£49,918 – £53,048 per year inclusive of London Weighting and Essential Car User Allowance.
Plus a one‑off Welcome Payment of £7,000 subject to T&Cs and an annual 4% Retention Payment after 2 years.
Contract: Permanent. Working Pattern: Full Time. Hours: 37 hours per week.
Closing Date: 02/08/2026 at 23:59
Reference: People/26/341111
Are you an exceptional Social Worker looking to join an outstanding local authority? At Bracknell Forest, you will be a valued member of a supportive team, with access to high‑quality training, regular supervision and a manageable caseload.
We are committed to providing the right support at the right time. By investing in our people, we create an environment where you can thrive professionally, with the tools, development opportunities and encouragement you need to make a real difference.
Bracknell Forest’s Children’s Social Care team are proud to have achieved an Outstanding in all areas grading in December 2025. Not only did we maintain our Outstanding judgment but inspectors also recognised that “since the last inspection in 2022, Bracknell Forest has sustained and strengthened exceptional services for children and families”.
Ofsted described practitioners as “effusive about working in Bracknell” who value our strong child‑focused ethos, relational practice model, manageable workloads and high‑quality training and supervision.
Staff shared with inspectors that they appreciate leaders’ visibility, approachability and unwavering commitment to children, all factors that underpin their decision to continue their careers in Bracknell Forest.
“Leaders have established a highly effective Social Work Academy that provides tailored support to practitioners at every stage of their career”. This commitment to development and learning has contributed to Bracknell Forest’s secure reputation as an ‘employer of choice’ for social workers.
You will need to be registered with Social Work England and have at least three years’ post‑qualifying experience in Children’s Social Care, including child protection work.
You will have solid experience in completing comprehensive assessments of children’s needs which are timely and detailed and take account of children’s unique characteristics, including their culture, ethnicity, religion and any disabilities.
You will be passionate about relational social work and committed to joining our embedded culture and ethos of bettering vulnerable children’s lives.
To thrive in this role, you will bring a solid understanding of the key legislation, guidance, local policies and thresholds. You will be comfortable working closely with a range of partners and confident in your ability to assess situations, analyse information and record your work clearly. This is a fast‑paced role, so being able to stay calm, organised and proactive, especially when leading on complex situations, will really help you succeed.
Responsibilities
- To carry out needs‑led child focused assessments which include outcome focused plans.
- To work alongside other professionals and partner agencies in assessing children in need and undertake child protection enquiries.
- To be the allocated Social Worker for a duty caseload of single assessments under S17 and S47 investigations, with some short‑term work.
- To take part in the duty system responding to child protection concerns.
- 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.
Qualifications and Requirements
You will be 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.
Candidate should have experience of working within the current Social Care System and Framework.
We can only accept applications from candidates currently residing in the UK.
Candidates currently residing in the UK who require sponsorship to work are encouraged to assess their eligibility for a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) based on the relevant criteria. Please be aware that sponsorship availability varies and is subject to eligibility requirements and budget limitations. As a result, we cannot guarantee sponsorship for all roles and will evaluate sponsorship requests on a case‑by‑case basis.
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.
- 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 leave.
- Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support your health and wellbeing.
- Inclusive and social working environment with a variety of staff networks and a sports and social club.
Salary
Salary: £49,918 – £53,048 per year inclusive of London Weighting and Essential Car User Allowance.
One‑off Welcome Payment of £7,000 and an annual Retention Payment of 4% of annual salary after 2 years, subject to terms and conditions.
Disability confident and inclusive recruitment
Bracknell Forest Council is proud to be an inclusive employer. This means that if you have made us aware on the application form that you have a disability, are an armed forces veteran or you are a care leaver, you will be guaranteed an interview if you meet the essential criteria outlined in the person specification.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Bracknell Forest Council – Working for Equality. We welcome applications from all sections of the community.
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