At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead complex cases and provide expert support to social workers in safeguarding children.
- Company: Join a dedicated team focused on improving family outcomes and child safety.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, professional development, and the chance to make a real difference.
- Other info: Opportunity for career growth in a supportive, collaborative environment.
- Why this job: Step up your career while directly impacting children's lives and supporting families.
- Qualifications: Must have a recognised Social Work qualification and experience in Children's Social Care.
We are seeking an experienced Senior Practitioner to join the Families First – Family Help Service, providing advanced social work practice and professional leadership. The successful candidate will hold a reduced caseload of the most complex children and families requiring statutory intervention, while providing expert safeguarding advice, practice oversight, mentoring and reflective support to other practitioners.
Working within the Families First model, you will play a key role in step-up and step-down decisions across Child in Need (CIN), Child Protection, Public Law Outline (PLO), care proceedings and permanence planning. You will champion Signs of Safety, Trauma-Informed Practice and Motivational Interviewing, helping to embed high-quality, relationship-based and evidence-informed practice across the service.
Key Responsibilities
- Manage a reduced caseload of complex CIN, Child Protection, PLO, pre-proceedings, care proceedings and permanence cases.
- Provide advanced safeguarding oversight, professional analysis and risk management.
- Undertake complex parenting, risk, viability and permanence assessments.
- Prepare high-quality assessments, reports, statements and court evidence.
- Lead complex multi-agency meetings, including CIN, Core Groups, planning and family network meetings.
- Coordinate multi-agency plans and ensure safeguarding actions, responsibilities and timescales are clear.
- Provide expert advice, case consultation and professional challenge to Social Workers, ASYEs, students and other practitioners.
- Lead pod supervision, providing reflective, case-focused supervision and supporting effective risk management.
- Facilitate reflective practice and multi-disciplinary supervision sessions with partner agencies.
- Mentor and coach practitioners through joint visits, case discussions, observation and feedback.
- Support the Team Manager with quality assurance, service improvement, workforce development and complex decision-making.
- Champion Signs of Safety, Trauma-Informed Practice and Motivational Interviewing.
- Ensure children's wishes, feelings and lived experiences remain central to practice and decision-making.
- Work with families experiencing complex issues including neglect, domestic abuse, exploitation, mental ill health, substance misuse and other safeguarding concerns.
- Undertake comprehensive Family Help Assessments and develop outcome-focused Family Help Plans.
- Complete regular visits and direct work with children, young people and families.
- Identify and build upon family strengths, networks and community resources.
- Promote family-led solutions, motivation for change and sustainable outcomes.
- Maintain accurate, timely and high-quality case records and professional documentation.
- Promote anti-discriminatory, anti-oppressive and culturally competent practice.
Candidate Requirements
- A recognised Social Work qualification.
- Current Social Work England registration.
- Significant experience within Children's Social Care and safeguarding.
- Strong experience managing complex CIN and Child Protection cases.
- Experience of PLO, care proceedings and permanence planning.
- Strong assessment, analytical and risk management skills.
- Experience preparing reports and presenting evidence within court proceedings.
- Experience providing practice leadership, mentoring, coaching or supervision.
- Strong multi-agency working experience.
- Knowledge of Signs of Safety, Trauma-Informed Practice and/or Motivational Interviewing.
- Excellent communication, professional challenge and decision-making skills.
- A strong commitment to relationship-based, strengths-focused and child-centred practice.
What We're Looking For
This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Social Worker ready to take the next step in their career and provide advanced practice leadership while continuing to work directly with children and families. The ideal candidate will be confident, analytical and supportive, with the ability to challenge practice appropriately, manage complex safeguarding situations and develop the skills of colleagues while keeping children's safety and wellbeing at the heart of every decision.
New Job employer: We Do Social Work
We Do Social Work is an excellent employer located in Altrincham, offering a supportive and friendly work environment where employees can thrive. With a focus on professional development and career progression, this role provides a unique opportunity to engage in diverse tasks while contributing to a growing specialist recruitment agency dedicated to making a difference in the public sector. Join us to build your skills and be part of a team that values your contributions.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land New Job
✨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 We Do Social Work.
✨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 We Do Social Work!
✨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 We Do Social Work, 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 We Do Social Work 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 New Job
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 We Do Social Work:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to We Do Social Work! 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 We Do Social Work
✨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.
