Social Worker - Specialist Practice Leadership Role
Location: Haslingden (East Lancashire) & Longridge (near Preston)
Salary: Negotiable (dependent on experience and expertise)
Hours: Full-time, flexible working available
Annual Leave: 25-30 days
About the Role
This is not your standard social work post — its a specialist practice leadership position at the heart of a Residential Family Centre service. Its an opportunity to bring together everything that makes social work meaningful: curiosity, compassion, analysis, reflection, and leadership. Youll truly get to know families and how they function, building relationships that enable you to challenge supportively and promote lasting positive change.
Youll take a leading role in the quality and integrity of assessments, supporting the senior leadership team to ensure that all practice remains reflective, evidence-based, and grounded in relationship-based work. This role uniquely combines frontline expertise with strategic influence — your professional judgement will directly inform decisions about childrens futures.
Our Residential Family Centres provide 12-week residential assessments for families involved in care proceedings or earlier interventions. These are high-support, short-term environments where decisions about childrens futures are made through fair, timely, and evidence-based analysis.
What Youll Do
* Deliver robust, fair, and evidence-based family assessments.
* Work intensively with a small, protected caseload (each setting has just five family placements).
* Gather, analyse and communicate complex information clearly and confidently.
* Lead direct work with families, including observations, structured sessions, and informal interactions.
* Support the senior leadership team with supervision, quality assurance, and practice development.
* Ensure assessments are trauma-informed, relationship-based, and focused on childrens welfare.
* Balance compassionate practice with clear, analytical recommendations that support timely decision-making.
What Were Looking For
Essential
* Qualified Social Worker with registration with Social Work England.
* Strong understanding of safeguarding children and confident risk management skills.
* Excellent analytical and communication skills - written and verbal.
* Ability to apply a trauma-informed and shame-sensitive approach to practice.
* Experience working with vulnerable adults and/or children in a safeguarding capacity.
* Confident in holding difficult but sensitive conversations with parents.
* Team player with a positive attitude and a good sense of humour.
* Strong IT and recording skills.
* Sound understanding of child development and early years.
Desirable
* Knowledge of Residential Family Centre Regulations 2002 and National Minimum Standards.
* Supervisory experience or experience supporting colleagues in practice.
* Previous experience in a residential setting.
* Creative direct work skills with families and children.
Additional Requirements
* Enhanced DBS check.
* Willingness to participate in an out-of-hours rota if required.
* Access to a car and business use insurance.
What Youll Receive
* A friendly, supportive and high-morale team environment.
* Quarterly team development days and social events (lunch provided).
* Regular check-ins, focus groups, and service development meetings — your views truly matter.
* Autonomy and trust — no micro-management, just thoughtful support and shared learning.
* Genuine work-life balance with flexibility in working hours and patterns.
* Monthly car user bonus and car valet service for frequent users (55p per mile mileage rate).
* Protected caseloads to ensure high-quality, meaningful work.
* Bespoke wellbeing support (e.g., counselling, coaching, or other individualised options).
* Reflective, personal, and focused supervision backed by an open-door policy.
* Opportunities for career development and progression within a growing service.
* Leadership team that genuinely values and recognises your contribution.
* Specialist health and wellbeing support for women, including menopause and reproductive health guidance.
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