Parenting Assessor - Social Worker (Children's Services)

Wokingham Borough Council; Wokingham; On-site; GBP 44,000 - 51,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual Leave

LGPS

GP Helpline

EAP

Eye Tests

Onsite Gym

Salary Sacrifice

Discounts

Menopause Course

Sports & Social

Learning & Development

Employee Networks

And more!

Job summary

Wokingham Borough Council invites applications for a Parenting Assessor, Social Worker within the Compass Team. The role is full-time and permanent, based in Shute End, Wokingham, with a focus on comprehensive parenting assessments for pre-proceedings and court proceedings.

You will assess capacity, risk and change potential, producing defensible reports for legal settings. The post requires SW England registration, post-qualifying experience and a commitment to trauma-informed, reflective

Qualifications

• Recognised Social Work qualification and current registration with Social Work England.
• Post-qualifying experience in statutory children’s social care, including work with children and families with complex safeguarding concerns.
• Strong analytical assessment and report-writing skills, with the ability to evaluate conflicting information and reach clear, evidence-based conclusions.
• Knowledge of child protection, the Children Act framework, public law processes and relevant practice guidance, with the ability to work within court timescales.
• A child-centred, reflective and fair practitioner who can balance compassion with authoritative practice, professional challenge and sound judgement.

Responsibilities

• Plan, undertake and complete high-quality, evidence-informed parenting assessments within agreed pre-proceedings and court timescales.
• Assess parenting capacity, risk, protective factors, motivation and capacity to change, keeping the child’s lived experience central throughout.
• Produce clear, balanced and defensible written reports for professional meetings, legal planning meetings, solicitors and the Family Court, and provide oral evidence when required.
• Work directly with parents, children and family networks, adapting assessment methods to communication, learning, cultural and accessibility needs.
• Collaborate with social workers, managers, legal colleagues, Cafcass, health, education and partner agencies to gather, test and analyse information.
• Provide consultation, coaching and co-working support to practitioners, while contributing to quality assurance, learning and consistent assessment standards.

Skills

Analytical assessment

Report writing

Court knowledge

Communication skills

Trauma-informed practice

Education

Social Work qualification

Job description

Wokingham Borough Council invites applications for a Parenting Assessor, Social Worker within the Compass Team. The role is full-time and permanent, based in Shute End, Wokingham, with a focus on comprehensive parenting assessments for pre-proceedings and court proceedings.

You will assess capacity, risk and change potential, producing defensible reports for legal settings. The post requires SW England registration, post-qualifying experience and a commitment to trauma-informed, reflective