Senior Social Worker - CSST (part time 27 hour per week. Plus Welcome Payment of £5,000)

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Please apply online via the link provided.

Please include a personal statement with your CV specifying why you are applying for this vacancy.

Join our dedicated Children's Specialist Support Team (CSST) as an experienced Senior Social Worker, where your professional judgement, leadership and commitment to excellence will transform lives every day. At Bracknell Forest, we pride ourselves on being a council which is stable and well-managed where our employees can thrive in a supportive environment. We understand the importance of a healthy work-life balance and offer a variety of flexible working practices, including options for remote working and arrangements that allow you to work from home, dependent on the needs of the service. This part time role includes a minimum requirement of two days per week working from our Time Square office, supported by flexible working arrangements. The post is available on either a 3.5-day week basis or an alternating three-day/four-day fortnight pattern. Working hours will be discussed at interview. To learn more about what it is like to work with us, take a look at our workforce video. Read more about our culture and what our staff say Children's social care culture | Bracknell Forest Council.

About you…

You must be registered with Social Work England and have at least three years’ post‑qualifying experience in Children’s Social Care that includes child protection, public law outline and care proceedings.

You are passionate about relational social work and share our commitment to improving the lives of vulnerable children. By taking the time to understand each child's lived experience, you become a determined advocate for their voice, championing their needs and providing the support they require to achieve positive and lasting outcomes.

To thrive in this role, you will bring an in‑depth understanding of the relevant legislation, guidance, policies and thresholds that underpin safeguarding. Strong experience of effective multi-agency working enables you to build partnerships and co-produce needs-led safety plans for children and young people. Excellent recording skills support the production of high-quality assessments, reports and court statements.

As a Senior Social Worker, you role‑model and champion high‑quality practice, demonstrating a strong commitment to your own continued professional development, knowledge and experience to support colleagues, helping to foster our inclusive and collaborative culture.

Experience of working with children with disabilities and complex needs is desirable, but not essential, as we will support you to develop this specialist knowledge.

If you would like an informal chat or a tour of the office prior to submitting your application, please contact helen.gore@bracknell-forest.gov.uk to arrange a suitable time.

About the team…

The Children’s Specialist Support Team is a highly skilled team working with children who have disabilities and/or complex health needs.

We provide a wide range of services for children with additional needs and those who may be more vulnerable. This includes delivering the council’s statutory responsibilities for disabled children in need within the community, such as care packages, practical support and access to short breaks.

The team brings together an eclectic mix of expertise across different service areas, covering a broad spectrum of work with children with disabilities, occupational therapy and short breaks (including Larchwood, our dedicated short break respite unit).

Social Workers in CSST “focus on disabled children’s lived experiences and take time to understand their specific needs.” As a result, they are able to identify neglect early and use practical toolkits to support parents to make positive changes. When risks escalate, decisive action is taken, meaning you are well supported in your role to keep children safe. Children also benefit from excellent holistic support that meets their identified occupational therapy and speech and language needs, helping to ensure their overall wellbeing and developmental progress.

Bracknell Forest Council Children’s Social Care were graded as Outstanding by Ofsted in January 2026. Learn what OFSTED say about us here.

Please note: Children's services are currently progressing its Families First transformation programme. This role may be subject to changes to its responsibilities, reporting arrangements and/or job description. Any proposed changes would be managed in accordance with the council's relevant consultation processes and policies.

Key responsibilities…

• To hold a caseload and provide assessment, care planning, intervention and family support in line with expertise commensurate to a senior practitioner.
• To promote listening to children at every opportunity, ensuring their views are heard, recorded and acted upon in an appropriate and timely manner and to ensure life journey work is completed with children and young people in accordance with their age and understanding.
• To assess and identify the needs of children and families referred and negotiate delivery of services by determining how these needs can be best met in accordance with statutory responsibilities and council policies using best value principles.
• To work alongside partner agencies, for example, voluntary and statutory and within the context of the care plan for children and families to ensure the provision of appropriate and effective services.
• To develop and maintain accurate case records and comply with the department's policies, procedures and guidelines including data protection and GDPR.
• To participate in regular reflective supervision and be able to set clear goals and intervention strategies.
• To support and mentor less experienced colleagues including newly qualified Social Workers, Family Workers and social work students.

Our benefits…

• 28 days* annual leave increasing to 33 days* after 3 years’ continuous service, with the opportunity to buy up to 10 and sell up to 5 days*.
• Hybrid working opportunities to support your wellbeing and work-life balance.
• Paid employee volunteering scheme.
• Local government pension scheme, with life insurance cover.
• Electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme (subject to eligibility).
• Reimbursement of Social Work England registration.
• Recognition of continuous service attained within the NHS and UKHSA when calculating some benefits. (Terms and Conditions apply)
• Career development through internal and external training opportunities.
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and fostering leave.
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support your health and wellbeing
• Inclusive and social working environment with a variety of staff networks and a sports and social club.

*(pro rata for part time)

Find out more about all our benefits or see the candidate pack.

Our values...

At Bracknell Forest Council our values define who we are and what is important to us. Our core values are inclusive, ambitious, and always learning. These values influence the way we work with each other and the way we serve our residents and engage with our communities. We make our values real by demonstrating them in how we behave every day. If you are excited about joining a diverse team that celebrates learning and strives for excellence, we would love to hear from you.

Reasonable adjustments...

We are committed to ensuring an inclusive recruitment process for all applicants. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support your application or interview, please let us know by contacting recruitment@bracknell-forest.gov.uk. We will work with you to support you throughout the process. Find out more about reasonable adjustments.

Disability confident and inclusive recruitment...

Bracknell Forest Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader and an inclusive employer. This means that if you tell us on your application form that you have a disability, are an armed forces veteran or are a care leaver, you will be guaranteed an interview if you meet the essential criteria outlined in the person specification.

Interview date

Interviews will be held on 11th December 2026.

Interviews will be conducted in person, providing candidates with the chance to personally meet the team and experience our work environment.

We will be reviewing applications regularly and reserve the right to close the advert early if suitable candidates are identified. To avoid disappointment, you are advised to submit your application as soon as possible.

Please note AI is prohibited during the interview, any candidate using AI will be withdrawn from consideration.

Want to ask us a question?

For an informal discussion or to ask any questions about this role, please contact:

Benigna Amago - Team Manager - Benigna.Amago@bracknell-forest.gov.uk

or

Helen Gore, Principal Social Worker, Helen.gore@bracknell-forest.gov.uk

Bracknell Forest Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect everyone employed with us to share this commitment. All successful candidates for this role will be subject to a Enhanced Child Workforce, Child Barred List DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) check as part of our pre-employment checks process.

Candidates should be able to demonstrate experience of working within the current Social Care System and Framework.

We can only accept applications from candidates currently residing in the UK.

Please note that this particular role is part-time and therefore does not meet the minimum requirements for sponsorship under current UK Visas and Immigration regulations. As such, we are unable to offer sponsorship for this position.

No agencies please.