Social Worker, Family Advocacy & Support Services

Overview

Do you want to make a real difference for children, families and communities?

At Change Grow Live, we believe in people. We know that with the right support, anyone can make positive changes in their lives. We are looking for a passionate and experienced Social Worker to join our Kirklees service and help improve outcomes for adults, children and families affected by substance use.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced Social Worker to join our well-established adult drug and alcohol treatment service as a Social Worker Lead on a 9-month fixed-term maternity cover contract, working 18.5 hours per week.

The role offers an excellent balance between frontline practice, professional leadership and partnership working, alongside the benefits of blended working, flexible arrangements, ongoing professional development and a supportive team environment that promotes a healthy work-life balance.

You will be joining an established team of Social Workers and Family Recovery Coordinators, working under the leadership and professional supervision of our Senior Social Worker, with access to peer support, reflective practice and opportunities to contribute to service development across Kirklees.

Location:Kirklees

Full Time

Hours:

18.75 hours per week

Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract until 31st July 2027 (Maternity Cover)

* Please note:

Full-time hours at Change Grow Live are 37.5 hours per week. For part-time roles, the salary and payments will be pro rata based on contracted hours.

About the Role

As Social Worker Lead, you will bring specialist social work expertise into an adult treatment setting, ensuring that safeguarding, family-focused practice and partnership working remain central to the support we provide.

Working as part of a dedicated social work team and under the guidance of our Senior Social Worker, you will collaborate closely with recovery coordinators, family workers, safeguarding leads and partner agencies to improve outcomes for adults in treatment, their children and wider family networks.

Whilst this is not a statutory social work role, it provides a unique opportunity to influence practice, strengthen multi‑agency working and champion safeguarding and family‑focused interventions across the service.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide specialist advice and consultation on safeguarding, risk management and complex family situations.
• Support recovery staff with referrals, care planning and safeguarding actions.
• Work collaboratively with Kirklees Children's Social Care and other partner agencies to improve outcomes for children, young people and families.
• Represent the service at multi‑agency meetings including MARAC, safeguarding forums and partnership groups.
• Support the development of workforce knowledge, skills and professional confidence around safeguarding and family‑focused practice.
• Work alongside the leadership team to drive continuous improvement and strategic priorities.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships across children's and adults’ social care, health services, education, safeguarding teams and criminal justice partners.
• Promote strengths‑based, trauma‑informed and recovery‑focused approaches throughout the service.
• Support the wider integrated care system to develop knowledge and confidence in working with families affected by substance use.

About You

We are looking for an enthusiastic and experienced Social Worker who is passionate about improving outcomes for children and families and wants to apply their skills within an innovative adult drug and alcohol treatment service.

Essential Requirements

• Recognised Social Work qualification.
• Registration with Social Work England.
• Completion of ASYE.
• Experience of working with children, families and/or adults with multiple and complex needs.
• Sound knowledge of safeguarding children and vulnerable adults legislation, policy and practice.
• Understanding of the impact of substance use on children, families and communities.
• Experience of partnership working with a variety of agencies and professionals.
• Strong communication, relationship‑building and influencing skills.
• Ability to support and develop the practice confidence…