Longridge, Preston, Lancashire, United Kingdom
£40,000 - £0
Permanent
Job Title: Senior Residential Family Centre Social Worker – Practice Leadership & Child Welfare Specialist
Location: Preston
Salary: £40,000 - £45,000 DOE (Depending on Experience)
Job Description:
Are you an experienced and compassionate social worker seeking a senior role that combines frontline practice with strategic leadership? Our client, a leading provider of residential family support services, is looking for a dedicated Senior Residential Family Centre Social Worker to take a pivotal role in ensuring high-quality assessments and positive outcomes for vulnerable children and families.
Join a forward-thinking organisation where your expertise directly influences service quality, practice development, and team leadership. This is your opportunity to work at the intersection of direct practice and organisational strategy within a supportive environment that values innovation and professional growth.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead Assessment Quality: Conduct thorough, fair, and evidence-based assessments, synthesising information from multiple sources to inform child welfare decisions.
- Direct Practice: Engage daily with a small caseload of families through informal observations and structured sessions, assessing progress and managing risks in line with pre-placement planning.
- Organisational Leadership: Support senior leadership in supervision, practice oversight, and quality assurance, turning strategic priorities into tangible actions.
- Complex Analysis & Sensitive Communication: Navigate complex family histories and presentations, having difficult but necessary conversations to safeguard children’s wellbeing and inform future planning.
What You'll Bring (Essential Criteria):
- Valid Social Work Qualification and current registration with Social Work England.
- Robust understanding of safeguarding children and a confident, competent practice approach.
- Excellent analytical skills to turn observations into clear, evidence-backed recommendations.
- Trauma-informed, shame-sensitive approach with experience of working with vulnerable adults and children.
- Strong team player with a good sense of humor who values collegiality and authenticity.
- Exceptional communication skills, capable of managing sensitive conversations with confidence.
- Advanced IT and recording skills.
- Good understanding of babies and child development.
Desirable (Not Essential):
- Supervisory experience.
- Experience working in residential settings.
- Knowledge of The Residential Family Centre Regulations 2002 and The National Minimum Standards.
Additional Requirements:
- Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
- Access to a car with business insurance (including a monthly bonus and competitive mileage rates).
- Willingness to participate in an out-of-hours rota if required.
Benefits:
- Flexible working hours to support your work-life balance within a 24/7 service.
- Home working options, allowing you to work remotely when needed.
- Holistic well-being support, including tailored counselling, coaching, and legal advice.
- Regular, reflective supervision with an open-door policy.
- Access to a dedicated women’s health practitioner for professional health issues.
- Great team culture with quarterly development days and team socials.
- Professional growth opportunities aligned with your career aspirations.
- Competitive salary based on experience, plus 25-30 days annual leave.
Apply Now!
Vetro Recruitment acts as an employment business when supplying temporary staff and as an employment agency when introducing candidates for permanent employment with a client. Vetro is an equal opportunities employer and decisions are made on merit alone.
