Qualified Children's Social Worker

At Cafcass, we’re recruiting Children’s Social Workers who share our passion, commitment and ambition to facilitate positive outcomes for children involved in private and public law family court proceedings.Our Social Workers — professionally known as Family Court Advisers (FCAs) — play a vital role. FCAs can make recommendations leading to lasting change for children and families, which is why this responsibility we take seriously and why we’re committed to creating a safe, healthy and supportive environment for our colleagues to practice.What You’ll Be DoingAs a FCA in our Work to First Hearing (Private Law) team you will play a key role in ensuring Cafcass only intervenes in the lives of those children who need a service.This role is fast paced, draws on Child Protection expertise and requires analytical and effective risk assessment to identify key issues for the court and make safe recommendations in the best interests of the child.You will predominantly achieve this through effective telephone interviews with applicants and respondents and by accessing information received from other agencies.You will then collate this to allow you to succinctly and expertly communicate advice to the court through clear, evidence-based reports and representations. Part of the role of the FCA in Work to First Hearing is to attend one of the courts, usually once a week for a day, as a court duty FCA to provide the court with support and advice at any FHDRAs (First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointments) taking place on that dayWho We’re Looking ForWe’re looking for practitioners who are confident, curious, compassionate and committed to excellent social work practice.To Join Us, You’ll NeedA Social Work qualification is essential.Have the Right to Work in the UK (we don’t sponsor people to work in the UK).Registered with Social Work England (or likely to be able to register quickly if practising outside England).Recent, relevant experience of working directly with children and families.It’s desirable you’ll have experience in family court proceedings, or knowledge of Private and/or Public Law.For applicants with limited post‑qualifying experience, relevant pre‑qualifying experience supporting children and families may be beneficial.Strong organisational skills, professional resilience and the ability to work independently while effectively managing a varied caseload.You can view the full job description in the vacancy documents.Where you’ll workOur Social Workers work flexibly across multiple settings — including the office in Leicester, Lincoln or Peterborough, home, courts and other appropriate, safe locations, and we ensure you have the technology to do this.The role can be based in either Leicester, Lincoln or Peterborough office.Shared learning is very important to us, and we bring our teams together regularly, both remotely and in-person, for team meetings and group supervision, which creates space to connect with peers and managers, reflect on practice, and feel supported.You’ll also have regular 1:1 time with your manager, especially during your induction, and again there will be a balance between doing this remotely and in-person, so you have opportunities to form in-person connections.If shortlisted, the hiring manager will be able to give you more insight into what a typical week or month might look like should you join us.How We Support YouAs the largest employer of Children’s Social Workers in England, we’re uniquely placed to support your professional growth and wellbeing.At Cafcass, You’ll Benefit FromHigh‑quality equipment and technology to help you work efficiently and engage with families effectively.Access to specialist resources, guidance and training to strengthen your practice.A strong commitment to wellbeing, reflective supervision and healthy work-life balance.An inclusive environment that values diversity, encourages learning and constantly strives to improve outcomes for children, families and colleagues alike.You can find more about how we support our practitioners on our website, and we’ll share more during the selection process.Next stepsBelow we have set out an indicative timetable we are hoping to work towards, although dates are subject to change. Closing Date  3rd May 2026 Telephone interviews:         30th April & 8th May 2026 Final Interview  18th & 19th May 2026 If you have any questions about the role or recruitment process, please contact Narinder.Kaur2@cafcass.gov.uk.Before applying, we encourage you to read about our offer and pre‑employment checks. Any questions or concerns can be confidentially raised through your application.Successful applicants will complete several pre‑engagement checks, including a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. If any criminal offences are disclosed, we will conduct an individual assessment in line with the DBS code of practice and the Cafcass DBS policy.Where you’ll workWhilst you will benefit from working flexibly, including some remote working, you will also be required to be in the office on a regular basis.If you join us, you can expect to have regular 1:1 time with your manager, especially during your induction, and again there will be a balance between doing this remotely and in-person, so you have both flexibility and opportunities to form connections.If shortlisted, the hiring manager will be able to give you more insight into what a typical week or month might look like should you join us.We look forward to receiving your application!