Social Worker - Duty & Assessment Team Sanctuary Personal

Job Title: Social Worker - Duty & Assessment Team
Specialism: Social Worker - Children
Location: Lancashire, UK
Salary: £36.00 per hour
Type: Ongoing, Part Time / Full Time

Social Worker within the Duty & Assessment Team in Lancashire, earning £36.00 per hour. This ongoing locum opportunity offers both part-time and full-time flexibility, providing an excellent opportunity to work at the front door of Children's Social Care. You will play a vital role in safeguarding children and supporting families through timely assessments, interventions, and multi-agency collaboration. Covering areas including Fylde and Wyre, with office bases in Fleetwood, Lytham St Annes, and Kirkham, this role offers a varied and rewarding working environment.

• Part Time / Full Time: Choose a working pattern that fits around your lifestyle and personal commitments.
• Hourly Pay: Earn a competitive rate of £36.00 per hour, rewarding your skills and experience.
• Professional Growth: Gain exposure to a wide range of safeguarding and assessment work, enhancing your expertise and career development.
• Networking Opportunities: Build strong professional relationships with colleagues and partner agencies across multiple services.
• Meaningful Impact: Make a real difference in the lives of children and families by ensuring they receive timely support and protection.
• Varied
  
  Experience:
  
  Enjoy the flexibility and diversity that locum work provides while broadening your professional knowledge.

• Referral Management: Receive, screen, and respond to referrals relating to children and families, assessing risk and determining appropriate interventions.
• Assessment: Complete Child and Family Assessments and other statutory assessments within legislative timescales.
• Direct Work: Undertake home visits and engage directly with children to understand their lived experiences, wishes, and feelings.
• Safeguarding: Identify safeguarding concerns, assess risks, and implement protective measures where significant harm is identified.
• Case Management: Manage a varied caseload including Child in Need, Child Protection, and Public Law Outline (PLO) cases.
• Risk Assessment: Complete evidence-based risk assessments and provide professional recommendations to inform decision-making.
• Family Support: Work with families to identify strengths, build resilience, and promote positive outcomes for children.
• Multi-Agency Working: Coordinate assessments and interventions alongside education, health services, police, early help teams, and voluntary organisations.
• Professional Meetings: Participate in strategy discussions, child protection conferences, core groups, legal planning meetings, and safeguarding forums.
• Report Writing: Prepare clear, analytical reports for conferences, court proceedings, and statutory reviews.
• Record Keeping: Maintain accurate and timely records using the council's electronic case management systems.
• Duty Responsibilities: Contribute to duty rota requirements and respond promptly to urgent safeguarding referrals.
• Professional Development: Engage in supervision, reflective practice, audits, and continuous learning opportunities.
• Equality and Inclusion: Promote equality, diversity, and inclusion throughout all aspects of practice.

• Social Work
  
  Qualification:
  
  Degree in Social Work or equivalent recognised qualification.
• Registration: Current Social Work England registration.
• Experience: Previous experience within Children's Social Care, particularly in Duty, Assessment, Safeguarding, or Front Door services.
• Safeguarding Knowledge: Strong understanding of child protection legislation, safeguarding frameworks, and statutory guidance.
• Assessment
  
  Skills:
  
  Proven experience undertaking assessments and managing risk effectively.
• Court Knowledge: Understanding of Public Law Outline processes and court-related social work practice.
• Communication
  
  Skills:
  
  Excellent written, verbal, analytical, and report-writing abilities.
• Organisational
  
  Skills:
  
  Ability to manage competing priorities within a fast-paced environment.

Lancashire offers a fantastic quality of life with its beautiful coastline, rolling countryside, vibrant towns, and rich cultural heritage. Whether exploring the Fylde Coast, enjoying local attractions, or taking advantage of excellent transport links, Lancashire provides an outstanding balance between professional opportunity and personal wellbeing. It is a wonderful place to build your social work career while enjoying everything the region has to offer.