Advanced Practitioner - Mockingbird Liaison Worker

Join Dorset Council in Transforming Foster Care – Become a Mockingbird Liaison Worker

Dorset Council is proud to be working in partnership with The Fostering Network to implement the innovative Mockingbird Family Model—a pioneering approach that creates an extended family network to enhance the stability of foster placements and strengthen relationships among foster carers, children and young people, fostering services, and birth families.

We’re looking for a passionate and proactive Liaison Worker to play a key role in embedding and sustaining this model. In this vital new position, you’ll work closely with a range of partners to build understanding and long-term commitment to the Mockingbird approach.

As the Liaison Worker, you will:

• Lead on identifying and supporting foster carers to join the Mockingbird constellation.
• Help create a nurturing extended family environment for children and young people.
• Promote clear and effective communication about the constellation’s work and benefits.
• Ensure strong collaboration between the fostering service, social work teams, and the Hub Carer.

In this role, you will benefit from:

• A reduced caseload to focus on development and support.
• Opportunities to project manage and lead practice development.
• Flexible working, including some evenings and weekends.
• A chance to work closely with the Principal Social Worker, Learning & Development to grow our service and staff.
• A dynamic role that includes:
• Mentoring Newly Qualified Social Workers (ASYE)
• Supporting student social workers and acting as a Practice Educator
• Leading monthly thematic audits
• Delivering workshops and embedding Dorset’s values and practice frameworks
• Supporting reflective practice and learning from serious case reviews (SCRs)

What You’ll Be Doing

You’ll be part of a supportive and forward-thinking team, working closely with foster carers and children to ensure they receive the best possible care. You’ll:

• Promote learning and reflection within teams and localities.
• Support the delivery of the Mockingbird Family Model in partnership with The Fostering Network.
• Provide advice on complex cases and undertake specific pieces of work.
• Act as a key link between frontline teams and the Principal Social Worker.

About You

We’re looking for someone who is:

• A qualified social worker registered with Social Work England for 3+ years.
• Experienced in working with foster carers in a statutory setting.
• Skilled in leadership, mentoring, and reflective practice.
• Knowledgeable in child care legislation and statutory guidance.
• Familiar with or willing to train in DDP (Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy) and NVR (Non-Violent Resistance).
• Willing to work flexibly, including evenings and weekends.
• In possession of a clean, full UK driving licence.

Ideally, you will also have:

• Experience as a supervising social worker.
• Practice Educator qualifications or a willingness to undertake them.

If you’re committed to improving outcomes for children in care and excited by the opportunity to shape a supportive fostering community, we’d love to hear from you.

At Dorset Council, we are working together to create a fairer, more prosperous, and more sustainable Dorset for everyone, now and in the future.

We:

• provide essential services that support over 300,000 residents
• work in partnership to make a real difference
• value every role and the impact it has on our communities
• support our employees to grow, develop, and thrive

You will:

• be part of a team that works together for a better Dorset
• have access to a range of benefits and support
• receive training and development opportunities to help your career progress

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation where different skills, perspectives, and backgrounds strengthen both our council and the communities we serve.

We welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. If you declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role, we will offer you an interview. We also want our recruitment process to be accessible, if you need any reasonable adjustments, just let us know on your application.

This role is UK-based, and we will need to confirm your Right to Work as part of the appointment process. We use generic job descriptions and person specifications, so the job title in any attachments may differ from the advert. If needed, we will provide additional details in a context statement.

If you’re passionate about making a difference, we’d love you to join us.

Find out more about how to apply.