Independent Social Worker (Self-Employed) in Birkenhead

Help ensure children's voices are heard where it matters most. When families are in dispute and the court needs an independent view focused solely on a child's welfare, NYAS can be appointed as a Guardian. We are now looking to recruit experienced, self-employed Independent Social Workers to join our Rule 16.4 service, working within the NYAS tandem model alongside a solicitor. This is a vital role for skilled practitioners who want to make a real difference to children and young people involved in private law proceedings.

When appointed by the Court under Rule 16.4 of the Family Procedure Rules 2010, NYAS acts as Guardian for a child or young person where parents are unable to agree arrangements and the child requires an independent voice.

As An Independent Social Worker, You Will:

• Work directly with children and young people to understand their lived experiences, wishes and feelings.
• Ensure every child's voice is heard clearly, thoughtfully and safely within court proceedings.
• Undertake assessments and prepare high quality reports for the Court.
• Provide clear, well reasoned recommendations where the child's welfare is always the paramount consideration.
• Analyse risk and safeguarding concerns to support children's safety and wellbeing.
• Liaise with professionals from across the system to inform your assessment.
• Confidently present your professional opinion, including providing oral evidence in court.

You will be supported to deliver consistently high quality practice, while maintaining your professional independence.

About You:

You will be a highly experienced social work professional who brings confident analysis, emotional intelligence and a child centred approach to complex situations.

You Must:

• Be a qualified Social Worker, registered with Social Work England.
• Have a minimum of 5 years' experience working within children's social care.
• Experience of court work and private law proceedings is highly desirable.
• Demonstrate strong assessment, analytical and report writing skills.
• Be organised and able to manage caseloads to meet court deadlines.
• Be confident, resilient and able to hold professional views under challenge.
• Build trusting, respectful relationships with children, parents and professionals.
• Remain compassionate, curious and committed to best outcomes for children.

If you have any queries about the role, please email.

Support, supervision and professional development:

Although this is a self employed role, you will not be working in isolation. NYAS is committed to maintaining excellent social work practice and supporting our practitioners.

You Will Benefit From:

• Best practice reviews with the NYAS Social Work Best Practice Manager.
• Monthly best practice meetings with fellow NYAS caseworkers (via Microsoft Teams).
• Access to a training platform (at minimal cost) to support CPD and mandatory training.
• A professional network within a respected, rights based national charity.

You will be expected to evidence ongoing CPD in line with Social Work England requirements. This position is self-employed and you will be responsible for access to your own IT equipment and preparing your financial accounts and declarations to HMRC with regards to tax.

NYAS operates robust safe procedures to ensure the protection of the children, young people and adults at risk we work with. To comply with NYAS's Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy candidates will be subject to an enhanced DBS check, references and a Digital Risk Assessment.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early once we receive a high number of applications.

About NYAS:

As an established leading rights-based charity, NYAS (National Youth Advocacy Service) is well positioned to ensure that children, young people, and adults across England and Wales are fully respected, represented, and supported in expressing their views and having their rights upheld. We work with care-experienced children, young people, and adults who are often reliant on statutory services suffering the negative impact of the cuts in public expenditure. Our combination of social care and legal services places us in a unique position to ensure that they receive the services they need and that their voices are heard, allowing us to champion rights and create meaningful change in people's lives.

We are an equal opportunities recruiter, and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment which means NYAS welcomes applications from all individuals regardless of age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, nationality, religion or belief, or any other protected characteristic. NYAS is proud to share that we are a Disability Confident Employer, and we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for our vacancies.

Work with us to help change young lives.