Qualified Children's Social Worker - Child focused courts in Sheffield

p Location: Engaging directly with children and families across the Hull and Sheffield area with a contractual office base in Hull or Sheffield. /p p /p p strong A once in a generation opportunity to practice social work differently /strong /p p /p p Family justice is changing, and Cafcass is at the heart of that change. With the national rollout of strong Child Focused Courts /strong , we are leading a transformation in how children's voices are heard and how decisions are made in family proceedings. /p p /p p Child Focused Courts place children's strong safety, wellbeing and lived experience /strong at the centre of decision-making from the very start of proceedings. This problem solving, less adversarial approach allows decisions to be informed earlier by a clear understanding of children's experiences, including through the preparation of Child Impact Reports. /p p /p p strong The role at a glance /strong /p p /p p Working within Cafcass' strong Child Focused Courts teams /strong , you will; /p ul li Undertake direct strong work with children and families /strong involved in family court proceedings /li li Ensure children's voices are heard clearly and influence judicial decision making /li li Collaborate closely with judges, legal professionals and partner agencies /li li Practise social work that is purposeful, evidence informed and values led /li /ul p /p p Many practitioners involved in early Child Focused Court pilots describe this way of working as professionally rewarding, aligned with core social work values, and genuinely impactful for children. /p p /p p strong What you will do /strong /p p /p p As a Children's Social Worker / Family Court Adviser, you will: /p ul li Conduct high quality assessments that focus on Children's lived experience, safety and wellbeing /li li Engage directly with children, ensuring their views, wishes and feelings are understood and represented /li li Prepare clear, analytical reports for the family court, including contributions to Child Impact Reports. /li li Apply robust risk assessment and mediation skills to support child focused decision making /li li Work effectively across private law proceedings, with a strong understanding of public law context /li li Manage your caseload independently while contributing to a supportive, learning focused team environment /li /ul p /p p strong Who we are looking for /strong /p p /p p We welcome applications from qualified and experienced Children's Social Workers who share our commitment to child centred practice. /p p /p p strong You will need /strong /p ul li A recognised Social Work qualification /li li To be registered with strong Social Work England /strong /li li An understanding of family court processes and private and/or public law /li li Strong analytical, organisational and communication skills /li li Resilience, professional curiosity and confidence in working independently /li /ul p /p p We recognise that social workers bring experience from a wide range of settings, including local authority, court, voluntary, safeguarding and therapeutic roles. strong If your background aligns with our purpose, we encourage you to apply. /strong /p p /p p In addition to the job description, we've created a factsheet providing some extra information on strong Child Focused Courts. /strong Both documents - and any others we think you may want to view - are a 'vacancy document' you can access when you are on our recruitment system and available to you before you start to apply. /p p /p p We recognise that social workers bring experience from a wide range of settings, including local authority, court, voluntary, safeguarding and therapeutic roles. strong If your background aligns with our purpose, we encourage you to apply. /strong /p p /p p strong Why work for Cafcass? /strong /p p /p p At Cafcass, you will be supported to do your best work for children. We offer: /p ul li Opportunities to contribute to nationally significant reform in family justice /li li Strong professional supervision and reflective practice /li li Access to learning from ongoing Child Focused Court pilots and national rollout activity /li li A competitive salary and Local Government pension /li li Generous annual leave and wellbeing support /li li The resources, equipment and flexibility needed to work effectively, connect with children and your colleagues /li /ul p /p p Together, we work to ensure that children and young people are heard when the family court makes critical decisions about their futures. /p p /p p strong Inclusion and belonging /strong /p p /p p Cafcass is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce that reflects the children and families we serve. We welcome applications from individuals from all backgrounds and value professional diversity, lived experience and different career pathways. /p p /p p We are committed to making reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process and in the workplace. If you need support at any stage, we encourage you to tell us. /p p /p p strong Application process and next steps /strong /p p /p p We aim to run a fair, transparent and supportive recruitment process. Indicative timescales are outlined below and may be subject to change. /p p /p p strong Closing date: /strong /p p 9th November 2026 /p p strong Telephone /strong strong interviews: /strong /p p Multiple dates from 9th to 20th November 2026 /p p strong Final Interview: /strong /p p Multiple dates from 27th November to 8th December 2026 /p p /p p If you have any questions about the role or recruitment process, please contact Vacancy Contact / Vacancy Contact Email in the first instance. /p p /p p Successful applicants will complete several pre engagement checks, including a strong Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) /strong check. If any criminal offences are disclosed, we will conduct an individual assessment in line with the strong DBS code of practice /strong and the strong Cafcass DBS policy /strong . /p p /p p strong We look forward to receiving your application! /strong /p