Senior Social Worker - Assessment

Barnsley Council | Wombwell Police Station

£35 per hour (Umbrella) | 3-month fixed contract (sickness cover)

Working pattern:
Full-time | Duty rota (1 week on duty, 3 weeks off duty)

Barnsley Council are recruiting an experienced Senior Social Worker to join one of their four Assessment Teams, co-located with Police at Wombwell Police Station. This is a short-term frontline role with a clear focus on high-quality, timely assessments, strong decision-making, and improving outcomes for children and families.

If you’re confident working at pace, know what good looks like, and thrive in a structured performance-focused environment — this is a great opportunity to step into a supportive team with visible management and a strong culture.

About the Role

You’ll be completing assessments with children and families within 40 working days, working collaboratively with families to identify the right intervention and plan. Once the plan is agreed, cases will either close to Children’s Social Care or transfer to the relevant service area — including Early Help or long-term social work teams.

The service operates a clear and predictable duty pattern: 1 week on duty allocations, followed by 3 weeks off duty, focused on progressing assessments and intervention planning.

Key Responsibilities

Complete high-quality statutory assessments within 40 working days, with clear analysis of risk and need.

Undertake duty work during rota weeks, managing new allocations and responding to safeguarding concerns promptly.

Develop timely, outcome-focused intervention plans in partnership with children, families and multi-agency professionals.

Make confident threshold decisions and ensure cases step down, close, or transfer appropriately to the next service area.

Maintain strong oversight of safeguarding practice, including Child Protection decision-making where required.

Record consistently and accurately, ensuring the child’s lived experience and voice is central to assessment and planning.

Work within a performance framework that supports timely case progression and strong outcomes for children.

Practice Model

Barnsley’s Assessment service focuses on timely, high-quality assessments, purposeful planning, and strong multi-agency working. The team is strengths-based and child-focused, working closely with families and partner agencies to ensure the right intervention happens at the right time, and children experience clear, effective support.

Requirements

Social Work qualification (Degree/DipSW/CQSW)

Social Work England registration

Strong recent experience within an Assessment / Duty service

Confident working at pace with clear decision-making and risk management

Comfortable working within a performance management framework

Level 2 vetting required (due to Police Station base) or willingness/eligibility to obtain this

Benefits

£35 per hour umbrella rate

Supportive, friendly and nurturing team environment

Visible managers and strong leadership support

Clear structure: duty rota with focused off-duty assessment time

Co-located multi-agency working with Police for joined-up decision-making

Interested?

Contact Emily Cooper for more info or to apply:

(phone number removed) | (phone number removed)

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