Senior Social Worker - Children in Care

Are you passionate about making a difference in the lives of children and families?

Do you have the drive to support and empower young people to achieve their full potential?

If so, Birmingham Children’s Trust wants you!

We have a fantastic new opportunity for an experienced Social Worker to join our team, as our Senior Social Worker.

As our Senior Social Worker, you will play a crucial role in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. You will play a key part in assisting our social workers to support our Children in Care alongside those children and families who are subject to live care proceedings. You will assist with the completion of statutory assessments, supervise family time and advise children and their families about help and support that is available to them.

You will obtain and record all relevant information, taking appropriate action where necessary; as well as providing practical day-to-day support; which may take the form of home visits and direct work within the family home or community.

Additionally, you will work closely with families, carers, and other professionals to assess needs, develop care plans, and provide ongoing support. You’ll have extensive experience in working with vulnerable children, young people and their families in a support/advisory role and be knowledgeable in safeguarding and Children’s services processes and legislation.

We have been rated as ‘Good’ by Ofsted, following a 2023 inspection. At our latest OFSTED monitoring visit in 2024, Children in Care Service findings were:

• Many children benefit from meaningful relationships with social workers who have taken time to build strong and caring relationships with them.
• Social workers demonstrate a real curiosity and passion to ensure they listen to children and are effective in meeting their needs.
• Social workers are positive about the support they receive from managers and leaders at all levels.
• Caseloads are manageable and social workers report that they are busy but they feel well supported in their practice.
• Consequently, social workers are able to develop meaningful relationships with children.
• Social workers are proud of their work and their children’s progress.

This is a hybrid role based in Birmingham so you must reside within a suitable commutable distance around Birmingham and have the correct right-to-work documents to work in the UK. Sadly, we do not support those who require sponsorship.

Interview date: 17th September, held onsite at our newly refurbished office at One Avenue Road.
2nd October, held onsite at our newly refurbished office at Lifford House.

About you

• You must be a qualified Social Worker and registered with SWE.
• Experience of working within social worker
• Ability in providing an outstanding service to all of our carers and children who are placed within our service.
• Experience of completing high quality, analytical court reports within strict court timescales is desirable, as the work is interesting, often complex and challenging but is crucial to achieving placement stability and permanence for our children.
• Ability to work on your own initiative and be able to demonstrate a high level of interpersonal skills and an ability to work effectively with colleagues.
• Solid understanding of relevant care planning and fostering legislation and be able to confidently work within fostering regulations, national minimum standards and safeguarding procedures.
• You will have assessment and report writing skills that are analytical, evidence based and demonstrate professional curiosity and respectful challenge.

Our offer to you:

• In addition to the salary offered, there is an incentive payment of £1,000
• Retention payment of up to £5,000 per annum, subject to tax and NI deductions - T&C's will apply.
• A generous annual leave package of 30 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days after 5 years of service and 35 days after 10 years of service.
• Free on-site parking.
• Amazing full access to our internal employee benefits scheme including, but not limited to, Occupational Health services, Rewards Schemes, Benefits discounts, Health & Fitness and Personal Wellbeing support and much more!
• Full reimbursement of your annual Social Work England registration fee
• Flexible and hybrid working policy - we are well adapted to a hybrid model of working which includes a combination of time spent in the office and at home.

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunities Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees - a place where we can all be ourselves and succeed on merit.

Want to know more?

We are hosting two open evenings with Birmingham Children’s Trust - a great chance to find out more about this role, talk more about what skills and experience is required, meet our team, and support on applying online.

Join us on Tuesday 10th September at One Avenue Road or on Wednesday 25th September in Lifford House, from 5pm to 7pm.

Everyone is welcome, free parking onsite and it’s completely free to attend. If you’re interested to learn more about this exciting new opportunity, come along and discover new opportunities in a relaxed and welcoming setting!

Help us to change children and young people’s lives!

At Birmingham Children’s Trust, we are committed to making a positive impact on the lives of over 10,000 children and young people in our city every day. Our mission is to support the most disadvantaged children and young people in Birmingham, ensuring they are safe, happy, and healthy.

Why Join Us?

• Impactful Work - be part of a team that makes a real difference in the lives of the city’s most vulnerable children.
• Supportive Environment - enjoy a supportive and collaborative work culture where your contributions are valued.
• Career Development - benefit from tailored development programs, supportive supervision, and a range of learning opportunities to enhance your skills and advance your career.
• Generous Benefits - take advantage of our competitive reward package including generous leave allowance, Local Government pension scheme, and additional benefits.

Our Values

We approach our work with care and compassion, actively listening to the needs of the children and young people we serve. We involve them in the decisions that affect their lives, ensuring their voices are heard and respected.

We are committed to using our resources wisely, ensuring that every penny is spent where it counts the most. We foster collaboration among schools, health professionals, and the police, working together to create a supportive network for our young people.

We believe that when we work as one cohesive team, the children and young people of Birmingham are more likely to thrive. Our unified approach ensures that we provide the best possible support and opportunities for their growth and development.

Join us and together, we can create a brighter future for all.

Safeguarding

At Birmingham Children’s Trust, we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.

Depending on the role, you may be asked to undergo the appropriate level of Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check to assess your suitability for working with children and young people.

The level of check (Standard, Enhanced, or Enhanced with Barred List) is determined based on the specific responsibilities of the role and the level of contact with children and young people.

We are committed to the fair treatment of all applicants, including those with criminal records. Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar an individual from working with us. This will depend on the nature of the position and the circumstances and background of the offence.

Please note that we reserve the right to close the job early should we reach the required number of applications, therefore please ensure you submit your application and supporting statement early to avoid any disappointment.