Social Worker

Salary range: £42,060 - £51,138 p.a. inc. London weighting
Contract: Fixed term/Secondment - 12 months with possible extension for a further 12 months
Hours of work: 36 hours per week
Location: Civic centre and other locations from time to time

Strapline (Top) Brent is a tremendously vibrant London borough where the iconic arch of Wembley Stadium dominates the skyline. Spanning both inner and outer London, it is a borough of huge contrasts in terms of its economic, environmental, ethnic and social make up. Brent’s diversity is evident to all who visit our borough and our long history of ethnic and cultural diversity has created a place that is truly unique and valued by those who live and work here. The council is pursuing a far-reaching transformation agenda that better meets the needs of our community so it is an exciting time to join us. The Post

We are seeking an experienced social worker to join LAC and Permanency Service to primarily support unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC).

You will be the first point of contact for any new referrals from National Transfer Scheme, voluntary or statutory agencies and the 3 hotels based in the Wembley area. You will undertake initial assessment and screening interviews and if required take a lead in completing a Merton Compliant Age Assessment’s and Human Rights Assessment for young people who have No Recourse to Public Funds [NRPF]. You will also work closely with our Business Support Team when compiling Home Office returns for grant funding.

Participate in a Duty rota.

The Person

We are a committed and experienced team with a strong focus on partnership working with carers, children and their families, and the wider professional network. We are seeking an enthusiastic and self-motivated senior Social Worker to join our service.

The successful candidate will have extensive knowledge and experience of working with, assessing and supporting children and young people. This includes undertaking Merton Compliant Age Assessments and demonstrating a sound understanding of Home Office, asylum and immigration processes, as well as Children in Care procedures and relevant legislation.

You will be expected to work effectively with partner agencies, contribute to robust assessment and care planning, and promote positive outcomes for children and young people in line with statutory duties and local authority policies.

Candidate must have 3 years post qualifying experience of working as a Social Worker in a statutory setting. Candidate must have excellent verbal and written communications skills, good assessment skills, have a good understanding and working knowledge of the relevant legislation, have good IT skills and have an ability to adapt to changing situations.

Why join us?

We know people achieve their best when they feed valued. At Brent, you’ll benefit from:

• Up to 33 days annual leave (depending on length of service) plus bank holidays
• Excellent pension with generous employer contributions (LGPS)
• Hybrid and flexible working options available for most roles
• Supportive family-friendly policies for parent, guardians, and carers
• Health and wellbeing support, including access to eye test support and a 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme
• Financial support such as education sessions, childcare deposit loans, and season ticket loans
• Travel perks including affordable parking nearby, a Cycle to Work scheme, and great onsite facilities
• Learning and development opportunities to help you grow your career
• Access to My Brent Rewards with exclusive discounts on shopping, travel, leisure, and entertainment

Closing date: 15 March 2026 (23:59) Additional Information

If you are interested in applying for this job, please start by clicking the "Apply Now" button below. You must provide a supporting statement as part of your application that clearly shows how you meet the criteria on the Person Specification. We will accept a CV in support of your application, however, you should still provide a supporting statement.

Brent Council values the diversity of its community and aims to have a workforce that reflects this and therefore encourage applications from all sections of the community. We positively encourage all applicants to self-identify their characteristics in the diversity survey section in the application.

We are committed to safer recruitment and safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Applicants should be aware that posts working with children, young people and vulnerable adults are subject to an Enhanced DBS check as well as other employment clearances.
The information we collect from you will be shared with Cifas who will use it to prevent fraud, other unlawful or dishonest conduct, malpractice, and other seriously improper conduct. Further details of how your information will be used by us and Cifas and your data protection rights, can be found here.
Brent has a positive approach to flexible working. As a disability confident employer Brent welcomes applications from people with all disabilities, including “non-visible” disabilities and mental health conditions. We will interview any disabled applicant who meets the essential criteria. If you require reasonable adjustments to be made to any part of the recruitment process due to your disability, please contact recruitment team.