Senior Social Worker

Cheshire West and Chester; Winsford; Hybrid; GBP 46,000 - 57,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible and hybrid working

Free parking at office locations

Competitive salary and reward package

Up to 16 days flexi leave per year

Social Work England registration paid

High-quality supervision and career发展

Progression pathways into advanced and

Job summary

Cheshire West and Chester Council is seeking a Grade 11 Senior Social Worker for the Family Help Safeguarding Team. The role combines advanced social work with supervision, mentoring, and operational support to the Team Manager, championing trauma-informed, relationship-based practice.

You will act as lead professional for the most significant cases, embed the Families First Partnership Programme, and supervise colleagues while supporting continuous service improvement.

Qualifications

• Qualified Social Worker with registration in Social Work England.
• Experience in child protection and Public Law Outline cases.
• Experience in leadership and mentoring of staff.

Responsibilities

• Lead practice leadership and workforce development across the team.
• Supervise and mentor junior social workers and ASYE colleagues.
• Oversee high-quality assessments, planning and court work.
• Collaborate with multi-agency partners to deliver trauma-informed, systemic interventions.

Skills

Leadership

Staff supervision

Trauma-informed practice

Reflective supervision

Education

Social Work degree

Job description

Cheshire West and Chester Council is seeking a highly experienced and motivated Grade 11 Senior Social Worker to join our Family Help Safeguarding Team. This team is responsible for working with children who are subject to Child Protection Plans and those involved in Public Law Outline (PLO) processes, ensuring children receive the right support and protection to achieve positive outcomes.

As a Senior Social Worker, you will play a pivotal role in driving excellence in practice and improving outcomes for children, young people, and families. This is a key leadership role within the service, combining advanced social work practice with the supervision and mentoring of colleagues, while also providing operational support to the Team Manager. You will champion high-quality, relationship-based practice and contribute to the continuous development of the team and service.

The council is implementing theFamilies First Partnership Programme, bringing together locality-based family help teams, safeguarding services, and Multi-Agency Child Protection Teams (MACPT). As a Grade 11 Senior Social Worker, you will take a lead role in embedding this model, working collaboratively across multi-agency partners to deliver consistent, trauma-informed, and systemic interventions. You will not only manage a small but complex caseload but also act as the lead professional for children and families with the most significant needs, ensuring robust assessment, planning, and risk management.

The council’s approach is underpinned by trauma-informed, relational, and systemic practice. As a senior practitioner, you will model exemplary practice, demonstrating critical analysis, professional curiosity, and confident decision-making in complex and high-risk situations. You will support others to embed this approach, championing strengths-based and child-centred practice in line with "Our Way of Working."

Grade 11 Senior Social Workers play a central role inpractice leadership and workforce development. You will supervise and mentor newly qualified and less experienced social workers, contribute to ASYE development as a practice assessor, and provide reflective supervision, guidance, and challenge to colleagues across the team. You will also support the Team Manager with the day-to-day operational management of the service, including chairing meetings, contributing to team performance, and supporting quality assurance and service improvement activities.

You will be expected to act as arole model for high-quality practice, ensuring that all work is underpinned by legislation, policy, and best evidence. This includes producing high-quality assessments, reports, and court work, while supporting others to develop their analytical and recording skills. You will also contribute to shaping policy, improving systems, and embedding a culture of continuous improvement, reflective practice, and learning.

Cheshire West and Chester offers a supportive and forward-thinking environment, with strong leadership, high-quality supervision, and a well-established reflective practice framework. Senior Social Workers are key to sustaining this culture-motivating others, championing innovation, and maintaining a relentless focus on improving outcomes for children.

The introduction ofMagic Noteshas brought significant benefits across the service, reducing written administration by an average of six hours per week. This enables Grade 11 Senior Social Workers to focus on complex direct work, oversight, supervision, and service development. The tool enhances analytical recording, strengthens care planning, and allows practitioners to be more present and relational in their work with families, while also improving staff wellbeing and retention.

The council is committed to professional development and progression, with many senior leaders having advanced through internal pathways. As a Grade 11 Senior Social Worker, you will have access to advanced training, leadership development opportunities, and the chance to contribute to wider service and workforce development initiatives.

A recent Frontline survey highlighted strong child-focused leadership, clear practice standards, and high-quality supervision. Staff report feeling trusted, supported, and valued, making Cheshire West and Chester an excellent place to further develop your career as a senior leader in social work.

If you choose to join us, we offer:

• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements
• Bright, modern, recently refurbished office environments
• Free parking at all office locations
• Competitive salary and reward package
• Up to 16 days' flexi leave per year, in addition to annual leave
• Social Work England registration paid for by the council
• High-quality supervision and opportunities to lead practice
• A strong and embedded reflective practice framework
• Excellent training, leadership, and development opportunities
• Clear progression pathways into advanced and management roles

Grade 11 Salary:Up to £56,807 per annum

Please see Job Description / Person Specification for further details.

For an informal discussion regarding the role, please contact Catherine Kelly on 0151 337 6303/[e-mail]