Senior Social Worker - Family Help (permanent)

Slough Children First; Slough; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Generous annual leave

Pension provision

Wellbeing initiatives

Job summary

Slough Children First is seeking an experienced Senior Social Worker to join the newly established Family Help Service. You will lead complex assessments, safeguard children, and work closely with Team Managers and partner agencies to promote safety, stability and lasting positive outcomes for families.

You will also mentor colleagues, contribute to service development, and help shape practice through learning, reflection and continuous improvement across the team.

Qualifications

• Recognised Social Work qualification and registration with Social Work England.
• Experience in children's social care, including assessment and safeguarding work.
• Strong understanding of relevant legislation, policy and best practice.
• Excellent analytical and decision-making skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead high-quality assessments and interventions for children in need and safeguarding cases.
• Manage a complex caseload, including pre-proceedings and court work where appropriate.
• Support and mentor colleagues, providing coaching and professional challenge.
• Contribute to quality assurance activities and service development to improve outcomes for families.
• Work with teams and partners to safeguard children and promote sustainable change for families.

Skills

Analytical skills

Decision making

Mentoring

Relationship-based practice

Education

Social Work qualification

Job description

We are seeking experienced and motivated Senior Social Workers to help drive high-quality practice within our newly established Family Help Service.

Bringing together assessment and safeguarding functions under one service, our Family Help teams work alongside children and families to provide timely, effective intervention that promotes safety, stability and long-term positive outcomes. This is an exciting opportunity for experienced practitioners who are passionate about supporting families, developing colleagues and helping shape the future of children's services.

About the Role

As a Senior Social Worker, you will hold a complex caseload involving children in need, child protection, pre-proceedings and, where appropriate, court work. You will lead high-quality assessments and interventions, ensuring that children remain at the centre of all planning and decision-making.

Alongside your casework responsibilities, you will play an important role in supporting the development of colleagues, offering guidance, coaching and professional challenge where required. You will model excellent relationship-based practice and contribute to a culture of learning, reflection and continuous improvement across the service.

Working closely with Team Managers and partner agencies, you will support quality assurance activities, contribute to service development initiatives and help ensure that interventions are both effective and focused on achieving sustainable change for families. You will be confident in working with complexity, managing risk and making informed decisions that safeguard children while supporting families to make lasting improvements.

About You

You will hold a recognised Social Work qualification and be registered with Social Work England. You will bring substantial experience within children's social care, including assessment and safeguarding work, and have a strong understanding of relevant legislation, policy and best practice.

You will possess excellent analytical and decision-making skills and be able to work effectively in situations involving complexity and uncertainty. You will also have experience of supporting or mentoring colleagues and be committed to promoting high standards of practice across the team. Most importantly, you will share our commitment to improving outcomes for children and helping families achieve lasting positive change.

What We Offer

This is an opportunity to help shape an innovative Family Help Service at a pivotal time in children's social care. We offer strong management support, high-quality supervision, a comprehensive workforce development programme and clear progression opportunities. In addition, employees benefit from flexible working arrangements, generous annual leave, pension provision and a range of wellbeing initiatives.

Join Us

This is a unique opportunity to help lead practice within a service that is embracing the Families First vision and creating better experiences and outcomes for children and families.

Together, we can support families earlier, reduce risk and ensure every child has the opportunity to thrive. In return, we can offer you:

• Training and development opportunities
• Agile working supported by technology
• Flexible working policies
• Friendly working environment and great colleagues.

Slough is one of the UK’s most diverse and well‑connected towns, offering a vibrant place to live and work just outside London. Ongoing regeneration and investment have enhanced local amenities, public spaces and employment opportunities, while the cost of living remains more affordable than central London. With direct trains to Central London in under 20 minutes and excellent road links via the M4, M25 and M40, Slough is an accessible and welcoming location to build your career.

We work on a hybrid basis, with a minimum of 3 days per week based in the office.

Our Values and Commitment

We are driven by our vision to ensure Happy, Safe & Loved, Thriving children and young people. Our work is guided by strong values — being child focused, honest and respectful, improving constantly, looking ahead, and delivering together.

We are looking for people who share these values and are passionate about making a positive difference. In return, we offer a supportive, inclusive environment where collaboration, learning and care truly matter.

If this reflects who you are, we would love to hear from you!