Overview
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 is a responsibility we take seriously. We’re committed to creating a safe, healthy and supportive environment for our colleagues to practice.
What You’ll Be Doing
As an FCA at Cafcass, you will:
* 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.
Who We’re Looking For
We’re looking for practitioners who are confident, curious, compassionate and committed to excellent social work practice.
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’s desirable you’ll 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.
You can view the full job description in the vacancy documents.
Where you’ll work
Our Social Workers work flexibly across multiple settings — including the office in Chelmsford or Norwich, home, courts, schools and other appropriate, safe locations, and we ensure you have the technology to do this. Shared learning is very important to us, and we bring our teams together regularly, both remotely and in-person, for team meetings and group supervision, which creates space to connect with peers and managers, reflect on practice, and feel supported. You’ll also have regular 1:1 time with your manager, especially during your induction, with a balance between remote and in-person work to provide flexibility and opportunities to form in-person connections. If shortlisted, the hiring manager will provide more insight into what a typical week or month might look like should you join us.
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
9th February 2026
Telephone interviews
TBC
Final Interview
TBC
If you have any questions about the role or recruitment process, please contact Narinder.kaur2@cafcass.gov.uk.
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 (continued)
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 expect to have regular 1:1 time with your manager, especially during your induction, with a balance between remote and in-person work, so you have both flexibility and opportunities to form connections. If shortlisted, the hiring manager will provide more insight into what a typical week or month might look like should you join us.
We look forward to receiving your application!
Be Their Voice
We are Cafcass – the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service – and we represent children in family court cases in England. Independently advising the family courts about what is safe for children and in their best interests, we speak up for over 1,400,000 children every year when the family court makes critical decisions about their futures, ensuring their needs, wishes and feelings are heard. Watch our video to learn more about how we listen to children’s voices and can be their voice.
If our purpose resonates with you, and you share our ambitions for children — exceptional experiences, for every child, everywhere and every time — then if you join us, you will work alongside like-minded people in a diverse, inclusive and supportive organisation. You will be trusted to work flexibly and independently using outstanding technology with access to substantial resources. You can also find out more at www.cafcass.gov.uk/careers.
Wellbeing
The wellbeing of our colleagues is something we are truly passionate about, including four dedicated, additional days per year for health and wellbeing. Colleagues can also have a health and wellbeing cash plan, which Cafcass pays the basic premium for. We foster a holistic approach to supporting colleagues, including neuro-diverse conditions, cancer and the menopause. An external Employee Assistance Provider (EAP) offers free confidential 24/7 support. We also have Health and Wellbeing Champions and Mental Health Allies, and Diversity Networks to support an inclusive environment.
Our Diversity Networks include Ability Matters, Carers Network, Faith Network, Kaleidoscope, Mental Health Network, Pride Network, Neurodiversity Network. We also have Together, a relationship-based practice framework focused on positive relationships with children, families and colleagues.
For more information watch our video here. Our current networks and wellbeing programs reflect our commitment to diversity and inclusion. You can also learn more at www.cafcass.gov.uk/careers.
Documents
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