Children\'s Social Worker (Family Court Adviser) in Stoke-on-Trent

At Cafcass, we’re recruiting Children’s Social Workers who share our passion, commitment and ambition to facilitate positive outcomes for children involved in private and public law family court proceedings. Our Social Workers, professionally known as Family Court Advisers (FCAs), play a vital role. You might work within a Private Law team, a Public Law team, or a converged team covering both law types. The underlying role is the same: to speak on behalf of children and young people to ensure their thoughts, wishes and feelings are heard. As the only organisation that does this kind of work, FCAs can make recommendations leading to lasting change for children and families.

What you’ll be doing:

• Complete high quality assessments, engaging directly with children to understand their experiences, wishes and feelings, and ensuring these are powerfully represented to the family court.
• Apply your expertise in risk assessment, analysis and mediation, advocating for solutions that place the child’s safety, wellbeing and long‑term interests at the centre of decision making.
• Work with adults, local authorities and a wide range of professionals to help resolve complex issues and influence better outcomes for children.
• Operate flexibly across multiple settings—including the office in Birmingham, home, courts, schools and other safe locations—and use technology to support this work.

Roles we are recruiting for:

• Converged team based in Stoke/Staffordshire–covering Public law, Private Law and Pathfinder.
• Pathfinder–Information and Screening Team based in Birmingham. Family Court Advisors in the Pathfinder screening position play a central role in ensuring a consistent and child‑focused response at the earliest stage of involvement. This fast‑paced, short‑term work requires timely analysis and clear decision‑making.
• You will undertake an initial, expert review of all incoming families, assessing risk, identifying safeguarding concerns, and determining the most appropriate next steps for children and families within private law proceedings.
• You will gather clear information, collaborate with partners, and may at times be required to complete direct work with families.

How we support you:

• High‑quality equipment and technology to help you work efficiently and engage with families effectively.
• Access to specialist resources, guidance and training to strengthen your practice.
• A strong commitment to wellbeing, reflective supervision and a healthy work‑life balance.
• An inclusive environment that values diversity, encourages learning and constantly strives to improve outcomes for children, families and colleagues alike.

Qualifications:

• A Social Work qualification is essential.
• Right to work in the UK (no sponsorship).
• Registered with Social Work England (or likely to be able to register quickly if practising outside England).
• Recent, relevant experience working directly with children and families.
• Desirable: experience in family court proceedings, or knowledge of Private and/or Public Law.
• For applicants with limited post‑qualifying experience, relevant pre‑qualifying experience supporting children and families may be beneficial.
• Strong organisational skills, professional resilience and the ability to work independently while effectively managing a varied caseload.

About Cafcass:

We are Cafcass – the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service–and we represent children in family court cases across England. We independently advise the family courts on what is safe for children and in their best interests, speaking up for over 130,000 children every year when critical decisions are made. Our work ensures the needs, wishes and feelings of children are heard.