Collaborate with children, young people, applicants, and external professionals (Local Authorities, Health, Education) to prioritize safeguarding and positive outcomes.

• Operational Flexibility: Work occasional evenings and weekends as required to meet the specific needs of the agency and its foster families.

Requirements

• Qualifications: Must hold a Social Work England recognized qualification in Social Work.

• Experience: Considerable experience working with Children Looked After (CLA) and foster parents. Supervisory or management experience within a social work setting is highly desirable.

• Technical Knowledge: Comprehensive working knowledge of Fostering Standards, Regulations, and current legislation supporting children in care.

• Core Skills: Strong leadership, autonomous working ability, and paramount knowledge of safeguarding practices.

• Logistics: A full UK driving licence and unrestricted access to your own vehicle are essential.

• Compliance: Successful completion of an enhanced DBS check (cost covered by the employer).

Benefits

• Financial Allowances: £3,000 Car Allowance in addition to the base salary.

• Generous Leave: 30 days of annual leave, increasing to 35 days with length of service, plus bank holidays.

• Protection & Security: Company pension, life assurance (2x salary), and a medical cash plan.

• Perks: Employee discount scheme and a supportive, relationship-based working culture.

• Professional Identity: Work for an organization founded by social workers with a 30-year legacy of nurturing stable platforms for growth.

Job Description

The Role Orange Grove is seeking a highly motivated and experienced Principal Social Worker to join our North West team. Founded nearly 30 years ago by social workers, our agency is built on the philosophy that strong, nurtured relationships are the key to successful fostering. As a Principal Social Worker, you will be a cornerstone of this philosophy, providing the leadership and clinical expertise necessary to support our foster families and the children in their care.

Leadership and Clinical Excellence In this role, you will bridge the gap between frontline practice and strategic management. You will act as a key lieutenant to the Registered Manager, taking on supervisory responsibilities for staff and helping to maintain the high regulatory standards that Orange Grove is known for. Your expertise will be vital in supporting foster parents—not just as caregivers, but as professionals. You will mentor them to reach their full potential, ensuring they have the tools and emotional support needed to provide a stable platform for the children they welcome into their homes.

Safeguarding and Outcomes Safeguarding is at the heart of everything we do. You will be expected to demonstrate a deep, practical understanding of safeguarding throughout your daily tasks, from assessing new applicants to monitoring current placements. You will work autonomously but effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team, building positive working relationships with internal colleagues and external partners in local authorities. Your goal is simple but profound: ensuring that positive outcomes for children and young people remain the paramount focus of every decision made.

Who You Are The ideal candidate is a resilient and empathetic leader who is passionate about the fostering sector. You are likely an experienced Social Worker with a background in Children Looked After (CLA) who is ready to step into a more senior, influential role. You possess the communication skills to navigate complex professional relationships and the dedication to work flexibly when a family needs you most. At Orange Grove, we value our staff as much as our foster families, and we are looking for someone who shares our commitment to building a culture of mutual respect and individual care.

Leaving Care Solutions Limited (LCS) is a specialist provider of semi-independent accommodation and support for young people aged 16–25 who are transitioning out of the care system. While its administrative roots are in the Midlands, it is a significant operational partner for Newcastle City Council and other North East authorities, providing the “bridge” between residential care and full independence.

Organization & Culture

LCS is defined by a mission to “build brighter futures” through a needs-led approach. The organization’s culture is described as passionate and supportive, particularly for those entering the social care sector. In 2026, employee reviews (3.5/5 average) highlight a “family feel” and a management team that is “easily accessible,” though some staff note that lone working can be “tasking” initially.

A core part of the LCS identity is professional advancement. The company provides an extensive online and onsite learning platform, which many staff credit for accelerating their proficiency and confidence in high-stakes support environments.

Key Organisation Highlights (2026)

Core Operations in Newcastle & The North East

In the Newcastle region, Leaving Care Solutions acts as a vital resource for the “Leaving Care and After Care” (LCAC) infrastructure:

• Semi-Independent Placements: Managing residential properties where young people live with varying levels of support, from 24-hour onsite staffing to weekly “floating” outreach visits.

• Transition Planning: Working alongside Newcastle City Council “Personal Advisors” (Leaving Care Support Officers) to create pathways for housing, health, and employment.

• Life Skills Training: Delivering evidence-based programs that teach budgeting, cooking, and emotional resilience to help care leavers maintain their own tenancies.

• Specialist Outreach: Providing dedicated support for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) and young people with complex safeguarding needs in the Tyneside area.

Working for Leaving Care Solutions (Newcastle)

For social care professionals in the North East, LCS is a major recruiter for both permanent and sessional roles:

• Roles: Primarily hires Residential Childcare Support Workers and Outreach Workers.

• Pay & Salaries (2026): Support Worker salaries in the region range from £22,500 to £26,500 per year, while hourly outreach rates typically sit between £12.60 and £13.50.

• The “Lone Worker” Model: Employees are often the sole professional on-site during a shift. While this offers significant autonomy and “accelerated learning,” the company provides 24/7 digital and phone-based management support to ensure safety.

   

• Candidate Experience: Staff praise the “flexibility in shifts” and the “rewarding nature of the work,” though 2026 feedback suggests that some find the 8:00 AM – 11:00 PM shift patterns (plus sleep-ins) demanding for those with families.

2026 Strategic Vision: “Placing the Young Person at the Centre”

As of March 2026, Leaving Care Solutions is focusing on:

• Evidence-Based Development: Integrating the “voice of the young person” into service planning to ensure accommodation is not just a room, but a home.

• Enhanced Vetting: Strengthening their safer recruitment protocols to meet the rigorous new Ofsted Supported Accommodation standards introduced for 2025–2026.

• Sustainability in Care: Expanding their “Standalone” packages, which focus on intensive 12-week transition programs to move young people from high-cost staffed care into their own independent social housing.