Advanced Social Worker - Safeguarding & Court Lead

London Borough of Hounslow; Hounslow; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

London Borough of Hounslow is seeking an Advanced Social Work Practitioner to lead complex child protection cases and drive safeguarding outcomes for children and families. You will act as a practice lead, mentor colleagues, and contribute to quality assurance and professional development across the service.

Working closely with managers and partner agencies, you will support high-quality decision-making, oversee court work, and help develop improved safeguarding practices that promote the

Qualifications

• 3 years post-qualifying experience in Children's Social Care, with experience of managing complex child protection, pre proceedings, and court cases.
• Expert knowledge of relevant childcare legislation, statutory guidance, Public Law Outline (PLO) processes, and legal frameworks affecting children and families.
• Is highly skilled in completing robust, analytical, and evidence-based assessments that support effective decision-making and withstand legal scrutiny.
• Has extensive experience of preparing high-quality court statements, care plans, and reports, and presenting evidence confidently within court proceedings.
• Can provide professional leadership, mentoring, and coaching to social workers, helping to strengthen practice standards and improve outcomes for children.
• Possesses excellent analytical skills and professional curiosity, with the ability to assess risk, identify emerging concerns, and make defensible decisions in complex situations.
• as a strong understanding of permanence planning, including rehabilitation, kinship care, Special Guardianship Orders, adoption, and long-term care arrangements.
• Is confident in advising and supporting practitioners on legal thresholds, care planning, and complex casework, ensuring decisions are child-centred and evidence-based.
• Builds positive and effective working relationships with legal representatives, CAFCASS, health professionals, education services, police, and other partner agencies.
• Is committed to reflective practice, continuous learning, and driving service improvement through quality assurance, audit activity, and dissemination of learning from court outcomes and reviews.

Responsibilities

• Keep children safe by undertaking or contributing to child protection investigations and providing clear assessments and recommendations to support decision-making.
• Assess the needs of children and families, including pre-birth assessments, ensuring their views are considered and comprehensive plans are agreed wherever possible.
• Work collaboratively with professionals across Children's Services and other multi-disciplinary teams to deliver effective plans in the best interests of children and families.
• Produce high-quality verbal and written reports for meetings and legal proceedings.
• Gather information through interviews, observations, and engagement with families and partner agencies.
• Develop, implement, and review care and protection plans within statutory frameworks, including child protection and pathway plans.
• Fulfil statutory responsibilities, such as visiting children, arranging reviews, and preparing court reports.
• Conduct ongoing, evidence-based assessments of complex needs and risks to ensure robust safeguarding.

Skills

Advanced practice

Court work

Mentoring

Leadership

Risk assessment

Child protection

PLO knowledge

Legal frameworks

Job description

London Borough of Hounslow is seeking an Advanced Social Work Practitioner to lead complex child protection cases and drive safeguarding outcomes for children and families. You will act as a practice lead, mentor colleagues, and contribute to quality assurance and professional development across the service.

Working closely with managers and partner agencies, you will support high-quality decision-making, oversee court work, and help develop improved safeguarding practices that promote the