We are looking for two experienced, passionate and enthusiastic Senior Practitioners who have the child’s voice at the heart of everything they do to join us in our South Cambridgeshire and Cambridge City Assessment Teams!

This is a fantastic opportunity to be part of a high-performing and supportive service, where your leadership, experience and professional judgement will be highly valued.

The Assessment Team is the first point of contact for statutory intervention. Our work is dynamic, fast-paced and focused on delivering timely, proportionate responses to children and families at levels 3 and 4 of the Cambridgeshire Levels of Need framework.

We work closely with our Targeted Support Services to ensure that families can be stepped down to early help when appropriate, helping to strengthen relationships and prevent escalation.

What We Offer

• Dedicated administrative support from Children’s Information and Advice Officers (CIAOs) to reduce paperwork and free up time for direct work
• Monthly reflective supervision and team learning sessions
• A creative and collaborative team environment, where your ideas and professional voice are heard
• A hybrid working model with a mix of office-based (Fawcett House in Cambridge), visits and remote working. However, please note that as part of the Council’s ongoing Asset Review, the Fawcett House office base may change during 2026. Teams currently located at Fawcett House may be relocated to an alternative site within the County, which in most cases will be in close proximity to the current location.
• Opportunities for progression through our career development pathways

If this sounds like an environment where you would thrive, apply now! If you require more information or would like an informal chat please contact Nathalie on 01223 475920 or email joinus@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.

This is a rolling campaign and we check applications daily. We will close the advert once the positions are filled so don’t wait to apply!

Appointment to this post will be subject to the outcome of an Enhanced Disclosure obtained through the Disclosure and Barring Service. The Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

What will you be doing?

As a Senior Practitioner, you will manage a complex and varied caseload and support less experienced colleagues through mentoring and modelling best practice.

You will lead statutory assessments, strategy discussions, Section 47 enquiries, and produce high-quality reports for court under Sections 7, 37 and 31.

You’ll also be expected to complete SWET assessments and care plans where needed, contributing to positive and sustainable outcomes for children.

You will support the Team Manager where required including the planning, allocation and review children, alongside supporting with the recruitment and induction of new staff.

About you

We’re looking for a motivated and confident individual who is passionate about improving outcomes for children and families. You’ll be confident in analysis and decision-making, emotionally resilient, and able to manage competing priorities while maintaining high standards.

You will:

• Be a qualified Social Worker registered with Social Work England
• Have significant experience in statutory children’s services, ideally including Section 17 and 47 assessments, and experience of court work (Section 37 and 31 reports)
• Be familiar with SWET and its application in care proceedings
• Have strong written and verbal communication skills, with a child-centred approach to assessment and planning
• Be confident working both independently and collaboratively
• Be able to travel across the county independently as required

This is a Senior Social Worker post, you must be able to demonstrate experience in complex case management, court proceedings, and providing informal support or supervision to others.

For a full list of the requirements of the role, please check out the Job Description & Person Specification.

Our benefits

We value our colleagues in Cambridgeshire County Council and have developed a number of benefits in addition to the basics like annual leave, sick pay, pension and mileage…

• A comprehensive wellbeing package to cover all aspects of wellbeing, both in and out of work, which can also be accessed by your family
• 6 days of protected time each year to support in maintaining your Continuous Professional Development
• A relocation package (eligibility applies)
• Scalable retention payments of up to £9,118 over a 3 year period, starting after your first full year of employment
• A Refer a Friend Scheme where if you refer another Social Worker to us who is subsequently employed by us as a result of that introduction, we’ll pay you an introduction fee of £350
• Access to our Cambridgeshire Academy for Reaching Excellence (CARE) who will support your development, enabling you to become the best practitioner you can be

For more information and to see our other benefits, take a look at the benefits brochure attached to this advert.