Exploitation Social Worker | Contextual Safeguarding

Job Description

Salary £35,235 - £44,711 (Bar at £39,513) Per Annum | Permanent, Full Time, 37 hours per week |

This role is not open to international sponsorship.

If you're passionate about improving outcomes for children and young people affected by exploitation and extra-familial harm, Lancashire's Contextual Safeguarding Service offers an exciting opportunity to be part of a growing and innovative service. Whether you're an experienced practitioner looking for your next challenge or seeking to develop your expertise in exploitation and contextual safeguarding, we'll support you to thrive and grow your career.

This is an exciting time to join Lancashire County Council as we continue to redesign and strengthen our approach to supporting children experiencing exploitation, serious youth violence, and other forms of extra-familial harm. By adopting the Tackling Child Exploitation (TCE) Practice Principles and expanding our multidisciplinary teams, you'll have the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with children and young people, helping them to achieve positive and lasting outcomes.

Thinking about joining us? We welcome informal conversations with prospective applicants to help you learn more about the role, our vision, and how we work with children and young people across Lancashire.

For an informal discussion, please contact:

Sophie Eaves, Team Manager

So

At Lancashire County Council, we're committed to delivering innovative, relationship‑based practice that places children and young people at the centre of everything we do.

You’ll benefit from:

• A progressive and evolving Contextual Safeguarding Service
• Strong management support and reflective supervision
• Opportunities to influence the development of service delivery
• Collaborative multi-agency working
• Meaningful direct work with children and young people
• A culture that values learning, development, and professional curiosity

Our EmPower Contextual Safeguarding Team works with children and young people who are experiencing:

• Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE)
• Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)
• Serious youth violence
• Missing episodes
• Extra‑familial harm
• Peer and community-based risks

Working within a multidisciplinary framework, you'll have the opportunity to:

• Develop trusted, impactful relationships with children and young people
• Understand and address risks beyond the family home
• Work collaboratively with partner agencies and communities
• Support children to reduce vulnerability and increase safety
• Promote positive outcomes through creative and relationship‑based interventions

As a Contextual Safeguarding Social Worker, you will:

• Hold and manage a caseload of children experiencing exploitation and extra‑familial harm
• Complete high‑quality assessments, planning, and direct intervention work
• Develop safety plans and support children to achieve positive outcomes
• Work collaboratively with families, professionals, and community partners
• Contribute to risk management and safeguarding processes
• Deliver reflective, child‑centred social work practice
• Champion contextual safeguarding approaches across the wider partnership network

We currently have a vacancy within our EmPower Contextual Safeguarding Team in Central Lancashire.

Please refer to the Job Description and Person Specification for full details of the role.

We're looking for Social Workers who are:

• Passionate about improving the lives of vulnerable children and young people
• Skilled in building trusting relationships
• Curious, reflective, and motivated to learn
• Confident working in complex safeguarding situations
• Committed to delivering strengths‑based…