Social Worker - Youth Homelessness in Bradford

Salary: Grade: PO3, SCPs 32 - 35 - £42,839 - £46,142, Permanent, 37 hours per week, Based in Sir Henry Mitchell House, Hybrid – 3 days per week based in Sir Henry Mitchell house.

Working for the Bradford Children and Families Trust offers the opportunity to work with some great people who are passionate about delivering change in a city whose culture offers as much diversity as it’s geography.

You can make a real difference to families and children and be an active part in delivering the service Bradford families should receive.

We are fully committed to equal opportunities and we welcome applications from all backgrounds.

About the Role

We are seeking two experienced Social Workers to join an exciting new specialist service within Bradford Children and Families Trust’s Integrated Front Door (IFD).

This newly established team has been created to provide a dedicated and consistent response to children andyoung people presenting with youth homelessness, alongside children and families presenting with No Recourse to Public Funds This is a rare opportunity to join and help shape a new specialist front door service from its inception.

The successful postholders will play a key role in developing practice, influencing service delivery and helping to establish a centre of excellence for youth homelessness and NRPF practice within Children's Social Care.

As the service evolves, practitioners will have the opportunity to contribute to developing pathways, improving outcomes and embedding best practice across the Trust Whilst this is a specialist role, it remains firmly rooted in core statutory social work practice.

You will undertake assessments, manage Children in Need and Child Protection plans where required, progress Section17 and Section20 work, and build meaningful relationships with children, young people and families to achieve positive change.

This role therefore offers a unique opportunity to develop specialist expertise without losing the breadth and complexity of frontline social work practice The Integrated Front Door is often the first point of contact for some of Bradford's most vulnerable children, young people and families.

Young people presenting as homeless require timely assessment and intervention to prevent escalating risks and ensure appropriate accommodation and support arrangements are in place.

Families with NRPF frequently present at crisis point requiring robust assessment, effective planning and coordinated multi-agency responses.

Through this specialist model, you will help ensure children, young people and families receive a consistent, informed and timely response, whilst supporting sustainable solutions that improve long-term outcomes The successful postholders will undertake Child and Family Assessments, Section 17 assessments and, where required, progress work through Child in Need, Child Protection and Section 20 arrangements.

Working alongside specialist colleagues, including Early Help, Family Hubs and Housing professionals, you will provide robust social work intervention whilst ensuring children remain at the centre of all decision making.

As one of the first practitioners joining this new service, you will benefit from regular supervision, access to specialist advice, and the opportunity to develop expertise in complex areas of practice including youth homelessness, NRPF legislation, accommodation pathways and multi-agency decision making.

This role provides an excellent platform for career progression.

You will develop highly sought-after specialist knowledge whilst continuing to strengthen your statutory social work skills, positioning you for future development opportunities within advanced practitioner, management or specialist practice pathways across Children's Social Care Our strategic vision and values are upheld across the Trust, fostering a reliable and supportive environment for both staff and the children in our care.

Our approach is rooted in restorative and relational practice, fostering trust, mutual respect, and meaningful relationships with children, families, and professionals.

You’ll also

• Undertake Child and Family Assessments, including Section17 assessments, for young people presenting as homeless and children and families presenting with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF).
• Manage and progress cases through Child in Need, Child Protection and Section20 processes, ensuring children and young people receive timely and effective interventions.
• Complete comprehensive assessments of need, risk and vulnerability, developing outcome-focused plans that promote safety, stability and positive long-term outcomes.
• Provide specialist social work intervention to young people presenting as homeless, including assessment of accommodation needs, family and network support, and appropriate safeguarding responses.
• Provide specialist support to children and families subject to NRPF, undertaking assessments and coordinating support in line with relevant legislation and statutory duties.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across Children's Social Care, Housing Services, Early Help, Family Hubs, education, health, legal services and voluntary sector organisations to achieve the best outcomes for children and families.
• Prepare and present information to decision-making panels, including NRPF panels, accommodation discussions and other multi-agency forums.
• Identify sustainable and preventative solutions that reduce crisis presentations and support families and young people to access appropriate services and support networks.
• Coordinate accommodation planning and support arrangements for young people and families where temporary or emergency accommodation is required.
• Maintain accurate, timely and high-quality case recordings, assessments and plans in accordance with statutory guidance and Trust expectations.
• Contribute to the development and continuous improvement of this new specialist service, helping to shape effective pathways, processes and practice standards across Bradford.
• Act as a specialist resource within the Integrated Front Door, providing professional advice and contributing to informed decision-making regarding youth homelessness and NRPF matters.

To be successful in this role you will need

• To hold a recognised Social Work qualification and be registered with Social Work England.
• To be an experienced Social Worker (Level3 or equivalent) with substantial post-qualification experience working within statutory children’s social care.
• Significant experience of undertaking Child and Family Assessments and progressing plans for children, young people and families within statutory services.
• Experience of managing Child in Need, Child Protection and Section20 cases, including working with complex safeguarding concerns.
• A sound understanding of children’s legislation, safeguarding practice, Children in Need duties and responsibilities towards looked after children.
• Knowledge and understanding of youth homelessness, including relevant legislation, assessment processes, accommodation arrangements and safeguarding considerations.
• Knowledge and understanding of No Recourse to Public Funds legislation, eligibility assessments and associated statutory responsibilities.
• Experience of working effectively with vulnerable adolescents and families experiencing crisis, instability or complex needs.
• Experience of working collaboratively within multi-agency partnerships and developing effective professional relationships with a range of services and stakeholders.
• Confidence in analysing complex information, presenting evidence-based recommendations and representing cases at panels and other decision-making forums.
• Strong assessment, planning, communication and report-writing skills, with the ability to produce clear and defensible recommendations.
• The ability to work independently, make sound professional judgements and contribute positively within a developing specialist service.
• A commitment to restorative and relational practice, with children and young people at the heart of all decision‑making.
• A willingness to develop specialist expertise in youth homelessness and NRPF practice whilst maintaining high standards of statutory social work practice.

Benefits

• Retention Payment: You will be eligible for our annual retention payment, paid in 12 monthly instalments. This is non contractual (reviewed annually)
• Generous annual leave - 31 days rising to 34 with service, plus bank holidays
• Excellent Local Government pension
• Family-friendly policies and enhanced parental leave
• Health & wellbeing support, including Occupational Health and counselling
• Professional development and career progression opportunities
• we are a National Living Wage employer

For full details of our benefits, please see the attached ‘Our Benefits’ brochure.

Bradford Children and Families Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all employees to share this commitment.

If shortlisted, you will be required to disclose relevant information regarding criminal history prior to interview.

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check including a check against the Children’s barred list, will be carried out on preferred candidates.

Shortlisting: Shortlisting will take place during the week commencing 31 August 2026.

Interviews: Successful shortlisted candidates will be required to attend an interview on either 9 September 2026 or 10 September 2026.

Candidates should ensure they are available between 9:00am and 5:00pm on both dates, as interview slots will be allocated during this period.

• Interview Location: Interviews will be held in person at Sir Henry Mitchell House
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