At a Glance
- Tasks: Conduct high-quality assessments with children and families, ensuring timely interventions.
- Company: Barnsley Council, a supportive and collaborative environment.
- Benefits: Earn £35 per hour, enjoy a structured duty rota, and work in a nurturing team.
- Other info: Join a dynamic team co-located with Police for effective multi-agency collaboration.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in children's lives while developing your social work skills.
- Qualifications: Social Work qualification and strong experience in assessment services required.
The predicted salary is between 28 - 42 £ per hour.
Barnsley Council are recruiting an experienced Senior Social Worker to join one of their four Assessment Teams, co-located with Police at Wombwell Police Station. This is a short-term frontline role with a clear focus on high-quality, timely assessments, strong decision-making, and improving outcomes for children and families.
About the Role
- You’ll be completing assessments with children and families within 40 working days, working collaboratively with families to identify the right intervention and plan.
- Once the plan is agreed, cases will either close to Children’s Social Care or transfer to the relevant service area — including Early Help or long-term social work teams.
- The service operates a clear and predictable duty pattern: 1 week on duty allocations, followed by 3 weeks off duty, focused on progressing assessments and intervention planning.
Key Responsibilities
- Complete high-quality statutory assessments within 40 working days, with clear analysis of risk and need.
- Undertake duty work during rota weeks, managing new allocations and responding to safeguarding concerns promptly.
- Develop timely, outcome-focused intervention plans in partnership with children, families and multi-agency professionals.
- Make confident threshold decisions and ensure cases step down, close, or transfer appropriately to the next service area.
- Maintain strong oversight of safeguarding practice, including Child Protection decision-making where required.
- Record consistently and accurately, ensuring the child’s lived experience and voice is central to assessment and planning.
- Work within a performance framework that supports timely case progression and strong outcomes for children.
Practice Model
Barnsley’s Assessment service focuses on timely, high-quality assessments, purposeful planning, and strong multi-agency working. The team is strengths-based and child-focused, working closely with families and partner agencies to ensure the right intervention happens at the right time, and children experience clear, effective support.
Requirements
- Social Work qualification (Degree/DipSW/CQSW)
- Social Work England registration
- Strong recent experience within an Assessment / Duty service
- Confident working at pace with clear decision-making and risk management
- Comfortable working within a performance management framework
- Level 2 vetting required (due to Police Station base) or willingness/eligibility to obtain this
Benefits
- £35 per hour umbrella rate
- Supportive, friendly and nurturing team environment
- Visible managers and strong leadership support
- Clear structure: duty rota with focused off-duty assessment time
- Co-located multi-agency working with Police for joined-up decision-making
Interested? Contact Emily Cooper for more info or to apply.
Senior Social Worker - Assessment in Barnsley employer: Sheldon Phillips Ltd
Barnsley Council is an excellent employer for Senior Social Workers, offering a supportive and nurturing team environment alongside visible management and strong leadership. With a clear duty rota that allows for focused off-duty assessment time, employees can thrive in a structured performance-focused setting while making a meaningful impact on the lives of children and families. The co-location with Police at Wombwell Police Station enhances collaborative decision-making, ensuring that social workers have the resources and support they need to succeed.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Social Worker - Assessment in Barnsley
✨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 Sheldon Phillips Ltd.
✨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 Sheldon Phillips Ltd!
✨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 Sheldon Phillips Ltd, 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 Sheldon Phillips Ltd or be able to connect you with someone who’s hiring. Networking is key, especially in a full-time role where relationships matter.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Social Worker - Assessment in Barnsley
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 Sheldon Phillips Ltd:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Sheldon Phillips Ltd! 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 Sheldon Phillips Ltd
✨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.
