Children's Social Workers - Level 2​/PLO and Court Team

Children's Social Workers - Level 2/3 - PLO and Court Team

Join to apply for the Children's Social Workers – Level 2/3 - PLO and Court Team role at BCP Council
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Location: Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole (BCP), Dorset

Salary: Competitive + Local Government Pension + Potential Relocation Scheme

Contract: Full-time & Part-Time, Permanent

Make a real difference in children’s lives. Join us at BCP Council.

We’re proud to have achieved a GOOD Ofsted rating (Dec 2024), and we’re on an exciting improvement journey. Now, we’re looking for experienced, passionate Social Workers to join our specialist PLO & Court Teams and help us deliver outstanding care and support to the children and families who need us most.

Our two specialist PLO & Court Teams work with families where concerns have reached the threshold for pre‑proceedings. Families are presented at the Legal Gateway Panel to consider if the threshold is met and to devise a plan of support. If so, the family is invited to a formal PLO meeting with legal representation to collaborate on an action plan to reduce risks to the child(ren).

You’ll work closely with families to address needs and risks, supporting them with issues such as domestic abuse, adult mental health, and substance misuse. We also work with the Parental Substance Misuse Court (PSMC). Issuing care proceedings is always the last resort—the PLO process represents a genuine opportunity to work collaboratively with families to avoid court where possible. There is a strong emphasis on securing permanency for children and exploring family support networks to reduce risk and increase safety.

For children who require permanency outside the home, you’ll work jointly with the Children in Care Team or Aspire Adoption Team to ensure smooth transitions.

• Significant experience in frontline safeguarding social work
• Ability to manage complex referrals and casework
• Strong analytical, decision‑making, and conflict resolution skills
• Experience mentoring less experienced staff or students
• Commitment to continuous professional development
• Willingness to undertake Practice Education training if not already qualified

You’ll also need to be able to travel across the BCP area.

• Full induction & Practice Fundamentals support
• Clear career progression & excellent learning opportunities
• Manageable caseloads & regular supervision
• 28 days annual leave (plus bank holidays)
• Flexible working arrangements in refurbished offices
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Relocation Scheme
• Staff network groups

If you’re reflective, proactive, resilient, and passionate about putting children’s voices at the heart of everything you do, we’d love to hear from you.

For an informal discussion, contact Vanessa Johns, Service Manager for Children and Families First and PLO & Court at van
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Visit our BCP Partnership Academy website for more details.

This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship and we can only consider applicants with existing right to work in the UK.

The pay range for this role will be £42,839–£53,460 (pro rata for part‑time colleagues).

The Recruitment & Retention Supplement for this role may be up to £3,249 per annum (pro rata for part‑time colleagues).

BCP Council provides services to a diverse community of 400,000 residents and employs more than 5,000 people. Our area includes over 15 miles of beautiful world‑renowned coastline. We can offer career‑defining roles to transform and improve services. By working with us, you can help deliver a vision of a thriving, world‑class, prosperous and inclusive place for generations to come.

Check out our attractive enhanced benefits and find out more about the new Pay and Reward package at the careers page.

BCP Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the community and expects all staff and volunteers to share the same commitment. Applicants to this post will be required to complete the appropriate level of Disclosure & Barring Service Check. Please refer to the Job Description or Role Profile for more details.