Senior Social Worker - Supporting Independence Through Review Team

Reading Borough Council; Reading; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Holiday entitlement 25 days + bank

Hybrid working

Flexible working

Training & development opportunities

On-site day nursery

Season ticket loan

Car salary sacrifice

AVCs available

Job summary

Reading Borough Council in Reading is seeking a Senior Social Worker to lead and manage a varied and complex caseload within Adult Social Care. You will deliver strengths-based assessments, oversee safeguarding enquiries and offer guidance to junior staff while promoting person-centred outcomes.

You will partner with residents, families and agencies to ensure timely, high-quality care, while acting as a role model for professional practice and supporting staff development.

Qualifications

• Degree in Social Work or equivalent recognised qualification.
• Current registration with Social Work England.
• Significant post-qualifying experience within Adult Social Care.
• Experience of managing complex casework and safeguarding concerns.
• Excellent knowledge of the Care Act 2014, MCA 2005 and safeguarding legislation.
• Strong assessment, analytical and decision-making skills.
• Experience of providing coaching, mentoring or informal supervision to colleagues.
• Ability to build positive and effective working relationships with residents, families, carers and partner agencies.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage a complex caseload within Adult Social Care, ensuring timely and high-quality interventions.
• Complete strengths-based assessments, reviews and support planning in accordance with statutory duties.
• Lead on complex casework, including safeguarding enquiries, risk assessments and mental capacity assessments.
• Provide professional advice, support and consultation to colleagues across the team.
• Promote reflective practice and support staff with complex case discussions and decision-making.
• Assist with the allocation and oversight of work within the team.
• Undertake quality assurance activities, including case audits and practice reviews.
• Ensure compliance with relevant legislation, policies, procedures and professional standards.
• Build effective partnerships with health colleagues, providers and other agencies to achieve positive outcomes for residents.
• Contribute to service development and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Deputise for the Team Manager when required.

Skills

Analytical skills

Decision making

Communication skills

Coaching/mentoring

Relationship building

Risk assessment

Team leadership

Education

Social Work degree

SW England registration

Post-qualifying experience

Job description

Senior Social Worker - Supporting Independence Through Review Team

The job requirements are detailed below. Where applicable the skills, qualifications and memberships required for this job have also been included.

Job details

Contractual hours 37

Basis Full time

Region Permanent / Full-Time

Job category/type Adult Services, Social Services, Social Work/Care

At Reading Borough Council, we are passionate about supporting residents to live safe, independent and fulfilling lives. Our Supporting Independence Through Review Team plays a vital role in ensuring people receive the right support at the right time, promoting strengths-based approaches and maximising independence.
We are looking for a skilled and experienced Senior Social Worker to join our team. This is an exciting opportunity for a practitioner who is passionate about delivering high-quality adult social care while supporting the development of others.
Alongside managing a complex caseload, you will provide professional leadership, guidance and oversight to staff, helping to maintain excellent standards of practice and achieve positive outcomes for residents.
We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity and inclusion is the key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities.
We are open to flexible working patterns and can provide a hybrid working environment which utilises the best of both worlds with a mix of office working in central Reading and homeworking according to the needs of the Service.

About the Role

As a Senior Social Worker, you will manage a varied and complex caseload, undertaking assessments, reviews, support planning, safeguarding enquiries and other statutory responsibilities. You will work closely with individuals, families, carers and partner agencies to promote wellbeing, independence and person-centred outcomes.
In addition to your direct casework responsibilities, you will support the Team Manager by providing day-to-day practice guidance, coaching and mentoring to Social Workers and Social Care Coordinators across the team. You will act as a role model for professional practice, supporting colleagues with complex decision-making, risk management and the application of relevant legislation.
This role provides an excellent opportunity for an experienced practitioner seeking to further develop their leadership skills while continuing to work directly with residents.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage a complex caseload within Adult Social Care, ensuring timely and high-quality interventions.
• Complete strengths-based assessments, reviews and support planning in accordance with statutory duties.
• Lead on complex casework, including safeguarding enquiries, risk assessments and mental capacity assessments.
• Provide professional advice, support and consultation to colleagues across the team.
• Promote reflective practice and support staff with complex case discussions and decision-making.
• Assist with the allocation and oversight of work within the team.
• Undertake quality assurance activities, including case audits and practice reviews.
• Ensure compliance with relevant legislation, policies, procedures and professional standards.
• Build effective partnerships with health colleagues, providers and other agencies to achieve positive outcomes for residents.
• Contribute to service development and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Deputise for the Team Manager when required.

About You

You will be a qualified and registered Social Worker with significant post-qualifying experience within Adult Social Care. You will be confident managing complex situations and passionate about supporting the development of others.

You will have:

• Degree in Social Work or equivalent recognised qualification.
• Current registration with Social Work England.
• Significant post-qualifying experience within Adult Social Care.
• Experience of managing complex casework and safeguarding concerns.
• Excellent knowledge of the Care Act 2014, Mental Capacity Act 2005 and safeguarding legislation.
• Strong assessment, analytical and decision-making skills.
• Experience of providing coaching, mentoring or informal supervision to colleagues.
• Ability to build positive and effective working relationships with residents, families, carers and partner agencies.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Why Join Us?

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Social Worker looking to take the next step in their career. You will have the opportunity to influence practice, support colleagues to develop their skills, and contribute to shaping high-quality services that make a real difference to people’s lives.
Our vision is to ensure that Reading realises its potential as a great place to live, work and play, and that everyone shares the benefits of this success. Our values and behaviours guide how we will achieve this:

Work Together as one team -work collaboratively, with each other and with our partners, and demonstrate the Team Reading values in everything we do
Drive Efficiency -show initiative, be adaptable to change and put forward ideas to help improve delivery and efficiency. Take responsibility for our own learning and development and for reaching our potential
Be Ambitious -be demanding of our own performance – striving to be even better – and be prepared to engage with and challenge leaders in a constructive and positive way
Make a Difference to Reading -maintain the highest levels of customer service and be flexible and willing to provide the services needed at the time they are needed

What We Offer

A competitive salary alongside a range of benefits including:

• Generous holiday entitlement - 25 days holiday each year plus bank holidays - rising to 33 days after 10 years' service, with the option to buy additional leave
• Maternity, adoption, parental and sick pay
• Modern working environment at the Civic Offices in the heart of Reading
• A wide range of flexible working opportunities
• Access to a range of training and learning opportunities to help you develop
• On-site day nursery (Kennet Day nursery) rated outstanding by Ofsted
• Season Ticket Loan - a loan to help with the cost of your rail or bus journey, to and from work
• Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand new, greener car for three years. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax
• Salary sacrifice scheme for Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVCs) to help you save for your retirement

If you would like to find out more about this role and the team, please contact Sandra Sheldon (Review Team Manager) on 07834 802 697 or [e-mail] Closing date: Sunday 8 th November 2026
Interview date: In person w/c 16 th November 2026
Visit: www.moretoreading.co.uk to find out more about Reading’s Community & Adult Social Care Services. It’s a chance to hear from the people who already work here and why they have chosen Reading as their professional destination.