Qualified Social Worker (Children's Asylum Team)

neway international; Horsham; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading local authority service in Horsham is seeking a Qualified Social Worker to manage the complex needs of unaccompanied asylum-seeking and trafficked children. You will collaborate with foster carers and legal professionals, ensuring children's welfare and access to essential services. The ideal candidate has a minimum of 3 years of experience in children's social care and must have a trauma-informed approach. This full-time role requires daily presence in West Sussex.

Benefits

Encouragement to attend transformational and leadership events

Qualifications

• Must have recent frontline child protection and safeguarding experience.
• Car driver, willing to travel daily across West Sussex and beyond.
• Able to provide two detailed practice‑based references.

Responsibilities

• Manage caseloads of unaccompanied asylum‑seeking and trafficked children.
• Work cross‑culturally, using interpreters where necessary.
• Ensure children access essential services (education, health, legal).

Skills

Cross‑cultural practice skills

Trauma‑informed approach

Use of interpreters

Education

Qualified Social Worker registration

3 years post‑qualified experience in local authority children's social care

Job description

West Sussex County Council's Children, Young People and Learning service is dedicated to safeguarding and supporting vulnerable children. The Children's Asylum Team provides specialist care for unaccompanied asylum‑seeking and trafficked children, ensuring their welfare needs are met and that they are supported to integrate socially and access essential services. As a Qualified Social Worker in the Children's Asylum Team, you will manage a complex caseload of young people from diverse backgrounds who have experienced trauma and loss. You will work cross‑culturally, from a trauma‑informed perspective, and ensure children access education, health, legal and voluntary sector services. The role requires close collaboration with foster carers, supported lodgings providers and legal professionals, alongside statutory visits and care planning.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage caseloads of unaccompanied asylum‑seeking and trafficked children.
• Work cross‑culturally, using interpreters where necessary, with a trauma‑informed approach.
• Ensure children access essential services (education, health, legal) and additional cultural/social support.
• Undertake statutory visits, including out‑of‑county travel.
• Liaise with foster carers, supported lodgings providers and manage placement moves/breakdowns.
• Make referrals to the National Referral Mechanism and assess family members as potential carers.
• Contribute to care and pathway planning, ensuring children's needs are central.
• Provide car driving and willing to travel daily across West Sussex and beyond.

Qualifications

• Qualified Social Worker with registration to practice in the UK.
• Minimum of 3 years post‑qualified experience in local authority children's social care in England.
• Recent frontline child protection and safeguarding experience.
• Strong cross‑cultural practice skills, trauma‑informed approach and experience using interpreters.
• Car driver, willing to travel daily across West Sussex and beyond.
• Able to provide two detailed practice‑based references (DfE template).
• Candidates must not have worked in a substantive role within the same region in the last three months.

This is a full‑time role, with candidates expected to be available in West Sussex every day. Agency staff are welcomed as part of the service and encouraged to attend transformational and leadership events.