Social Worker - Parenting Assessment Team

About the Role

We are recruiting for an experienced Social Worker to join the specialist Parenting Assessment Team at the Eva Armsby Family Centre (EAFC) in Wapping, London Borough of Tower Hamlets.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a well-established and highly regarded service that plays a vital role in helping children achieve safe, stable and permanent outcomes. Our team undertakes high-quality parenting assessments for families involved in pre-proceedings and care proceedings, providing robust, evidence-based recommendations that inform some of the most important decisions made for children and families.

As a specialist Social Worker, you will work with parents, children and their wider support networks to assess parenting capacity, identify strengths and risks, and contribute to timely permanence planning. You will manage a varied caseload of parenting assessments, including specialist assessments such as ParentAssess, and produce high-quality analytical reports for the Family Court and Children's Social Care.

This role offers the opportunity to undertake meaningful and impactful work within a supportive environment that values reflective practice, professional curiosity and continuous learning.

In this role, you will:

• Undertake comprehensive parenting assessments, including specialist assessments such as ParentAssess, to inform care planning and court decision-making.
• Complete high-quality, evidence-based and analytical reports within statutory and court-directed timescales.
• Work directly with children, parents and wider family networks to assess parenting capacity and support change where appropriate.
• Engage effectively with children to ensure their experiences, wishes and feelings inform assessments and recommendations.
• Work collaboratively with social workers, Legal Services, health professionals, education services and other partner agencies to support informed decision-making and permanence planning.
• Participate in group supervision, quality assurance processes and reflective practice forums to continuously develop your assessment skills and contribute to a culture of learning.

About You

We are seeking a skilled, confident and child-focused Social Worker who is passionate about achieving the best outcomes for children and families.

You will be able to demonstrate:

A recognised Social Work qualification (Degree, CQSW, DipSW or equivalent).

Current registration with Social Work England.

A minimum of five years' post-qualifying experience within a statutory Children's Social Care setting.

Experience of working within Public Law Outline (PLO) and care proceedings.

Experience of completing court-directed assessments and producing high-quality analytical reports.

Experience of undertaking parenting assessments.

Desirable: Accreditation in, or experience of, specialist assessment frameworks such as ParentAssess, PAMS or CUBAS.

You should have a sound knowledge of relevant childcare legislation, safeguarding practice and Family Court processes.

Strong assessment, analysis and report-writing skills, with the ability to make balanced, evidence-based recommendations.

Excellent communication and partnership-working skills, with the ability to engage effectively with children, families and professionals from diverse backgrounds.

IT literacy, including proficiency in Microsoft Word and other standard office applications.

A commitment to continuous professional development and reflective practice.

Why Join EAFC?

The Eva Armsby Family Centre has a long-standing reputation for delivering high-quality parenting assessments and family time services that are highly regarded by children's social care teams and the Family Court.

You will join a small, friendly and experienced specialist team supported by a permanent management structure comprising a Head of Service, Group Manager and Team Managers. We pride ourselves on creating a supportive and nurturing environment where social workers can develop specialist expertise while maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

We offer:

Regular reflective supervision and management support.

A strong quality assurance framework to support high standards of practice.

Opportunities to develop expertise in specialist assessment methodologies.

Group supervision and peer reflection sessions that promote shared learning and professional growth.

Access to a broad range of training and development opportunities.

The opportunity to make a genuine difference to the lives of children and families at a critical point in their journey.

If you are an experienced Social Worker who enjoys assessment work, values analytical practice, and is passionate about helping children achieve safe and lasting outcomes, we would love to hear from you.

Our Benefits

Competitive salary, £45,852 - £57,495 per annum, Grade I-K, plus any applicable allowances.

Local Government Pension Scheme membership.

29 days annual leave, rising to 33 days after five years' service, plus bank holidays and additional Christmas closure days.

Flexible and agile working arrangements to support work-life balance.

Access to a range of staff benefits and money-saving schemes.

Excellent learning and development opportunities through the Council's Learning Academy.

Clear career progression pathways and support to develop specialist assessment skills and expertise.

A supportive, inclusive working environment that values wellbeing, diversity and professional development.