Head of Social Work and Specialist Support

Blackburn with Darwen Council; Lancashire; On-site; GBP 77,000 - 82,000; Full time

Job summary

Blackburn with Darwen Council is seeking a strategic leader to head the Social Work and Specialist Support team. The post oversees statutory services for children and families, safeguarding, escalation pathways, and service delivery within Children’s and Education.

You will work across partner agencies to ensure timely assessments, effective safeguarding, and continuous professional development for staff, requiring deep knowledge of safeguarding regulations and a track record in managing complex

Responsibilities

• Lead statutory service areas for children and families in need of help and protection, including safeguarding.
• Coordinate effective step up and step down from social care into early help, and ensure compliant assessments for children in need and those on child protection plans.

Job description

Head of Social Work and Specialist Support

The job requirements are detailed below. Where applicable the skills, qualifications and memberships required for this job have also been included.

Job details

Salary Grade M, SCP 60-64, £76,882 to £82,398 per annum

Terms and Conditions: 37 hrs per week, Full Time, Permanent
Department: Children's and Education
Shortlisting Date: 26th October 2026
Interview Date: 5th November 2026

There couldn't be a more exciting time to join us. In our recent inspection, Ofsted judged our Children's Services as 'Good'.

We are seeking candidates with the passion and drive to make a difference, who want to join us on our journey to achieving excellence.

Size is our strength and working for a small Borough means that your interaction with other members of our leadership teams and services are more accessible.

We strive to keep abreast of new developments but always maintain a person centred perspective to our working arrangements. As our employee we want to provide you with a better work life balance with flexible and agile working arrangements.

Our people services have a proud record of achievement in supporting adults, children and communities in the borough. We do this by promoting independence, health, wellbeing and through safeguarding from harm.

Our vision is to develop and retain high performing, motivated teams and to ensure that our offer of continuous professional development makes Blackburn with Darwen an attractive place for people to work.

We are looking for a candidate who has a depth of experience and knowledge across a number of key disciplines including managing and leading the statutory service areas for children and families in need of help and protection including safeguarding, effective step up and step down from social care into early help, compliant assessments of children in need and an effective service to children and families in receipt of a child protection plan and interventions.

The above post is subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.