Social Worker - Separated Children's Team in Northampton

Job Reference: Ref/75/8568

Number of Positions: 1

Contract Type: Full Time – Permanent

Working Hours: 37

Location: Northampton

Closing Date: 28/05/2026

Job Category: Social Worker – Children

Organisation: Northamptonshire Children's Trust

Benefits:

• SWE Registration paid yearly (social care colleagues)
• Recruitment Welcome Bonus of £4,000
• Relocation costs of up to £8,000
• 28 days annual leave, plus 8 Bank Holidays (pro rata for part time) and an additional 5 days after 5 years
• Local Government Pension Scheme plus immediate life cover (3 times your annual salary from day one) and ill-health pension protection.
• Opportunity to purchase up to 25 days annual leave
• Employee Assistance Programme – independent external organisation Health Assured available 24/7 year‑round with telephone counselling, legal advice, bereavement support and medical information.
• Employee discounts with local and national retailers, days out, finance, health and beauty, travel and eating out plus lots more.
• Flexible and family working arrangements including enhanced maternity benefits
• A permanent, supportive and inclusive management team where you will be empowered to make good professional decisions
• Extensive Learning & Development and career development opportunities
• Subsidised town centre car parking scheme

About the role:

As a Children’s Social Worker at Northamptonshire Children’s Trust, you’ll join a supportive learning culture, be able to influence change, challenge others and share your expertise. As a skilled social worker in this team, we keep children at the heart of all we do; building meaningful relationships with young people, their families and carers, to ensure we plan proactively for the future of every child. You will need to demonstrate that you have experience of looked after children care. Your experience could have been gained whilst working in a LAC, court team, attending court whilst working in a safeguarding service or another area of children’s services. This is a large and busy team that works with unaccompanied asylum‑seeking children (under 18) and with families who have no recourse to public funds. This is a very fast paced and busy role that strives to deliver positive outcomes for our children and families in collaboration with our colleagues in the Leaving Care Service and our external partners.

What will you be doing?

• Championing and supporting young people through good pathway planning as they make their transition to independence, the service seeks to work in exciting and creative ways; fulfilling the personal advisor function, enabling young people to live.
• Providing oversight for all the children in care in Northamptonshire. This includes children subject to legal proceedings as well as children with a plan to remain long term in our care.
• We focus on building meaningful relationships with young people, their families and their carers to ensure that we plan effectively for the future of every child.

About you:

• You must hold a recognised Social Work qualification (degree/diploma)
• Strong background in the provision of Children in Care, along with the motivation and drive for self‑development.
• Previous experience within a Children in Care setting
• Ability to use a range of evidence‑based interventions to effect change with children, young people and families and carers.
• Skills in anticipating and responding appropriately to situations of conflict.
• Self‑organisation skills, with the ability to respond to duty, an allocated workload, prioritising tasks to achieve goals and meet timescales.
• Have the proven ability to work autonomously and seek advice when necessary
• Knowledge and experience of immigration processes – desirable
• Social Work England Registration
• Enhanced DBS Clearance
• The right to work in the UK

This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore subject to an enhanced DBS certificate. It is also a regulated activity and will be subject to a Barred List check.