Parenting Assessor Social Worker — Children’s Services

Wokingham Borough; Wokingham; Hybrid; GBP 44,000 - 51,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous Annual Leave

GP Helpline

Employee Assistance Programme

Free Onsite Gym

Salary Sacrifice Schemes Car and Cycle

Local & Lifestyle Discounts

Move through Menopause Course

Sports & Social Group Activities

Job summary

Wokingham Borough Council is seeking an experienced Parenting Assessor Social Worker to join the Compass Team on a full-time, permanent basis. You will conduct parenting assessments for pre-proceedings and court, analysing capacity, risk and change potential, and produce defensible reports for legal settings.

Using relationship-based, systemic practice, you will work with parents, children and networks, offering consultation and co-working support to practitioners to raise assessment standards

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 where there are 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

Communication with families

Education

Recognised Social Work qualification

Job description

Wokingham Borough Council is seeking an experienced Parenting Assessor Social Worker to join the Compass Team on a full-time, permanent basis. You will conduct parenting assessments for pre-proceedings and court, analysing capacity, risk and change potential, and produce defensible reports for legal settings.

Using relationship-based, systemic practice, you will work with parents, children and networks, offering consultation and co-working support to practitioners to raise assessment standards