Senior Practitioner - CASS Service

Birmingham Children's Trust; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

£1,000 incentive payment

Relocation up to £8,000

We pay DBS application fee

Free on-site parking

Hybrid working

Job summary

Birmingham Children’s Trust in Birmingham is seeking a Senior Practitioner for the Children’s Assessment and Support Service (CASS) to lead safeguarding and high-quality social work practice with children and families.

You will screen referrals, apply thresholds, decide on protection and support needs, and provide practice leadership to social workers while building strong relationships with partner agencies.

Qualifications

• A recognised Social Work degree or equivalent professional qualification.
• Current registration with Social Work England.
• Successful completion of the Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE).
• Significant post-qualifying experience within children’s social care.
• Experience undertaking assessments, managing complex cases and working with children and families.
• Strong knowledge and understanding of relevant legislation, statutory guidance and safeguarding procedures.
• Excellent assessment, analytical and professional judgement skills.
• The ability to undertake effective risk assessments and make evidence‑based decisions.
• Experience of working collaboratively with partner agencies and professionals.
• The ability to provide guidance, support and practice leadership to less experienced Social Workers.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and relationship‑building skills. A strong commitment to achieving positive outcomes for children and young people.
• The ability to work effectively under pressure, prioritise competing demands and manage a complex workload.

Responsibilities

• Screen new referrals and apply threshold decisions.
• Make decisions regarding protection and support for children.
• Provide practice leadership and support to Social Workers.
• Promote consistently high standards of practice across the service.
• Maintain strong relationships with partner agencies.

Skills

Assessment

Leadership

Partnership working

Communication

Decision making

Education

Social Work degree or equivalent

Job description

Senior Practitioner - Children’s Assessment and Support Service (CASS)

About the Role

Are you an experienced Social Worker looking for your next challenge and an opportunity to make a real difference to children and families? We are looking for an experienced and motivated Senior Practitioner to join our Children’s Assessment and Support Service (CASS).

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in delivering high-quality social work practice, supporting children and families at a critical point in their lives.

As a Senior Practitioner, you will play a crucial role in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. You will screen new referrals, apply threshold and make decisions regarding the protection of and support for children. You will also provide practice leadership and support to Social Workers and other colleagues, helping to promote consistently high standards of practice across the service. Central to the role in CASS is maintaining strong relationships and communication with our partner agencies that we work closely with.

We have been rated as ‘Good’ by Ofsted, following a 2023 inspection. This is a fantastic achievement for Birmingham Children’s Trust, with many positive highlights focusing on areas including the quality of staff leadership, partnership working, safeguarding and corporate parenting.

This is a hybrid role based in Birmingham, so you must reside within a suitable commutable distance around Birmingham and have the correct right-to-work documents to work in the UK. Sadly, we do not support those who require sponsorship.

About You

We are looking for an experienced and committed Social Worker who can demonstrate:

• A recognised Social Work degree or equivalent professional qualification.
• Current registration with Social Work England.
• Successful completion of the Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE).
• Significant post-qualifying experience within children’s social care.
• Experience undertaking assessments, managing complex cases and working with children and families.
• Strong knowledge and understanding of relevant legislation, statutory guidance and safeguarding procedures.
• Excellent assessment, analytical and professional judgement skills.
• The ability to undertake effective risk assessments and make evidence‑based decisions.
• Experience of working collaboratively with partner agencies and professionals.
• The ability to provide guidance, support and practice leadership to less experienced Social Workers.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and relationship‑building skills. A strong commitment to achieving positive outcomes for children and young people.
• The ability to work effectively under pressure, prioritise competing demands and manage a complex workload.

Our Benefits

• An incentive payment of £1,000 paid in full in your first months’ salary (T&C’s apply)
• Retention bonus of £2,400 per annum paid in monthly instalments (T&C’s apply)
• Relocation Allowance of up to £8,000 (T&C’s apply)
• We pay your Social Work England registration fee
• We pay your DBS application fee and reimburse your update service fee
• A generous annual leave package of 30 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days after 5 years of service and 35 days after 10 years of service.
• Early finish every Friday!
• Salary Sacrifice Car Scheme which gives you the chance to drive a brand‑new car for an affordable fixed monthly amount as part of a salary sacrifice initiative. With no deposits or credit checks required a range of all‑inclusive driving packages
• Free on‑site parking at our offices on One Avenue Road (Aston) and Lifford House (Stirchley). We also provide onsite electric car charging ports which are free to use!
• Full access to our amazing internal employee benefits scheme including, Occupational Health services, Rewards Schemes, Benefits discounts (including the Blue Light Card), Health & Fitness and Personal Wellbeing support and much more!
• Flexible and hybrid working policy - we are well adapted to a hybrid model of working which includes a combination of time spent in the office and at home and we offer a variety of working patterns, to support the needs of the Trust and to ensure a positive work/life balance for our employees
• You will receive a generous local government career average pension scheme in line with the Local Government Pension Scheme
• Discounted gym memberships with Pure Gym and Nuffield Health

Help us to change children and young people’s lives!

At Birmingham Children’s Trust, we are committed to making a positive impact on the lives of over 10,000 children and young people in our city every day. Our mission is to support the most disadvantaged children and young people in Birmingham, ensuring they are safe, happy, and healthy.

Why Join Us?

• Impactful Work - be part of a team that makes a real difference in the lives of the city’s most vulnerable children.
• Supportive Environment - enjoy a supportive and collaborative work culture where your contributions are valued.
• Career Development - benefit from tailored development programs, supportive supervision, and a range of learning opportunities to enhance your skills and advance your career.
• Generous Benefits - take advantage of our competitive reward package including generous leave allowance, Local Government pension scheme, and additional benefits.

Our Values

We approach our work with care and compassion, actively listening to the needs of the children and young people we serve. We involve them in the decisions that affect their lives, ensuring their voices are heard and respected.

We are committed to using our resources wisely, ensuring that every penny is spent where it counts the most. We foster collaboration among schools, health professionals, and the police, working together to create a supportive network for our young people.

We believe that when we work as one cohesive team, the children and young people of Birmingham are more likely to thrive. Our unified approach ensures that we provide the best possible support and opportunities for their growth and development.

Join us and together, we can create a brighter future for all.

Safeguarding

At Birmingham Children’s Trust, we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.

Depending on the role, you may be asked to undergo the appropriate level of Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check to assess your suitability for working with children and young people.

The level of check (Standard, Enhanced, or Enhanced with Barred List) is determined based on the specific responsibilities of the role and the level of contact with children and young people.

We are committed to the fair treatment of all applicants, including those with criminal records. Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar an individual from working with us. This will depend on the nature of the position and the circumstances and background of the offence.