Overview
“We are going places — join us on the journey of possibility.”
Champion Children. Empower Families. Shape Brighter Futures.
Do you have a passion for making a meaningful difference in the lives of children? Are you looking for a place where you can truly shape the life chances of children and young people? Are you a committed social worker ready to bring your energy, purpose and creativity to a team driven by doing what’s right for families?
If yes, then join us in Reading, where our Assessment Team plays a vital role in safeguarding children and supporting families when they need us most.
As an Assessment Social Worker, you will complete single assessments for Children in Need and Child Protection and provide time-limited support to help families prevent or overcome crisis, reducing the need for ongoing statutory intervention. You will ensure that where children need continued support, you support with a robust transition.
We are focusing on strengths, relationships and purposeful partnership with families. We believe that with the right support, families can overcome challenges and thrive — and you will be central to that journey.
Our framework is built on collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement, with children firmly at the centre of everything we do. By fostering strong partnerships with schools, health professionals, social care teams and the voluntary sector, we strive for a coordinated, responsive and inclusive system of support.
We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity and inclusion is the key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities.
About the Role
You will need to be a qualified Social Worker, registered with Social Work England. As a Social Worker in our Assessment Team, you will:
* Undertake child-centred, timely statutory assessments with families for both Children in Need and Child Protection with the required timescales
* Work directly with children, young people and families to identify strengths, understand risk and shape effective intervention plans
* Hold and manage a varied and dynamic caseload with reflective supervision and strong professional support
* Support a robust transition to Together for Families when additional support is required
* Attend and contribute to all relevant meetings including ICPC’s, CIN Meetings and other meetings required to ensure children and their families are supported appropriately
* Take part in the duty rota as directed by the Assistant/Team Manager offering a responsive service
* Collaborate with partner agencies to ensure families receive the right help at the right time
* Make sound, evidence-based decisions that support children’s safety, wellbeing and long-term outcomes
You will report directly to a Team Manager, receive regular individual and group supervision, and be supported to develop your skills and confidence at every stage of your career.
This is an exciting time to join Reading. We are implementing the Family Safeguarding Model, investing in motivational interviewing and building on strong early help foundations recognised by Ofsted in 2024:
“Children and their families are helped by a range of impressive and impactful early help services… reducing children’s need for statutory intervention.”
“Children are supported to remain within their family and friends’ network when it is safe… enabling them to maintain connections with people who are familiar to them.”
“Family help assessments are comprehensive and demonstrate curious and insightful work with families.”
And we are not stopping here — by March 2025, Reading will have four Family Hubs, strengthening our local offer even further.
We are a vibrant, motivated service with genuine energy and ambition. We value curiosity, creativity and relationship-based practice — and we make space for social workers to do their very best work.
Our Offer to You
* A warm, inclusive team committed to doing what’s right for children
* Competitive pay and conditions, including hybrid working
* A rich practice development programme
* Access to training in the Family Safeguarding Model
* Reflective supervision prioritising wellbeing and professional resilience
* A comprehensive wellbeing and workforce offer supporting you emotionally, practically and professionally
In Reading, children matter — and so do you.
We are building a culture where social workers feel valued, trusted and supported to reach their full potential.
Benefits (Selected)
* Generous holiday entitlement - 25 days holiday each year plus bank holidays - rising to 30 days after 5 years’ service and 33 days after 10 years' service, with the option to buy additional leave
* A wide range of flexible working opportunities
* Modern working environment at the Civic Offices in the heart of Reading
* Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
* Life Assurance - three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS)
* On-site day nursery (Kennet Day nursery) rated outstanding by Ofsted
* Season Ticket Loan - a loan to help with the cost of your rail or bus journey, to and from work
* Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand new, greener car for three years. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax
Closing Date: Sunday 10th May 2026
Interview Date: To be confirmed
Interview Type: To be confirmed
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