Senior Social Worker and Court Work Specialist

Suffolk County Council; Lowestoft; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 49,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Up to 29 days annual leave (pro rata)

LGPS pension

Travel, lifestyle, health & wellbeing

Annual pay progression & cost-of-liv.↑

Training & career development

Flexible working options

Diverse staff networks

Job summary

Suffolk County Council is seeking an experienced social worker with a focus on court work to provide specialist guidance and oversight across pre-proceedings, care proceedings and private law matters. You will support colleagues and help improve practice quality, reporting and documentation across Family Help teams.

The role is based in Lowestoft with hybrid working options, and requires qualification as a Social Worker and registration with Social Work England.

Qualifications

• Qualified social worker with SW England registration.
• Experience in children’s social care, ideally Senior Social Worker level (2–3 years).
• Full driving licence or mobility to fulfil role requirements.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist support to social workers in pre-proceedings and care proceedings.
• Support case progression from start to final hearings, review court reports and manage workflow.
• Offer expert advice on court processes, documentation and legal expectations.

Skills

Court work guidance

Analytical writing

Communication skills

Collaboration

Education

Social Work qualification

Social Work England registration

Job description

• Suffolk County Council
• Address: Riverside, 4 Canning Road, Lowestoft, NR33 0EQ. Hybrid work
• Salary: £42,123 - £48,607 per annum (pro rata for part time), plus retention payment of up to £4,000 per year (pro rata for part time)
• Hours: 37 hours per week
• Contract: Permanent

At Suffolk County Council, collaboration is at the heart of what we do.

Reimagine the possibilities

Your role and responsibilities

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced social worker with a particular interest and strength in court work. Rather than holding a caseload, you’ll provide specialist advice, guidance and oversight to social workers involved in pre-proceedings, care proceedings and private law proceedings, helping to improve the quality and consistency of practice across the service.

In this role, you will:

• provide specialist support to social workers involved in pre-proceedings and care proceedings
• support a case from its beginning through final hearings and beyond, including reviewing court reports, answering questions and helping manage the court workflow
• offer expert advice on court processes, legal expectations and required documentation
• support practitioners to prepare high-quality court reports and Child Permanence Reports
• work alongside Team Managers, Heads of Service, legal services and partner agencies to support effective case progression
• assist with Public Law Outline (PLO) processes and legal planning activity
• promote best practice by sharing learning, guidance and expertise across teams
• help improve the quality assurance process for court work and reduce the need for extensive report redrafting
• maintain accurate records and contribute to audit and reporting activity where required.

You’ll be based within one of our Family Help teams in Lowestoft, but your support will extend across Family Help and Children in Care teams, giving you the opportunity to make a wider impact across the service.

What you will need

We’re looking for a qualified and experienced social worker who can provide confidence, guidance and expertise to colleagues navigating complex court processes.

You will:

• hold a recognised Social Work qualification and Social Work England registration
• have 2-3 years' experience within children’s social care, ideally at Senior Social Worker level
• to hold a full and current driving licence and have access to personal transport or meet the mobility requirements of the role through other reasonable and suitable means
• have direct experience of care proceedings, court work and private law proceedings
• can confidently interpret legislation, policy and procedure to support high-quality practice
• have excellent report-writing, analytical and communication skills
• can influence, support and challenge professional practice positively
• have experience working collaboratively with children, families and partner agencies to achieve positive outcomes
• are passionate about improving outcomes for children, young people and families
• be confident in providing constructive professional challenge to legal representatives and partner agencies, using your expertise in court work to support effective decision-making and achieve the best possible outcomes for children and families.

You can view a full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile (JPP), which you can find in the How to apply' section towards the bottom of this advert.

If you believe you can succeed in this role, even if you don’t meet all requirements, please still apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.

The team

At Suffolk County Council, we aspire for every child to live their best life.

Our Family Help teams are multi-disciplinary, bringing together social workers and practitioners to provide early help, safeguarding and support to children and families.

We focus on:

• Early intervention and prevention.
• Strengths-based, relationship-led practice.
• Multi-agency working to deliver joined-up support.
• Creating sustainable change for families.

You’ll be joining a supportive and collaborative team that values learning, development and continuous improvement.

Take a look at what makes our Ideal Worker, shaped by the voices of young people.

Empowering Everyone

We’re big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve and welcome applications from all backgrounds. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.

For more information

For an informal conversation, please contact eitherNathalie Rich by either calling 01473 263515 or emailing [e-mail] or Paul Moore by either calling 01502 674656 or emailing [e-mail]

In return, you’ll enjoy:

• up to 29 days annual leave entitlement (pro rata), plus UK bank holidays and two paid volunteering days
• membership of a competitive Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• travel, lifestyle, health and wellbeing benefits
• performance-related annual pay progression, in addition to an annual cost-of-living pay increase
• training and encouragement to expand your knowledge
• a variety of career development opportunities across our organisation
• diverse and active staff networks
• flexible working options, with the right to request flexible working from your first day

Plus lots more!

If you want to know more about our benefits, values and equality commitments please visit our Suffolk County Council careers website (careers.Suffolk.gov.uk) .