Social Worker - PLO & Court

Children's Social Worker – Level 2 / 3 PLO & Court Team | South Coast Salary:

Level 2 – Band 10:
Starting salary of £45,529
Level 3 – Band 11:
Starting salary of £49,817
Pro rata for part-time colleagues.
Are you an experienced Children's Social Worker with a strong safeguarding background and the confidence to manage complex pre-proceedings and court-related work?

We're recruiting Children's Social Workers at Level 2 and Level 3 to join specialist PLO & Court Teams within a supportive local authority on the South Coast.

This is an opportunity to work with families where concerns for a child's safety may meet the threshold for legal action. You'll provide purposeful, analytical and relationship-based Social Work, helping families make sustainable changes wherever possible while ensuring timely and robust plans are made when children need protection.

The role You'll manage complex cases during the pre-proceedings stage, working closely with children, parents, wider family networks and partner agencies.

Your responsibilities will include:

Managing complex safeguarding casework within the Public Law Outline process
Undertaking high-quality assessments, risk analysis and care planning
Working with families affected by domestic abuse, adult mental health needs and substance misuse
Leading purposeful direct work with children and parents
Preparing clear, evidence-based reports and recommendations for legal processes
Working collaboratively with legal colleagues, Children in Care teams, adoption services and multi-agency partners
Supporting timely permanency planning, including where children cannot safely remain at home
Mentoring less experienced colleagues and students at Level 3
Contributing to a reflective, supportive and high-performing team culture
About you To be successful, you'll bring:

Significant frontline safeguarding Social Work experience
Confidence managing complex children's statutory casework

Experience of , or a strong interest in, pre-proceedings and court work
Excellent analytical skills and sound professional judgement
The ability to build constructive working relationships while providing clear professional challenge
Strong written communication skills, including report writing
Resilience, organisation and the ability to manage competing priorities
Experience mentoring colleagues or students, or willingness to undertake Practice Education training
Social Work England registration
The ability to travel across the local area
What's on offer  Starting salary of £45,529 at Level 2 or £49,817 at Level 3
Permanent full-time and part-time opportunities
Full induction and Practice Fundamentals support
Manageable caseloads and regular supervision
Clear progression pathways and excellent professional development opportunities
28 days' annual leave plus bank holidays, increasing after two years' continuous service
Flexible working arrangements
Modern, refurbished office spaces
Employee Assistance Programme
Staff network groups and an inclusive working environment
Relocation support, subject to approval
This is a great opportunity for an ambitious Social Worker to develop specialist expertise in PLO and court work while making a real difference for children and families on the South Coast.