Social Worker, Children

About The Role Join an Outstanding Local Authority

The London Borough of Islington offers exceptional opportunities for professional growth within a supportive and innovative environment. We are looking for enthusiastic and talented Social Workers to join our Children in Need Service. Ofsted has again judged Islington’s Children’s Services as OUTSTANDING
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Outstanding across all areas, recognising consistently high‑quality support for children, young people and families. Inspectors noted that children’s needs and experiences strongly shape decision‑making, reflecting a well‑embedded child‑centred culture. They also highlighted the borough’s broad and effective early‑help offer, manageable caseloads that allow thoughtful and timely practice, and ambitious, skilled leadership that drives continuous improvement.

As a Qualified Children in Need Social Worker, you will bring experience in safeguarding, assessing risk and creating collaborative well managed plans to safeguard children. You will take responsibility for progressing plans that support sustainable change within families, stepping cases up to care proceedings or down to targeted services where appropriate. The role requires a clear commitment to dignity, respect, empathy and strength‑based, collaborative practice.

Your work will focus on building meaningful relationships, supporting families to make positive changes and helping children remain safe and thrive.

Motivational Practice is Islington’s established practice framework. It equips practitioners with communication skills that help families identify their own reasons for change, with empathy at the heart of all interactions. Motivational interviewing sits at the core of Children in Need practice. To ensure the best match for the service, applicants take part in a two‑stage interview process, with the first stage designed to explore your compatibility with motivational approaches.

Prior MI expertise is not essential; instead, we look for individuals with the potential to develop these skills through structured training and reflective feedback. Full details will be provided to shortlisted candidates.

Islington welcomes applications from diverse, Black and minority ethnic candidates and is committed to addressing structural racism and inequality. Applicants should understand how inequalities affect communities, and demonstrate the ability to work effectively with people from a wide range of cultural backgrounds. You should be able to interpret issues from multiple cultural perspectives and actively promote equity and inclusion through your everyday practice.

Social workers in the Children in Need Service benefit from protected caseloads and reduced bureaucracy, enabling regular visits, direct work and stronger relationships with families. A comprehensive core training programme supports goal‑based interventions, evidence‑based tools, reflective practice and careful risk assessment. An intensive multi‑disciplinary service is available where risks are high, adding further depth to your interventions. Regular reflective supervision and ongoing practice development ensure you are continually supported in your role.

In addition, the role offers a retention bonus, Zone 1–2 Travelcard, excellent pension scheme, generous annual leave, flexible working options, an experienced management team and a central working location on Upper Street in Islington.

Candidates who are successful at the Motivational Interview stage will be invited to a follow‑up technical interview. Although we are committed to supporting career development, applications from newly qualified social workers cannot be accepted for this particular vacancy. We encourage you to check the council’s website for future opportunities.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact:

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We kindly ask that recruitment agencies do not contact us regarding this vacancy. We are managing the recruitment process internally and will reach out directly should we…