Cumberland Council
Social Worker - Adoption Recruitment and Assessment Team - CMB2600e

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Salary: £42,839 to £44,075 per annum (pro-rata equivalent £25,703 to £26,445 per annum)
Hours: 22.2 Hours per week
Location: Cumberland Wide – Base to be discussed and agreed at interview
Contract: Permanent
About This Opportunity
Adoption Cumbria has a statutory responsibility to recruit and assess adopters to ensure that children who are Cared For by the two Local Authorities (Cumberland and Westmorland and Furness) can be offered an adoptive family within Adoption Cumbria’s resources.
Adoption Cumbria’s Recruitment and Assessment team covers the geographical county of Cumbria.
We are a friendly, experienced, and supportive team, with a strong emphasis on training and service development.
The role primarily involves responding to adoption enquiries, the completion of Initial visits to prospective adoptive applicants, presenting at recruitment events, presenting Adopter training as well as the completion of both stage 1 and stage 2 adoption assessments and presenting cases to the Adoption Panel.
The successful candidate will have at least 3 years post qualifying experience with strong knowledge of Adoption work. You will work as part of a countywide Team, and this post principally covers the whole of Cumbria. You will work closely with the other Teams in the Regional Adoption Agency.
This role is available on a permanent.
Why join us?
- A lifestyle you won’t find elsewhere – Living and working in Cumbria offers the best of both worlds. You’ll have a fulfilling and rewarding career while being surrounded by stunning landscapes, from the world-famous Lake District National Park to unspoilt coastlines and vibrant market towns. Whether you enjoy hiking, water sports, cycling, or simply relaxing in a picturesque setting, Cumbria provides an outstanding quality of life.
- Supportive environment – You’ll be part of a team that values collaboration, compassion, and innovation. We focus on potential over perfection, giving you opportunities to develop your skills and grow your career.
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Who We’re Looking For
We’re looking for individuals who embody our organisation's core values: ambitious, collaborative, compassionate, empowering, and innovative. We believe in the power of these values to drive positive change, deliver excellent public services and shape a better future for our communities.
We’re also about potential over perfection and we can help you grow in the role and thrive in your career.
Be sure to take a look at the post specification (below) for the essential criteria for this role.
Contact
For more information about the role or to arrange an informal chat prior to your application, please contact Zoe Chambers by email at zoe.chambers@cumbria.gov.uk
DBS Checks
This role requires a DBS check. The level of check for this role is:
Enhanced DBS check with a Children’s/Adults Barred List check.
Please note this role involves working in regulated activity with adults and Children. It is an offence for people who are barred from working in regulated activity to apply for roles that require them to work unsupervised with adults and Children.
Guaranteed Interviews
We offer a guaranteed interview to the following applicants as long as your application can demonstrate you meet the essential criteria for the role.
- Those who consider themselves disabled as defined by the Equality Act 2010
- Those in care or who have left care and are aged 24 and under
- Those who identify as a member of the British Armed Forces community (service leavers, veterans, their partners or spouses, reservists, cadets).


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If you meet one or more of the criteria above, and wish to be considered for this scheme, select 'yes' to the appropriate question during your application. Find out more.
Diversity, Inclusion & Adjustments
We’re dedicated to enhancing the diversity of our workforce and we encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds. That’s why we’re a proud Disability Confident Leader and also an Age Friendly Employer – to provide opportunities for everyone to thrive.
If you need any reasonable adjustments to participate in the recruitment process, please let either the hiring manager or our Resourcing Team know by emailing Resourcing@Cumberland.gov.uk. While adjustments aren’t always guaranteed, we’ll always listen and we’ll try our best to accommodate your needs.
Application and Interview information
- Closing date: 06/08/2026
- Interview date: 14/08/2026 at Kendal Town Hall
If you experience any difficulties logging in to apply for this role, please contact the HR Systems team at HR.Systems@cumbria.gov.uk.
Please note this role may close early subject to demand. If you’re interested in applying, you should apply well before the advised closing date. We cannot accept applications once the role has closed.
Please Read The Supporting Information
Post Specification
Please also refer to our Careers site to find out more:
- Our Staff Benefits
- Candidate Support
- About Cumberland Council
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