Senior Social Worker - Children's Specialist Safeguarding Team (eligible for Welcome Payment £7,000)

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• Candidate_Pack_-_People_Directorate_-_Aug_2026
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Please apply online via the link provided.

Please include a personal statement with your CV specifying why you are applying for this vacancy. 

Are you a Senior Social Worker looking to join a team where your professional judgement, leadership and commitment to excellence will transform lives every day? Bracknell Children’s Social Care are proud to have achieved an Outstanding in all areas grading in December 2025. Staff shared with inspectors they appreciate leaders’ visibility, approachability and unwavering commitment to children, all factors that underpin their decision to continue their careers in Bracknell Forest. At Bracknell Forest, we pride ourselves on being a council which is stable and well-managed where our employees can thrive in a supportive environment. We understand the importance of a healthy work-life balance and offer a variety of flexible working practices, including options for remote working and arrangements that allow you to work from home, dependent on the needs of the service. This role includes an expectation to work from our Time Square office for a minimum of 3 days per week, alongside flexible working arrangements. To learn more about what it is like to work with us, take a look at our workforce video. Read more about our culture and what our staff say Children's social care culture | Bracknell Forest Council.

About you…

You will need to be registered with Social Work England and have at least three years’ post‑qualifying experience in Children’s Social Care, that includes child protection, public law outline and care proceedings.

You will be passionate about relational social work and committed in joining our embedded culture and ethos of bettering vulnerable children’s lives. You will be determined to understand the lived experiences of children and be a fierce advocate for them, providing the support required to better childhood experiences.

To thrive in this role, you will bring an in‑depth understanding of the relevant legislation, guidance, policies and thresholds that underpin safeguarding.  You will have strong experience of effective multi‑agency working, building partnerships and co‑producing needs‑led safety plans for children and young people. You will also have excellent recording skills and the ability to produce high‑quality assessments, reports and court statements.

As a Senior Social Worker, you will role‑model and champion high‑quality practice. You will demonstrate a strong commitment to your own continued professional development and use your knowledge and experience to support colleagues, helping to foster our inclusive and collaborative culture.

Experience of working with children with disabilities and complex needs is desirable, but not essential, as we will support you to develop this specialist knowledge.

If you would like an informal chat or a tour of the office prior to submitting your application, please contact [email removed] to arrange a suitable time.

About the team…

The Children’s Specialist Safeguarding Team (CSST) is a highly skilled team working with children who have disabilities and/or complex health needs.

We provide a wide range of services for children with additional needs and those who may be more vulnerable. This includes delivering the council’s statutory responsibilities for disabled children in need within the community, such as care packages, practical support and access to short breaks.

The team brings together an eclectic mix of expertise across different service areas, covering a broad spectrum of work with children with disabilities, Occupational Therapy, and Short Breaks (including Larchwood, our dedicated short break respite unit).

Social workers in CSST “focus on disabled children’s lived experiences and take time to understand their specific needs.” As a result, they are able to identify neglect early and use practical toolkits to support parents to make positive changes. When risks escalate, decisive action is taken, meaning you are well supported in your role to keep children safe. Children also benefit from excellent holistic support that meets their identified occupational therapy and speech and language needs, helping to ensure their overall wellbeing and developmental progress.

Key responsibilities…

• To hold a caseload and provide assessment, care planning, intervention and family support in line with expertise commensurate to a senior practitioner.
• To promote listening to children at every opportunity, ensuring their views are heard, recorded and acted upon in an appropriate and timely manner and to ensure life journey work is completed with children and young people in accordance with their age and understanding.
• To assess and identify the needs of children and families referred and negotiate delivery of services by determining how these needs can be best met in accordance with statutory responsibilities and council policies using best value principles.
• To work alongside partner agencies, for example voluntary and statutory and within the context of the care plan for children and families to ensure the provision of appropriate and effective services.
• To develop and maintain accurate case records and comply with the department's policies, procedures and guidelines including data protection and GDPR.
• To participate in regular reflective supervision and be able to set clear goals and intervention strategies.
• To support and mentor less experienced colleagues including newly qualified Social Workers, Family workers and Social Work Students.

Our benefits… 

• 28 days annual leave increasing to 33 days after 3 years’ continuous service, with the opportunity to buy up to 10 and sell up to 5 days.
• Hybrid working opportunities to support your wellbeing and work-life balance. 
• Paid employee volunteering scheme.
• Local government pension scheme, with life insurance cover.
• Electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme (subject to eligibility).
• Reimbursement of Social Work England registration.
• Recognition of continuous service attained within the NHS and UKHSA when calculating some benefits. (Terms and Conditions apply)
• Career development through internal and external training opportunities. 
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and fostering