Job Description

Senior Social Worker – Assessment Team

Hammersmith & Fulham Council

Salary: £39.04 per hour

Contract: Locum | Full-time

Working Pattern: Hybrid Working – 2 days per week from home (outside of duty week)

Hammersmith & Fulham Council is looking to recruit experienced Senior Social Workers to join its Assessment Team. This is an excellent opportunity to join a well-established frontline service committed to delivering timely, high-quality assessments and safeguarding children from the earliest point of intervention.

Working within a supportive and collaborative team, you'll manage a varied caseload, undertaking Child and Family Assessments, responding to safeguarding concerns, and working closely with partner agencies to ensure children and families receive the right support at the right time.

The team operates a duty rota, with one duty week every four weeks. Outside of duty weeks, social workers benefit from hybrid working, with the opportunity to work from home two days per week.

About the Role

As a Senior Social Worker in the Assessment Team, you'll work with children and families at the front door of Children's Services, completing robust assessments and making informed decisions that lead to positive outcomes.

You'll undertake Section 17 and Section 47 enquiries, manage risk effectively, and work closely with families and multi-agency partners to develop outcome-focused plans. Your experience will also enable you to support colleagues, contribute to reflective discussions, and promote high standards of practice across the team.

Key Responsibilities

* Complete Child and Family Assessments within statutory timescales.

* Undertake Section 17 and Section 47 enquiries and investigations.

* Assess risk and develop effective safeguarding plans.

* Manage Child in Need and Child Protection cases throughout the assessment stage.

* Undertake direct work with children to understand their wishes and lived experiences.

* Prepare high-quality assessments, reports, and court documentation where required.

* Participate in strategy discussions, child protection conferences, and multi-agency meetings.

* Maintain accurate and timely case recordings.

* Support less experienced practitioners and contribute to reflective practice within the team.

* Work collaboratively with partner agencies to achieve the best outcomes for children and families.

Practice Model

Hammersmith & Fulham is committed to relationship-based social work, ensuring children and families remain at the centre of every decision. The Assessment Team promotes collaborative working, reflective supervision, and strengths-based practice, enabling social workers to build effective relationships while delivering high-quality statutory interventions.

Requirements

* Social Work degree or equivalent qualification.

* Social Work England registration.

* Significant post-qualified experience within Children's Services.

* Previous Assessment or Front Door Team experience.

* Strong knowledge of Child Protection, Child in Need, and safeguarding legislation.

* Experience completing Section 17 and Section 47 enquiries.

* Ability to manage complex risk and make confident decisions.

* Excellent assessment, communication, and report writing skills.

Benefits

* £39.04 per hour.

* Hybrid working with 2 days per week working from home outside of duty week.

* Duty rota of one week in every four weeks.

* Supportive management team and regular supervision.

* Long-term locum opportunity.

* Opportunity to work within a well-established London borough.

Referral Bonus: Know someone who would be a great fit? Refer them to Sheldon Phillips and, if we successfully place them into a locum role, you'll receive a £300 referral bonus as a thank you. Terms and conditions apply