Overview
Information and Screening Team based in Birmingham and Work To First Hearing Team (Child Arrangements Programme) based in Coventry.
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) — speak on behalf of children to ensure their thoughts, wishes and feelings are not just understood but heard. FCAs can make recommendations leading to lasting change for children and families, and Cafcass is committed to creating a safe, healthy and supportive environment for colleagues. FCAs also write assessments to the court, outlining safeguarding issues and advising on proportionate, child-focused next steps to support early judicial decision-making; in-person court attendance to offer further guidance is also a requirement.
Family Court Advisors in the Pathfinder screening position play a central role in ensuring a consistent and child-focused response at the earliest stage of involvement. This is fast-paced, short-term work that requires timely analysis and clear decision-making. You will undertake an initial expert review of all incoming families, assess risk, identify safeguarding concerns, and determine the most appropriate next steps for children and families within private law proceedings. You will gather clear information, collaborate with partners, and may be required to complete direct work with families.
What You’ll Be Doing
As a FCA at Cafcass, you will:
* Complete high quality assessments, engaging directly with children to understand their experiences, wishes and feelings — and ensure these are clearly and powerfully represented to the family court.
* Apply your expertise in risk assessment, analysis and mediation, advocating for solutions that place the child’s safety, wellbeing and long term interests at the centre of decision making.
* Work with adults, local authorities, and a wide range of professionals to help resolve complex issues and influence better outcomes for children.
Who We’re Looking For
We’re looking for practitioners who are confident, curious, compassionate and committed to excellent social work practice.
To Join Us, You’ll Need
* A 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 prequalifying 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 work
Our Social Workers work flexibly across multiple settings — including the office in Birmingham or Coventry, home, courts, schools and other appropriate, safe locations, and we ensure you have the technology to do this.
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 You
As 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 From
* High 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 steps
Below we have set out an indicative timetable we are hoping to work towards, although dates are subject to change.
Closing Date
25 March 2026
Final Interview
6 April 2026
If you have any questions about the role or recruitment process, please contact Michelle.Berridge@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.
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