Job Introduction
Job Title: Consultant Social Worker – Family Safeguarding Children in Care
Starting Salary: £48,226 + £7,146 market enhancement pay, progressing to £53,460 + £6,984 market enhancement pay per annum
Hours: 37 per week
Base Location: Stevenage with East of County coverage
Contract Type: FTC/Secondment – Maternity Cover to November 2026
Directorate: Childrens Services
On a fresh challenge to strengthen expertise and accelerate professional growth, you will join our Reunification or Edge of Care Team. This pioneering extension of the Family Safeguarding model supports children at critical points and helps families stay together through trauma‑informed practice, non‑violence resistance, ARC framework and Ambit, and evidence‑based approaches.
You will have valuable line‑management responsibilities and exposure to complex, high‑profile work that will prepare you for future leadership roles.
About the Team
The family safeguarding model operates through a multi‑disciplinary team highly trained in Motivational Interviewing, a counselling approach that builds confidence in parents to change harmful behaviours. The team works closely with mental health, substance misuse, domestic abuse, neurodiverse and trauma‑informed specialists, alongside children’s social workers, adolescent practitioners and life coaches.
About the Role
You will work alongside partner agencies, the Trauma Hub and Family Group Conferencing Service, and the Area Teams who oversee overall support and planning for families. The post requires flexible, crisis‑ready engagement with families and adolescents, meeting needs from an extended hours service (9 am – 10 pm weekdays, 2 pm – 10 pm weekends).
Key Responsibilities
- Deliver fortnightly reflective case discussions.
- Support the Team Manager to manage the team, including providing supervision to alternative‑qualified workers and multi‑disciplinary colleagues through group supervision, while directly working with families.
- Manage individuals and groups of staff, providing monthly 1:1 personal supervision.
- Engage in Non‑Violence Resistance Training.
- Facilitate multi‑disciplinary network meetings to agree plans for families, prioritising children and young people’s best interests.
- Chair review meetings and support partitioners to develop support and contingency plans.
- Respond to risks of criminal and sexual exploitation.
- Support children, young people and their families who are in crisis to stay together and to be reunified when safe.
- Work flexibly to respond to families’ needs.
- Review the quality of support offered to families and ensure accurate, comprehensive recording; contact families regularly for feedback.
- Work directly with children and young people (10+) and their families to achieve agreed goals through coaching, parenting interventions and relationship‑based practice.
About You – Essential Qualifications
- Qualified and registered Social Worker with Social Work England.
- Proficient in IT systems; ability to use LCS, Word and PowerPoint.
- Understanding and experience of working in safeguarding.
- Experience supporting children, young people and their families with complex needs, and responding to risks of criminal and sexual exploitation.
- Trauma aware and knowledgeable about how acute distress impacts children, young people and families.
- Full driving licence and regular access to a vehicle.
Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) Check
This role requires a DBS check.
Driving Required
Ability to drive and/or travel within Hertfordshire using personal transport or a company car.
English Fluency
Capacity to converse in accurate spoken English; sign language interpreters may be required for applicants using sign language.
EEO Statement
We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and guarantee an interview to anyone disclosing a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.
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