At a Glance
- Tasks: Support children in care, building meaningful relationships and ensuring their voices are heard.
- Company: Join Walsall Council, the only Outstanding local authority in the Black Country.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, comprehensive training, flexible working, and wellbeing support.
- Other info: Enjoy manageable workloads and high support from experienced managers.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in children's lives while developing your social work skills.
- Qualifications: Experienced social workers passionate about supporting children and families.
The predicted salary is between 47181 - 50269 £ per year.
Children are at the heart of Walsall local authority. They receive support, help and services that reduce risks for them and meet their needs. (Ofsted, 2025)
Do you want to join our OUTSTANDING local authority? If so, we have a current opportunity for an experienced social worker within our children in care team as a Senior Social Worker.
Children and families are at the heart of our practice in Walsall as identified within our recent Ofsted inspection:
- Children benefit from positive, trusting relationships with their social workers.
- Social workers enable children, through direct work, to share their lived experiences, hopes and aspirations.
- Children in care benefit from living in stable and long-lasting homes.
- They experience positive nurturing relationships with their carers, and children spoken to by inspectors talked of feeling loved by their carers.
About the job
Within Children in Our Care, you will be supported by experienced team managers and skilled social work practitioners who are committed to working alongside you to deliver high-quality, child-centred practice. You will work with children, young people, carers, families and partner agencies to ensure that the voices, wishes and feelings of children are at the heart of care planning and review meetings. You will be supported to build meaningful relationships with children and to help them understand their experiences, identity and plans for the future.
You will have access to a strong training and development offer, including opportunities to develop the knowledge, confidence and skills needed to undertake meaningful therapeutic life story work with children and young people. This is an exciting time to join Children in Our Care in Walsall as we strengthen our ethos of supporting children in care for now, while also ensuring that, wherever possible and safe, children are reunified with their family and wider social networks. We are developing clear pathways to support social workers and specialist practitioners to help children live with the people they love and who are important to them.
About you
We are looking for experienced practitioners who are passionate and committed to supporting children in our care. You will be confident in building meaningful relationships with children and young people, as well as with their carers, families and wider social networks, ensuring that children feel listened to, understood and supported. You will bring a child-centred and relationship-based approach to your practice, with a strong commitment to helping children feel safe, loved and connected to the people who matter most to them.
Our Offer:
To provide the right conditions for you, we are committed to manageable workloads, high support from managers, essential paperwork only, enabling technologies. Within Walsall we offer a comprehensive training and development programme which contributed to our OUTSTANDING Ofsted grading in May 2025. There is a comprehensive training offer for workers in Walsall. There is an impressive offer to workers in gaining a social work qualification and for newly qualified social workers developing their knowledge of frontline practice. The general training offer is wide ranging and gives workers the opportunity to learn incrementally about their role.
Wellbeing is at the heart of our work. We offer specialised clinical supervision, to support work/life balance, flexible working and specialist employee assistance and therapeutic support when it is needed. We know we need to make social work a career people want to stay in. This post also attracts a retention payment after two years in post, starting at 10% and increasing incrementally up to 14%.
Would you like to talk to us about the realities of working in within the children in our care team? If so, contact Andy Caville or Deon Rogers who will connect you with one of the social workers within the service.
Closing date for applications: 10th August 2026
Interviews: week commencing 17th August 2026
This post is covered by the Government’s Code of Practice on the English Language Fluency Duty for public sector workers. The post holder will be required to communicate verbally with customers and provide advice and/or information in accurate spoken English.
Walsall Council takes seriously the responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of all the children, young people and vulnerable adults entrusted to our care and it is our expectation that all staff will share this commitment. We will ensure continuous development and improvement of robust recruitment processes and procedures that promote a culture of safeguarding amongst our workforce. Completion of an enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check is a requirement for working with children, young people and vulnerable adults.
Note: Applicants appointed to posts that require an enhanced DBS clearance must declare any periods of time that they have lived, studied or worked abroad and be prepared to provide an Overseas Criminal Records Certificate (OCRC) or a Statement of Good Conduct (SOGC) relating to anytime they were overseas.
Important note: When completing your online application form, you will be asked to enter supporting information. You must enter a detailed supporting information statement describing how your skills, abilities and experience meet the specific criteria included in the employee specification. If you do not include a supporting information statement, you will not be shortlisted. Please also ensure that you complete the work history and qualifications sections of your application form. Please do not add a CV as we do not accept them.
We kindly request that recruitment agencies do not contact us regarding this job vacancy. We are not accepting agency applications or referrals at this time.
At Walsall Council, we appreciate that AI can be a useful tool for ideas or guidance. However, we encourage you to make sure your application reflects your own voice and experiences. Over-reliance on AI can make responses feel less personal, and we really want to understand what makes you unique. Your experiences, skills, and perspective are what set you apart, so please ensure your application as a whole – particularly your ‘Supporting Information’ – reflects your own voice.
Walsall Council’s Children’s Services are the only Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ local authority in the Black Country. During a visit in May 2025, Inspectors described Walsall Council as a place where children were at the heart of. The council’s journey of continuous improvement started in 2017 and has since transformed into a service with a clear vision, clear priorities and a clear plan, all informed by the views of our staff and children. Staff are at the core of delivering great outcomes for children and young people in Walsall, which is underpinned by our Walsall Right 4 Children vision. The latest Ofsted inspection demonstrated that staff in children’s services are proud to work for Walsall Council and feel supported to do great work.
Senior Social Worker (Children in Our Care) - Ref: CH04226 in Walsall employer: Walsall Council
As a School Organisation Officer, you will join a supportive and dynamic team dedicated to enhancing educational opportunities for children. Our organisation values professional development, offering numerous growth opportunities and a collaborative work culture that prioritises employee well-being. Located in a vibrant community, we provide a meaningful role where your contributions directly impact the lives of families and children in the area.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Social Worker (Children in Our Care) - Ref: CH04226 in Walsall
✨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 Walsall Council.
✨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 Walsall Council!
✨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 Walsall Council, 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 Walsall Council 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 (Children in Our Care) - Ref: CH04226 in Walsall
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 Walsall Council:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Walsall Council! 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 Walsall Council
✨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.
