At a Glance
- Tasks: Support families through complaints and correspondence, making a real difference in their lives.
- Company: Join Cafcass, a diverse and inclusive organisation dedicated to representing children's voices.
- Benefits: Enjoy generous holidays, excellent pension, flexible working, and wellbeing support.
- Other info: Work in a hybrid environment with opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Why this job: Be part of a team that empowers children and families while developing your career.
- Qualifications: Customer service experience and strong communication skills are essential.
We are recruiting for 2 Caseworkers within our Complaints and Correspondence team covering work across the organisation. This role is part of a team that works flexibly and remotely, with occasional travel requirements to our Cafcass offices for training and development meetings. We trust and empower colleagues to work in a hybrid way, providing the resources, equipment and support to be the voice of children and young people when the family court makes critical decisions about their futures.
We provide extensive wellbeing support for colleagues, as well as excellent benefits, encouraging you to join us. We are a diverse, inclusive organisation that is a safe space for colleagues with shared aspects of identity and lived experience, ensuring we provide a service that promotes the diversity and uniqueness of children and families from all backgrounds. We especially welcome applications from people from diverse backgrounds as we strive to ensure our workforce reflects the diversity of the children and families we work with.
Cafcass provides an independent voice for children in the family courts. Children, and the people who matter most to them, are at the centre of our work. By joining our Complaints and Correspondence team as a Caseworker, you will undertake a variety of work from supporting families through their complaint or correspondence journey to promoting improved engagement across a mixed portfolio of stakeholders: Ombudsman, MPs or our colleagues in other government functions.
Some of your tasks will include:
- Taking ownership and responsibility for your own caseload whilst interacting with families or their representatives.
- Working with a range of colleagues across Cafcass, identifying appropriate subject matter and looking up information to reflect Cafcass’ key messages and policy positions.
If you consider yourself a problem solver, if you’re curious and want to get to the bottom of things, this role will provide engagement and reward.
Drawing on your expertise in a customer-focused environment you will:
- Manage your caseload and take ownership of the end-to-end journey for each complaint or piece of correspondence, with support from your colleagues.
- Adapt your approach to suit the family member, colleague or stakeholder you are working with, in a professional and compassionate manner.
- Sensitively and compassionately communicate via email and phone to obtain relevant information to support the resolution of complaints and other correspondence.
We understand you may benefit from finding out more to help you decide to apply. There is a lot of information available at Cafcass Careers. If there is something else you need to find out more about, you can contact Narinder Kaur at Narinder.Kaur2@cafcass.gov.uk from our HR Resourcing team for recruitment process queries or contact Mary Stimson, Deputy Head of Complaints & Correspondence Team at Mary.Stimson@Cafcass.gov.uk for role-related questions.
The wellbeing of our colleagues is something we are truly passionate about, as demonstrated by everyone having four dedicated, additional days per year when they are encouraged to focus on their health and wellbeing. Colleagues can also have a health and wellbeing cash plan, which allows them to claim back some costs of routine health expenses, including dental check-ups, eye tests, physiotherapy sessions and more.
We represent children and families from diverse backgrounds, and having a diverse workforce helps us fulfil this responsibility authentically. We particularly welcome applications from individuals from diverse backgrounds as we strive to ensure our workforce reflects the diversity of the children and families we work with.
We know if you join us you want to be rewarded in a variety of ways, including time away from work to spend time with those important to you, manage your financial present and future, whilst also being trusted to manage your work/life balance. Therefore, in addition to our unique, holistic approach to supporting your health and wellbeing, we also provide:
- Generous holidays: 28 days holiday (including three for Christmas) rising to 33 days with five years continuous service.
- Excellent pension: 19.4% employer contribution to Local Government Pension scheme.
- Flexible working: Most colleagues work in a hybrid way, accommodating flexible working requests.
- Exclusive discounts: Generous discounts with a wide range of companies.
- Professional fees: Social work colleagues have their annual Social Work England membership fees reimbursed.
- Car leasing schemes: We have our own scheme for colleagues that travel a significant number of business miles.
This list is just a selection of main benefits, and we look forward to providing you with further information about these in due course.
Caseworker employer: Cafcass
As a leading organisation in the Hampshire & Dorset area, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that values diversity and inclusion, ensuring every team member feels supported and empowered. Our commitment to professional growth is reflected in our extensive wellbeing support and excellent benefits package, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and high-quality service delivery for children and families. Join us to make a meaningful impact while enjoying a collaborative and inspiring work environment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Caseworker
✨Dive into Local Community Groups
Social work thrives on community connections, so get involved in local groups or forums specific to your interests. Whether it’s volunteering at local shelters or joining community action boards, these are great ways to boost your visibility and make direct contacts that could lead to opportunities like the one at Cafcass.
✨Attend Social Work Events and Workshops
Keep an eye out for workshops, seminars, or conferences in social work. These events are fantastic for meeting professionals in the field, learning about emerging trends, and spotting job openings. Plus, you might just bump into someone from Cafcass!
✨Showcase Your Passion and Expertise
Use platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn to share your journey and insights into the social work sector. Whether it’s writing about your experiences or sharing relevant articles, this helps to establish you as an engaged professional. Potential employers, like Cafcass, will notice your enthusiasm!
✨Leverage Your Network
Don’t hesitate to reach out to professors, mentors, or even past colleagues who are in social work. They might have inside knowledge about openings at Cafcass or be able to connect you with someone who’s hiring. Networking is key, especially in a full-time role where relationships matter.
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Social Work:In your cover letter, let us see your passion for social work shine through! Talk about the experiences that made you want to pursue this career—whether it’s volunteering, personal experiences, or academic projects. We want to know why this field matters to you.
Emphasise Relevant Qualifications:Make sure your CV highlights any relevant qualifications, like degrees in social work or certifications like a DBS check. If you've done any workshops or training, don’t forget to include those as well. We're keen to see your commitment to your professional development!
Detail Your Experience with Clients:Since this is a hands-on field, detailing any direct experience you have with clients is crucial. Whether it's internships, volunteer roles, or previous jobs, highlight those experiences in your CV to show us you've got the practical skills necessary for the job!
Tailor Your Application to Cafcass:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Cafcass! Research our mission and values, and refer to them in your cover letter. This shows us that you understand our work and are genuinely interested in being a part of our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Cafcass
✨Understanding the Role of Empathy
In social work, understanding and demonstrating empathy is key. Be prepared to share personal experiences or scenarios where you effectively showed compassion and support. This helps show that you genuinely care about the well-being of others, which is crucial in social work.
✨Demonstrating Knowledge of Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with the frameworks and models used in social work, such as the Strengths-Based Approach or the Ecological Perspective. Be ready to discuss how these frameworks apply to your work, especially if you can tie them into real-world examples or case studies you've encountered.
✨Showcasing Your Multi-Disciplinary Skills
In a full-time social work role, you'll often collaborate with healthcare professionals, educators, and law enforcement. Be prepared to describe your teamwork experiences and how you've effectively communicated with other disciplines to achieve the best outcomes for clients.
✨Preparing for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical social work situations, such as dealing with a crisis or managing a complex case. Think through your thought process for these scenarios beforehand, considering how you'd assess the situation and what steps you'd take, as this demonstrates your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
