Senior Social Work Assistant - Safeguarding

Birmingham Children's Trust; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 28,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

DBS / DBS fee covered

30 days annual leave + BH

Early finish on Fridays

Salary Sacrifice Car Scheme

On-site parking and EV charging

Comprehensive employee benefits and LG

Job summary

Birmingham Children’s Trust is seeking a Senior Social Work Assistant to support social workers and families, ensuring children feel safe, heard and supported. The role is hybrid and requires proximity to Birmingham for commuting.

You will play a vital part in safeguarding and helping families access essential services. You’ll be involved in recording, liaising with partner agencies, and contributing to child protection processes while working alongside a dedicated team committed to brighter

Qualifications

• Experience working with children and/or families in a care or support setting.
• A basic knowledge of social work practice and the legal framework for children and families.
• A full UK driving licence and access to your own vehicle.
• Willingness to obtain business-use insurance upon appointment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Confidence in liaising with partner agencies and keeping accurate records.
• Respect for diversity, fairness and inclusion in everything you do.
• Flexibility to work collaboratively with colleagues and other professionals.
• An understanding of social deprivation and its impact on families.

Responsibilities

• Be there to help families access the right services by making referrals and signposting.
• Support with Family Time/contact arrangements so children can maintain important relationships.
• Listen to children, capturing their wishes, feelings and views.
• Assist in evidence gathering for child protection planning and legal proceedings.
• Manage the delivery of financial and practical support for children and families.
• Keep our records and IT systems up to date.
• Assist social work teams with transporting CYPF.
• Work alongside passionate, supportive colleagues who care deeply about the difference we make.

Skills

Experience with children and families

Knowledge of social work practice

Full UK driving licence

Own vehicle or willingness to insure

Written and verbal communication

Record-keeping/data management

Diversity, fairness and inclusion

Collaborative teamwork

Understanding of deprivation impact on

Job description

Do you want a career where you can change lives for the better? At Birmingham Children’s Trust, that’s exactly what we do every single day. We’re here to protect, support and empower some of the city’s most vulnerable children, young people and families. And now, we’re looking for a Senior Social Work Assistant to join us in making a lasting difference. As a Senior Social Work Assistant, you’ll play a vital role in supporting social workers and families, ensuring children feel safe, heard and supported. Your day-to-day work will be varied, but always meaningful. It’s a role full of variety — no two days will ever be the same. But every day, you’ll know your work is helping to create brighter futures. We have been rated as ‘Good’ by Ofsted, following a 2023 inspection. Be part of a service recognised by Ofsted for strong leadership, safeguarding and partnership working. 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.

What you’ll be doing:

• Be there to help families access the right services by making referrals and signposting.
• Support with Family Time/contact arrangements so children can maintain important relationships.
• Listen to children, capturing their wishes, feelings and views.
• Assist in evidence gathering for child protection planning and legal proceedings.
• Manage the delivery of financial and practical support for children and families.
• Keep our records and IT systems up to date.
• Assist social work teams with transporting CYPF
• Work alongside passionate, supportive colleagues who care deeply about the difference we make.

About you:

We’re looking for someone who brings kindness, empathy and resilience, alongside the ability to stay professional in challenging situations. You’ll need to have:

• Experience working with children and/or families in a care or support setting.
• A basic knowledge of social work practice and the legal framework for children and families.
• A full UK driving licence, access to your own vehicle, and willingness to obtain business use insurance upon appointment.
• Strong communication skills — both written and verbal as you will be liaising with a diverse range of children and families.
• Confidence in liaising with partner agencies and keeping accurate records.
• Respect for diversity, fairness and inclusion in everything you do.
• Flexibility to work collaboratively with colleagues and other professionals.
• An understanding of social deprivation and its impact on families.

If you’re ready to bring your energy, compassion and commitment to supporting children and families, we’d love to hear from you.

What we offer:

• Payment of your Social Work England registration fee.
• Payment of your DBS application fee, plus reimbursement of your DBS Update Service subscription.
• A generous annual leave entitlement of 30 days, plus bank holidays, increasing to 33 days after 5 years’ service and 35 days after 10 years’ service.
• An early finish every Friday, helping you make the most of your weekend.
• Access to our Salary Sacrifice Car Scheme, offering the opportunity to drive a brand-new car through an affordable fixed monthly payment, with no deposit or credit checks and a range of all-inclusive driving packages.
• Free on-site parking at our One Avenue Road (Aston) and Lifford House (Stirchley) offices, including free electric vehicle charging points.
• A comprehensive employee benefits package, including Occupational Health services, reward and recognition schemes, employee discounts (including the Blue Light Card), health and fitness offers, wellbeing support, and much more.
• Flexible and hybrid working, with a range of working patterns that support both the needs of the Trust and a healthy work-life balance.
• Membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme, providing a generous career average pension.
• Discounted gym memberships with PureGym and Nuffield Health to support your health and wellbeing.

Interview date:

Interview date: 26th November 2026, held onsite at our office at Lifford House.

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.

Please note that we reserve the right to close the job early should we reach the required number of applications, therefore please ensure you submit your application and supporting statement early to avoid any disappointment.