Senior Social Worker

Staffordshire County Council | Children’s Services

£33.30 per hour (Umbrella) | Locum contract

Base locations available:
Lichfield, Burton-on-Trent, or Tamworth

Working pattern:
Hybrid working (typically 2–3 days per week in the office, with flexibility around visits, duty and service need)

Staffordshire County Council is looking for experienced Social Workers to join their Assessment & Staying Together Teams across Lichfield, Burton and Tamworth. This is a frontline role where you’ll work with children and families across the continuum of need — from Child in Need and Child Protection through to care proceedings where required, with a real focus on helping families create safe and sustainable change.

You’ll be joining a service that is committed to restorative, relationship-based practice, with access to training, reflective supervision, and a supportive team environment.

About the Role

As a Social Worker in Assessment & Staying Together, you’ll complete high-quality assessments, manage risk, and deliver meaningful interventions that help children remain safely within their family networks wherever possible. You’ll work closely with partner agencies and internal teams under Staffordshire’s District Model, ensuring children get the right help at the right time.

Key responsibilities

Complete Section 17 Child & Family Assessments and Section 47 enquiries, with clear analysis and timely decision-making

Hold and progress CIN and CP plans, maintaining purposeful oversight of risk and improving outcomes for children

Undertake direct work with children and families to strengthen engagement, promote safety, and reduce escalation

Use a restorative approach to build sustainable safety planning with families and their wider support networks

Participate in strategy discussions, multi-agency meetings, core groups and key planning forums

Produce high-quality records and reports that reflect professional curiosity, evidence, and strong risk management

Support progression into pre-proceedings (PLO) and court work where necessary, ensuring robust planning and permanence thinking

Practice Model

Staffordshire is committed to a relational and restorative way of working — building strong relationships, working with families rather than to them, and supporting safe family-led plans wherever possible. Practice is strengths-based, child-focused, and rooted in partnership working, with an emphasis on purposeful interventions that create long-term change.

What you’ll receive

Whilst working with Staffordshire County Council, you’ll benefit from:

Access to training and regular supervision

Vivup benefits platform, including discounts on retail, restaurants, gyms and more

Hybrid working (typically 2–3 days per week office-based, flexing around visits/duty and team requirements)

Free on-site parking

Openness to discussions around part-time hours, compressed hours, or a 4-day week (where service need allows)

Requirements

Social Work qualification (Degree / DipSW)

Social Work England registration

Recent experience in frontline children’s services (assessment, CIN/CP, safeguarding)

Strong assessment and risk management skills with confident decision-making

Ability to work at pace while maintaining quality and clear case recording

Enhanced DBS and right to work in the UK

Interested?

If you’d like to be considered (or want a quick confidential chat first), get in touch:

Emily Cooper

(phone number removed) |

Referral bonus available – know someone who’d be great for this role? Refer them to us and you could earn up to £500 (subject to terms)