Qualified Children's Social Worker - Child focused courts

Cafcass (Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service); Greater Lincolnshire; Presencial; GBP 34.000 - 42.000; Jornada completa

Ventajas ofrecidas por este puesto de trabajo

Local Government pension

Generous annual leave

Wellbeing support

Professional supervision

Descripción de la vacante

Cafcass is recruiting Children’s Social Workers to work within the Child Focused Courts across Hull or Sheffield. You will conduct direct assessments, ensure children’s voices are heard, and prepare reports for family court proceedings.

The role combines independent caseload management with support from a learning‑oriented team. The position emphasizes child‑centred practice, robust risk assessment and collaboration with judges and legal professionals.

Formación

• We welcome applications from qualified and experienced Children’s Social Workers who share our commitment to child‑centred practice.
• A recognised Social Work qualification and registration with Social Work England are expected.
• You will bring strong analytical, organisational and communication skills, with resilience and confidence to work independently.

Responsabilidades

• Conduct high‑quality assessments focusing on children’s lived experience, safety and wellbeing
• Engage directly with children to ensure their views are understood and represented
• Prepare clear, analytical reports for the family court, including Child Impact Reports
• Apply robust risk assessment and mediation to support child‑focused decisions
• Work across private and public law contexts with a caseload in a supportive team
• Manage your caseload independently while contributing to a learning‑focused environment

Conocimientos

Social work qualification

Social Work England registration

Analytical thinking

Organisational skills

Communication skills

Resilience

Independent working

Descripción del empleo

Location: Engaging directly with children and families across the Hull and Sheffield area with a contractual office base in Hull or Sheffield.

A once‑in‑a‑generation opportunity to practice social work differently

Family justice is changing, and Cafcass is at the heart of that change. With the national rollout of Child Focused Courts, we are leading a transformation in how children’s voices are heard and how decisions are made in family proceedings.

Child Focused Courts place children’s safety, wellbeing and lived experience at the centre of decision‑making from the very start of proceedings. This problem‑solving, less adversarial approach allows decisions to be informed earlier by a clear understanding of children’s experiences, including through the preparation of Child Impact Reports.

The role at a glance

Working within Cafcass’ Child Focused Courts teams, you will;

• Undertake direct work with children and families involved in family court proceedings
• Ensure children’s voices are heard clearly and influence judicial decision‑making
• Collaborate closely with judges, legal professionals and partner agencies
• Practise social work that is purposeful, evidence‑informed and values‑led

Many practitioners involved in early Child Focused Court pilots describe this way of working as professionally rewarding, aligned with core social work values, and genuinely impactful for children.

What You Will Do

As a Children’s Social Worker / Family Court Adviser, you will:

• Conduct high‑quality assessments that focus on Children’s lived experience, safety and wellbeing
• Engage directly with children, ensuring their views, wishes and feelings are understood and represented
• Prepare clear, analytical reports for the family court, including contributions to Child Impact Reports.
• Apply robust risk assessment and mediation skills to support child‑focused decision‑making
• Work effectively across private law proceedings, with a strong understanding of public law context
• Manage your caseload independently while contributing to a supportive, learning‑focused team environment

Who We Are Looking For

We welcome applications from qualified and experienced Children’s Social Workers who share our commitment to child‑centred practice.

You will need

• A recognised Social Work qualification
• To be registered with Social Work England
• An understanding of family court processes and private and/or public law
• Strong analytical, organisational and communication skills
• Resilience, professional curiosity and confidence in working independently

We recognise that social workers bring experience from a wide range of settings, including local authority, court, voluntary, safeguarding and therapeutic roles.

In addition to the job description, we've created a factsheet providing some extra information on Child Focused Courts. Both documents - and any others we think you may want to view - are a 'vacancy document' you can access when you are on our recruitment system and available to you before you start to apply.

We recognise that social workers bring experience from a wide range of settings, including local authority, court, voluntary, safeguarding and therapeutic roles.

Why work for Cafcass?

At Cafcass, you will be supported to do your best work for children. We offer:

• Opportunities to contribute to nationally significant reform in family justice
• Strong professional supervision and reflective practice
• Access to learning from ongoing Child Focused Court pilots and national rollout activity
• A competitive salary and Local Government pension
• Generous annual leave and wellbeing support
• The resources, equipment and flexibility needed to work effectively, connect with children and your colleagues

Together, we work to ensure that children and young people are heard when the family court makes critical decisions about their futures.

Inclusion and belonging

Cafcass is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce that reflects the children and families we serve. We welcome applications from individuals from all backgrounds and value professional diversity, lived experience and different career pathways.

We are committed to making reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process and in the workplace. If you need support at any stage, we encourage you to tell us.

Application process and next steps

We aim to run a fair, transparent and supportive recruitment process. Indicative timescales are outlined below and may be subject to change.

Closing Date

9th November 2026

Telephone interviews

Multiple dates from 9th to 20th November 2026

Final Interview

Multiple dates from 27th November to 8th December 2026

If you have any questions about the role or recruitment process, please contact Libby Gaffney / [e-mail] in the first instance.

Successful applicants will complete several pre‑engagement checks, including a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. If any criminal offences are disclosed, we will conduct an individual assessment in line with the DBS code of practice and the Cafcass DBS policy.

We look forward to receiving your application!