Social Worker - Family Safeguarding Team (plus Welcome Payment of £6,000)
| Posting date: | 12 February 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £46,783 to £48,873 per year |
| Additional salary information: | inclusive of London Weighting and Essential Car User Allowance. Plus a one-off Welcome Payment of £6,000 subject to T&Cs and an annual 4% Retention Payment after 2 years |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 01 March 2026 |
| Location: | Bracknell, Berkshire |
| Remote working: | Hybrid - work remotely up to 2 days per week |
| Company: | Bracknell Forest Council |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | People/26/330319 |
Summary
Bracknell Forest's Children's Social Care team are proud to have achieved an Outstanding in all areas grading in December 2025. Not only did we maintain our Outstanding judgement, but inspectors also recognised that “since the last inspection in 2022, Bracknell Forest has sustained and strengthened exceptional services for children and families”.
Ofsted described our practitioners as “effusive about working in Bracknell” who value our strong child‑focused ethos, relational practice model, manageable workloads and high‑quality training and supervision.
Staff shared with inspectors that they appreciate leaders’ visibility, approachability and unwavering commitment to children, all factors that underpin their decision to continue their careers in Bracknell Forest.
“Leaders have established a highly effective Social Work Academy that provides tailored support to practitioners at every stage of their career”. This commitment to development and learning has contributed to Bracknell Forest’s secure reputation as an ‘employer of choice’ for social workers.
About you…
You will hold a recognised Social Work qualification and be registered with Social Work England. You will have successfully completed your ASYE and have experience of frontline social work which includes child in need and child protection.
You will be passionate about relational social work and committed in joining our embedded culture and ethos of bettering vulnerable children’s lives. You will be committed to understanding the lived experiences of children being a fierce advocate for children and providing the support required to better childhood experiences.
To thrive in this role, you will bring an understanding of the relevant legislation, guidance, policies and thresholds that underpin safeguarding. You will have experience of effective multi‑agency working, building partnerships and co‑producing needs‑led safety plans for children and young people. You will be able to demonstrate your analytical skills, ability to assess information, identify actions and record timely accurate information.
If you would like an informal chat or a tour of the office before submitting your application, please contact helen.gore@bracknell-forest.gov.uk and we will be happy to arrange a suitable time.
About the team and children’s social care
In December 2025, Ofsted concluded that “since the last inspection, leaders, managers and practitioners have not only sustained outstanding services but have raised the bar even higher”.
We use the Family Safeguarding Model in our approach to collaborate with families to keep them together, where it is safe to do so, supported by Motivational Interviewing (MI). December 2025 Ofsted recognised our model “operates consistently and effectively” and “embraces a relational approach, with explicit commitment to understanding the culture and diverse needs of families”.
Children experiencing neglect or domestic abuse receive exceptional and expert in-house specialist help. They work closely with the family safeguarding team and offer step-by-step help to parents to improve home conditions and strengthen parenting capacity.
When risks escalate our conscientious managers take decisive action and with you with focus on the lived experience of children. Permanence planning meetings secure “timely decision-making, enabling children to thrive” and “Social workers consider all permanence options for children and contingency planning is in place so that children are offered the best permanence option”.
Social workers were recognised by inspectors as “committed to understanding the lived experiences of children and responding “to help them have improved home conditions and better childhood experiences”. Families are positive about their experiences with social workers, and we know practitioners are having a positive impact in supporting families.
We are a small, welcoming and friendly local authority where you will have the opportunity to build strong, positive and supportive working relationships with colleagues and peers. You will be a valued member of the team, where you will feel connected, appreciated, heard, accepted, included and supported.
To learn more about what it is like to work with us, take a look at our workforce video.
Key responsibilities…
Develop and implement effective safeguarding plans to protect children from harm.
To work alongside other professionals as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
To manage a caseload of Child in Need, Child Protection, Care Proceedings and Children Looked After.
To take part in the team duty system responding to concerns as and when they arise.
To make effective use of time and be able to prioritise workload, ensuring timeliness in visiting, report writing and other deadlines.
To participate in regular reflective supervision and be able to set clear goals and intervention strategies.
To develop and maintain accurate case records and comply with the department's policies, procedures and guidelines including data protection and GDPR.
Ofsted described our practitioners as “effusive about working in Bracknell” who value our strong child‑focused ethos, relational practice model, manageable workloads and high‑quality training and supervision.
Staff shared with inspectors that they appreciate leaders’ visibility, approachability and unwavering commitment to children, all factors that underpin their decision to continue their careers in Bracknell Forest.
“Leaders have established a highly effective Social Work Academy that provides tailored support to practitioners at every stage of their career”. This commitment to development and learning has contributed to Bracknell Forest’s secure reputation as an ‘employer of choice’ for social workers.
About you…
You will hold a recognised Social Work qualification and be registered with Social Work England. You will have successfully completed your ASYE and have experience of frontline social work which includes child in need and child protection.
You will be passionate about relational social work and committed in joining our embedded culture and ethos of bettering vulnerable children’s lives. You will be committed to understanding the lived experiences of children being a fierce advocate for children and providing the support required to better childhood experiences.
To thrive in this role, you will bring an understanding of the relevant legislation, guidance, policies and thresholds that underpin safeguarding. You will have experience of effective multi‑agency working, building partnerships and co‑producing needs‑led safety plans for children and young people. You will be able to demonstrate your analytical skills, ability to assess information, identify actions and record timely accurate information.
If you would like an informal chat or a tour of the office before submitting your application, please contact helen.gore@bracknell-forest.gov.uk and we will be happy to arrange a suitable time.
About the team and children’s social care
In December 2025, Ofsted concluded that “since the last inspection, leaders, managers and practitioners have not only sustained outstanding services but have raised the bar even higher”.
We use the Family Safeguarding Model in our approach to collaborate with families to keep them together, where it is safe to do so, supported by Motivational Interviewing (MI). December 2025 Ofsted recognised our model “operates consistently and effectively” and “embraces a relational approach, with explicit commitment to understanding the culture and diverse needs of families”.
Children experiencing neglect or domestic abuse receive exceptional and expert in-house specialist help. They work closely with the family safeguarding team and offer step-by-step help to parents to improve home conditions and strengthen parenting capacity.
When risks escalate our conscientious managers take decisive action and with you with focus on the lived experience of children. Permanence planning meetings secure “timely decision-making, enabling children to thrive” and “Social workers consider all permanence options for children and contingency planning is in place so that children are offered the best permanence option”.
Social workers were recognised by inspectors as “committed to understanding the lived experiences of children and responding “to help them have improved home conditions and better childhood experiences”. Families are positive about their experiences with social workers, and we know practitioners are having a positive impact in supporting families.
We are a small, welcoming and friendly local authority where you will have the opportunity to build strong, positive and supportive working relationships with colleagues and peers. You will be a valued member of the team, where you will feel connected, appreciated, heard, accepted, included and supported.
To learn more about what it is like to work with us, take a look at our workforce video.
Key responsibilities…
Develop and implement effective safeguarding plans to protect children from harm.
To work alongside other professionals as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
To manage a caseload of Child in Need, Child Protection, Care Proceedings and Children Looked After.
To take part in the team duty system responding to concerns as and when they arise.
To make effective use of time and be able to prioritise workload, ensuring timeliness in visiting, report writing and other deadlines.
To participate in regular reflective supervision and be able to set clear goals and intervention strategies.
To develop and maintain accurate case records and comply with the department's policies, procedures and guidelines including data protection and GDPR.
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.