Senior Social Worker - 05821, 05823

West Berkshire Council; Newbury; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Golden hello £5k after 1 year

Retention payment £2k after 2 years

Retention payment £3k + sabbatical

Hybrid Working Policy

DBS fees reimbursed

Employee wellbeing service

Regular supervision

Local Government Pension Scheme

Generous annual leave 29 days + 5 days

Relocation package (within 30 miles)

Blue Light card fees reimbursed

PeopleSafe App

Annual leave 29 days + 5 after 5 years

Job summary

West Berkshire Council is seeking a Senior Social Worker to join the Children & Family Services, within the Family Help and Safeguarding Team. You will work directly with children and families, conduct assessments, and collaborate with other professionals to safeguard welfare.

The role offers flexible working, hybrid arrangement, and a range of employment perks, including DBS checks, pension, generous annual leave, relocation support for those within a 30-mile radius, and ongoing supervision.

Qualifications

• The role requires a qualified social worker with registration in Social Work England.
• Experience in a statutory children’s social work setting is essential.
• Strong knowledge of safeguarding legislation and practices.
• Excellent assessment, intervention, and report writing skills.

Responsibilities

• Assess children and families to determine needs and interventions.
• Conduct high-quality assessments ensuring timely service delivery.
• Collaborate with professionals to safeguard welfare.
• Provide guidance and support to junior social workers.
• Contribute to service improvements through supervision and team meetings.

Skills

Social Work England

Children & Family experience

Assessment & intervention

Leadership potential

Report writing

Communication skills

Education

Social Work qualification

Job description

Are you an experienced Social Worker looking for your next challenge within a dynamic and supportive team? West Berkshire Council is seeking a Senior Social Worker to join our Children & Family Services, working within the Family help and safeguarding Team, reporting to the Team Manager. This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to the well-being of children and families in our community while benefiting from flexible working and a range of employment perks.

Due to West Berkshire Councils size and scale, and limited number of social work vacancies, we are not currently able to accept applications from overseas social workers.

The Role

As a Senior Social Worker, you will play a crucial role in:

• Working directly with children and families to assess their needs and provide appropriate interventions.
• Conducting high-quality assessments and ensuring timely and effective service delivery.
• Collaborating with other professionals and agencies to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
• Providing advice, guidance, and support to less experienced Social Workers within the team.
• Contributing to the continuous improvement of services through participation in team meetings and supervision.

Interview date: Tuesday 10th of November 2026

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will possess the following skills and attributes:

• Qualified Social Worker with appropriate Social Work qualification and registration with Social Work England.
• Experience working in a statutory children’s social work setting, ideally within an assessment and intervention team.
• Sound knowledge of relevant legislation, regulations, and safeguarding practices.
• Excellent assessment, intervention, and report writing skills.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build positive relationships with children, families, and colleagues.
• Ability to work effectively under pressure, managing competing demands and prioritising tasks.
• Demonstrated leadership potential and willingness to support the development of others.

Why Work for West Berkshire Council?

West Berkshire Council offers a range of excellent employment benefits, including:

A Competitive Salary Alongside a Range Of Benefits Including

• A golden hello payment of £5k after one year in post
• A retention payment of £2k after two years of service
• A further retention payment of £3k, plus a four-week paid sabbatical after three years’ service
• Flexible Working: West Berkshire has adopted a Hybrid Working Policy, which allows employees to split their time between attending the workplace and working remotely
• Social Work England registration fees reimbursed
• Dedicated employee wellbeing service with Employee Assistance Programme offering a great range of discounts at a variety of retailers, services and everyday spending.
• Regular and high-quality reflective supervision.
• Approachable and visible senior leadership
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Generous annual leave allowance, starting at 29 days plus an additional 5 days leave after 5 years continuous local authority service
• Relocation package for individuals moving from outside a 30-mile radius (subject to eligibility)
• Blue Light card fees reimbursed
• We use the PeopleSafe App, a reliable tool offering real-time monitoring, emergency assistance, and peace of mind when lone working
• You will also be entitled to a generous annual leave entitlement starting at 29 days per annum (plus public holidays) Rising by an additional 5 days after 5 years’ service.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Helen James [e-mail]

Equal Opportunities

The Council supports Equal Opportunity of employment and positively encourages applications from people who fall within any of the nine protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.

This role has been identified as public facing in accordance with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016; the requirement to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in English applies.

This role requires the incumbent to have a car available at work to undertake his/her duties as they will be expected to undertake at least 1500 business miles per year. Essential Car User status attracts a lump sum allowance paid on a monthly basis and will be reviewed annually to ensure only employees driving 1500 miles or more receive this allowance.

West Berkshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all its staff and volunteers to share these values. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment. This role involves regulated activity with children.

As such, appointment is subject to an Enhanced DBS check with the relevant Barred List(s).

In this post you will be required to maintain continuous registration with the DBS Update Service for the duration of your employment.

This privacy notice applies to job applicants applying for vacancies with West Berkshire Council https://info.westberks.gov.uk/pnapplications

AI in Applications

We recognise that candidates may choose to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support the preparation of their job applications. When used appropriately, AI can be a helpful aid in structuring responses, checking clarity, and improving presentation.

However, applications must reflect your own skills, experience and understanding. If an application appears to rely excessively on AI-generated content, it may not meet the required standard and could be rejected.

We encourage all applicants to ensure their submissions are authentic, tailored to the role, and clearly demonstrate their own knowledge, experience and suitability.