Senior Social Worker – PO5
Salary: £52,194 – £55,323 (plus Market Supplement)
Location: Office & Community Based, London Borough of Newham
Interviews: w/c 20.04.2026
Newham is a vibrant, diverse, and culturally rich borough with a young population and limitless potential. It was recently rated Outstanding by Ofsted (Nov 2025) for Children’s Services, including the Leaving Care Service.
About The Role
We are seeking an experienced Senior Social Worker to join our dynamic Leaving Care Service. You will work within one of five supportive teams, each comprising a Team Manager, a Senior Social Worker, and a group of Personal Advisers.
In This Role, You Will
* Build trusting, meaningful, and enduring relationships with care leavers aged 18–25.
* Lead on comprehensive assessments, risk management, and safety planning to safeguard young people.
* Co‑produce realistic, progressive, and aspirational Pathway Plans that reflect each young person’s goals and strengths.
* Provide expert guidance and advocacy across housing, health, education, employment, finance, and wellbeing.
* Support young people to develop and sustain safe family, kinship, and community connections.
* Work collaboratively with internal and external partners to ensure a holistic and coordinated approach.
* Line‑manage and provide case supervision to one Personal Adviser, overseeing all allocated young people.
* Offer professional leadership through mentoring, coaching, and modelling reflective, restorative practice.
* Provide interim managerial cover in the absence of the Team Manager, supporting service continuity and decision‑making.
* Chair key meetings relating to young people’s plans, ensuring high‑quality multi‑agency coordination.
About You
To be shortlisted, you must be a qualified and experienced Senior Social Worker with Practice Educator Professional Standards (PEPS) Level 1 & Level 2 qualification, alongside:
* A strong track record of working with care leavers or children in care in a statutory setting.
* Proven experience managing a complex caseload and co‑producing high‑quality, outcome‑focused Pathway Plans.
* Confidence and skill in assessing, managing, and mitigating risk, including developing effective safety plans.
* A deep understanding of the challenges faced by care‑experienced young people, including trauma, identity, stability, and transition to adulthood.
* Insight into the barriers young people face when accessing education, employment, training, housing, and health services.
* Experience working within a diverse, urban community and a commitment to anti‑discriminatory and anti‑oppressive practice.
* High professional standards, excellent written and verbal communication skills, and a commitment to reflective practice, systemic thinking, and continuous learning.
* The ability to coach, mentor, and support colleagues, contributing to a positive and restorative team culture.
Additional Information
We are committed to creating an inclusive, anti‑racist environment for all. Applications are considered on merit regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, faith, gender identity or sexual orientation. Please attach your CV and a supporting statement (no more than two A4 pages) explaining why and how you meet the criteria for this role.
We practice anonymised recruitment, so remove all personal information from documents you upload. The personal information we collect will be shared with Cifas to prevent fraud and verify identity. Further details can be found at https://www.cifas.org.uk/fpn.
About Us
The London Borough of Newham is located only 5 miles east of London, well connected by public transport, and was one of the six host boroughs for the 2012 Summer Olympics. It has a thriving arts quarter, a large Westfield shopping centre, and a strong community focus. Our service is dedicated to supporting care leavers and ensuring they receive lasting support beyond the age of 21.
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