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. Working in a Private Law team, where there is disagreement on the best arrangements for the welfare of the child(ren) involved) and to speak on behalf of children and young people to ensure their thoughts, wishes and feelings are not just understood but heard.
As the only organisation that does this kind of work, FCAs can make recommendations leading to lasting change for children and families, which is why this it is 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 doing
* 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.
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 work
In this role you will play a key role in supporting our teams and colleagues when they are in the office, like our Social Workers seeing children and families, or our teams being together for team meetings or supervision. Therefore, whilst 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.
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 is desirable you 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.
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
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