At a Glance
- Tasks: Make a real difference in children's lives while leading and supporting your team.
- Company: Join a values-driven organisation dedicated to safeguarding families in Lancashire.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, permanent position, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Flexible hours may be required to meet the needs of families.
- Why this job: Combine hands-on social work with leadership to create meaningful change.
- Qualifications: Experienced social worker with a passion for supporting children and families.
The predicted salary is between 46142 - 51356 £ per year.
Job Description
Salary £46,142 - £51,356 Per Annum | Permanent, Full Time 37 Hours Per Week | Lancaster
Are you an experienced, values‑driven social worker who wants to make a real and lasting difference in the lives of children and families? If you’re passionate about supporting others, leading by example, and delivering meaningful change, we’d love to hear from you.
We’re looking for a Consultant Social Worker to join our Family Safeguarding Team in Lancashire. In this role, you’ll work closely with the Team Manager, helping to shape practice, support colleagues, and ensure families receive the very best support.
This is a unique opportunity to combine hands-on social work with leadership and development. You’ll hold a small, complex caseload (around 60% of a full caseload), allowing you to stay connected to frontline practice, while also co-working cases that require advanced professional expertise.
You’ll play a key role in developing others—supporting colleagues to grow their skills through group supervision, embedding motivational interviewing, and making the most of tools such as the LCS workbook. You’ll also help bring learning to life across the team, coordinating development activities that strengthen practice and outcomes.
Alongside this, you’ll provide oversight and guidance to Specialist Adult Workers and a Child and Family Practitioner, stepping in for the Team Manager when needed. This is a role where your leadership will be felt every day—both by your colleagues and by the families you support.
We know that supporting children and families doesn’t always happen within standard hours, so there may be occasions where evening or weekend working is needed to respond to their needs.
At the heart of everything we do is our shared vision: Children, young people and their families in Lancashire are safe, healthy and able to achieve their full potential. You’ll help us bring this to life by working towards five key outcomes:
- Keeping vulnerable children and young people safe and helping them build resilience
- Supporting children and young people to succeed in education and future employment
- Promoting healthy lifestyles and encouraging positive relationships
- Ensuring children, young people and families have a voice in shaping the support they receive
- Helping children and young people enjoy a high quality of life in Lancashire—where they feel happy and want to stay
Locations White Cross, Lancaster, LA1 3SE, GB
Consultant Social Worker | Family Safeguarding Service | Full Time in Lancaster employer: Lancashire County Council
Join our Family Safeguarding Service in Lancaster, where we prioritise a supportive and collaborative work culture that empowers social workers to make a meaningful impact on the lives of children and families. With a focus on professional development, you will have the opportunity to lead, mentor, and shape practice while maintaining a manageable caseload, ensuring you can stay connected to frontline work. Our commitment to flexible working hours and a shared vision for community wellbeing makes us an exceptional employer for those passionate about social work.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Consultant Social Worker | Family Safeguarding Service | Full Time in Lancaster
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the social work field, attend local events, and join relevant online groups. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by practising common questions and scenarios specific to social work. Think about your experiences with complex cases and how you've supported families—this will help you shine when it counts!
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your leadership skills! In your conversations, highlight how you've developed others and improved practices in your previous roles. This is key for a Consultant Social Worker position, so let that passion for mentoring come through.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love hearing from candidates who are genuinely excited about making a difference in the lives of children and families.
We think you need these skills to ace Consultant Social Worker | Family Safeguarding Service | Full Time in Lancaster
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion:When writing your application, let your passion for social work shine through. We want to see how much you care about making a difference in the lives of children and families. Share personal experiences or motivations that drive you to this field.
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to the Consultant Social Worker role. Highlight relevant experience, especially in leadership and safeguarding. We’re looking for specific examples that demonstrate your skills and how they align with our values.
Be Clear and Concise:Keep your application clear and to the point. Use straightforward language and avoid jargon. We appreciate well-structured applications that are easy to read and get straight to the heart of your qualifications.
Apply Through Our Website:Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining our team at StudySmarter!
How to prepare for a job interview at Lancashire County Council
✨Know Your Values
As a Consultant Social Worker, it's crucial to align your personal values with those of the Family Safeguarding Service. Before the interview, reflect on your core beliefs and how they drive your practice. Be ready to share specific examples of how you've demonstrated these values in your previous roles.
✨Showcase Leadership Skills
This role involves supporting and developing colleagues, so highlight your leadership experience. Prepare to discuss instances where you've led a team or mentored others. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses and make them impactful.
✨Understand the Role's Challenges
Familiarise yourself with the complexities of the caseload and the challenges faced by families in safeguarding situations. Be prepared to discuss how you would approach difficult cases and support your team in navigating these challenges effectively.
✨Engage with the Vision
The service has a clear vision for children and families in Lancashire. Research this vision and think about how your work can contribute to achieving these outcomes. During the interview, express your enthusiasm for this mission and provide examples of how you've worked towards similar goals in the past.
