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 — it’s a specialist practice leadership position at the heart of a Residential Family Centre service.
It’s an opportunity to bring together everything that makes social work meaningful: curiosity, compassion, analysis, reflection, and leadership. You’ll truly get to know families and how they function, building relationships that enable you to challenge supportively and promote lasting positive change.
You’ll 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 children’s 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 children’s futures are made through fair, timely, and evidence-based analysis.
What You’ll 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 children’s welfare.
-Balance compassionate practice with clear, analytical recommendations that support --timely decision-making.
What We’re 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 You’ll 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