Social Worker (Level 2 & 3)

Milton Keynes City Council; Milton Keynes; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Holiday benefits

Pension scheme

Family friendly policies

Health benefits

Bike purchase scheme

Job summary

Milton Keynes City Council is recruiting an experienced Social Worker (Level 3) to join the MASH assessment service. The role focuses on single assessments, safeguarding enquiries and cross‑agency cooperation to safeguard children and young people in Milton Keynes.

Working within a three‑week rotation across assessment pods, you will use professional judgement to assess needs, coordinate plans and support families, with robust supervision and development opportunities.

Qualifications

• Post-qualifying experience and evidence of completing holistic assessments within timescales.
• Strong professional judgement and the ability to bring together information to make well‑considered decisions.
• Clear and respectful communication to build relationships with families, colleagues and partner organisations.
• Written work should be concise and accurate, with clear records and IT system use.

Responsibilities

• Complete clear and timely assessments by speaking with and observing children and young people, identifying needs and maintaining records.
• Develop, implement and review care plans and interventions responsive to each child and family.
• Manage a complex caseload and take timely action to safeguard children.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary support with families, schools, health services, police and partners.
• Use supervision to reflect, review progress and develop professionally.
• Represent the local authority in court proceedings, prepare statements and care plans, and give evidence.

Skills

Post-qualifying experience

Holistic assessments

Professional judgement

Clear communication

Record keeping

Education

Degree in Social Work

Job description

Job Introduction

We're recruiting an experienced Social Worker (Level 3) to join the assessment service within our Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) at Milton Keynes City Council. MASH is a specialist part of our Children's Services, supporting our work to safeguard children and young people across Milton Keynes.

MASH works as one team, with three distinct areas: early help, the duty team and assessment pods. This role is based within one of our three assessment pods, each with a dedicated Team Manager, five to six Social Workers and at least one Senior Practitioner.

The assessment pods complete Single Assessments under section 17 of the Children Act 1989, alongside single and joint enquiries under section 47. The work involves assessing children's needs and risks, making informed decisions and working with families and other professionals to achieve the best possible outcomes.

The pods work on a three-week rotation, providing a clear structure to the role. Week one focuses on Single Assessments, week two on safeguarding enquiries, followed by a catch-up week in week three.

We're looking for someone with post-qualifying experience and evidence of completing holistic assessments within timescales, with the confidence to work across different thresholds and levels of need. The role calls for strong professional judgement and the ability to bring together information to make well-considered decisions.

Be part of a dedicated and supportive team, working together to make a positive difference for children and families across Milton Keynes.

Site-Based role

This is a Site-Based role, and you'll be expected to work from the designated workplace.

Interviews for this role will be held on 16th November 2026

Additional Payments

A £6,000 Golden Hello payment (pro rata for part-time roles).

Paid as a one-off payment and Retention Payment of up to £4,000 per year, paid retrospectively in two equal instalments of up to £2,000.

Payment of your Social Work England professional registration fee.

All subject to eligibility criteria

At Milton Keynes City Council, we aim to make a difference every day. We're dedicated, respectful and collaborative. We act as one council, and we work hard to create cleaner, safer and healthier communities while tackling inequalities and supporting people to thrive.

Find out more about working with us here: www.mkcounciljobs.org.uk

Main Responsibility

• Complete clear and timely assessments by speaking with and observing children and young people, identifying their needs and maintaining accurate electronic records.
• Develop, put into practice and review care plans and interventions that respond to each child's and family's needs.
• Manage a complex caseload, take timely action to safeguard children and support children living with their families or in care settings.
• Work collaboratively with families, schools, health services, the police and other partners to coordinate support and achieve positive outcomes.
• Use regular professional supervision to review your work, monitor progress and identify opportunities for continued development.
• Represent the local authority in public and private law proceedings, including preparing court statements and care plans, following court directions and giving oral evidence.

The Ideal Candidate

• A recognised social work qualification, such as a Degree in Social Work, Diploma in Social Work, Certificate of Qualification in Social Work or an equivalent qualification, is essential.
• Current registration with Social Work England is required, together with experience of working professionally with children and families.
• Bringing sound judgement and strong analytical skills, you'll be able to assess complex information and make considered decisions in high-risk situations.
• Clear and respectful communication will help you build effective relationships, challenge appropriately and work collaboratively with families, colleagues and partner organisations.
• Your written work will be concise and accurate, with the ability to maintain clear records and use information technology systems effectively.
• Resilient and adaptable in your approach, you'll manage competing priorities while continuing to learn from supervision, reflection and current professional practice.

Full UK Driving Licence and access to a vehicle

To be successful in this role, you'll need a full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle. If we offer you the role, we'll ask you to provide evidence of your driving licence and vehicle insurance, including cover for business use. We're unable to confirm an appointment until these documents are received.

Safer Recruitment

Safer Recruitment applies to this role. This means that, before any appointment is confirmed, we'll carry out a range of pre-employment checks to help ensure the safety and wellbeing of children, young people and vulnerable adults. These checks may include identity verification, where candidates will be required to provide original identification documents, including a full birth certificate, employment history and reference checks, qualification checks and an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, (unless you are currently registered with the DBS Update Service). check where required.

Package Description

In addition to your salary, we offer a range of benefits including:

• Great holiday benefits - most roles include 28 days annual leave every year on top of public (bank) holidays, increasing to 32 days after five years. In addition, there is a holiday purchase scheme allowing staff to purchase up to 5 additional days of leave each year.
• Excellent pension - everyone who works for us can join the national Local Government Pension Scheme, widely regarded as one of the best available.
• A full range of family friendly policies including enhanced maternity, adoption and paternity support.
• Access to an award-winning employee benefits programme that includes a health cash plan, a low-cost bike purchase scheme as well as high street discounts and money off entertainment and travel.
• Salary sacrifice car scheme - eligible employees can lease an electric or low-emission vehicle at a reduced cost through salary sacrifice, subject to National Minimum Wage and other eligibility requirements.
• Blue Light Card - employees working within social care can qualify for an additional range of discounts from national retailers and local businesses.

Why join us? Along with more on our Benefits, discover why Working at the City Council could be the right move for you here Working at the Council | Milton Keynes

Roles are either 'site based' or 'home based'.

Site based roles are mainly based at the workplace, with the option to work from home for up to two days a week, depending on service needs.

Home based roles are mainly based at home, with the expectation of attending the workplace up to one day a week.

The working arrangement for each role is set by the manager, based on service requirements.

About The Organisation

Milton Keynes City Council is a large, modern and financially stable employer with around 2,500 people working across our eight areas. Together we provide local residents and businesses with a wide range of important round-the-clock services and aim to make our city a better place to live.

We work hard because of the demands placed on us, like protecting children from harm or preventing homelessness. However, working for the city is always rewarding and everyone has the opportunity to make a real difference.

We're very proud of our diversity and are committed to having a workforce that reflects the community we serve. Whatever your background, you will be welcome here if you share our values of being dedicated, respectful and collaborative.

We offer great training and support and because of the size and scale of the organisation there are always new opportunities to explore when it's time for a new role.

If you'd like to know more about how we do things and what matters to us, take a look at our short booklet What makes us Milton Keynes City Council.

Please note that this role is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must already have an independent and unrestricted right to work in the UK, without the need for employer sponsorship now or in the future.