Social Worker | Staffordshire Children's Services | £38–£40 per hour

Sheldon Phillips are working with Staffordshire Children's Services to recruit experienced Social Workers across a number of frontline safeguarding teams. These opportunities are available within both Duty & Assessment , as well as the Safeguarding & Court services, offering varied and rewarding caseloads, strong management support, and a flexible hybrid working arrangement.

With offices located across Staffordshire, these roles provide the opportunity to work within well-established teams committed to achieving positive outcomes for children and families while maintaining manageable workloads and a supportive working environment.

Role Overview

We are recruiting Social Workers for the following teams and locations:

Duty & Assessment Teams

• Cannock
• Newcastle-under-Lyme
• Moorlands

Safeguarding & Court Teams

• Stafford
• Codsall
• Cannock
• Newcastle-under-Lyme
• Moorlands

These positions involve working with children and families from referral through assessment, child protection, pre-proceedings, and court work, depending on the service area.

Key Responsibilities

Duty & Assessment

• Undertake Child and Family Assessments in line with statutory guidance.
• Complete Section 47 investigations and safeguarding enquiries.
• Respond to referrals and assess risk, need, and protective factors.
• Work closely with partner agencies to safeguard children.
• Develop and review child-focused plans to improve outcomes.
• Present cases at strategy meetings, conferences, and planning meetings.
• Maintain accurate and timely case recordings.

Safeguarding & Court

• Manage longer-term child protection and children in need cases.
• Undertake direct work with children and families to reduce risk and improve outcomes.
• Lead pre-proceedings work and Public Law Outline processes.
• Prepare high-quality court statements and reports.
• Attend court hearings and provide evidence when required.
• Chair and contribute to multi-agency meetings and reviews.
• Progress permanency planning for children where necessary.

Benefits

• Competitive pay rates of £38–£40 per hour.
• Hybrid working arrangement with only 2 office days per week.
• Multiple office locations across Staffordshire.
• Supportive management teams and regular supervision.
• Stable contracts within established services.
• Opportunity to work in high-performing frontline teams.
• Immediate interview and start opportunities available.

Requirements

• Social Work England registration.
• Degree in Social Work or equivalent qualification.
• Previous experience within Children's Services.
• Strong assessment, safeguarding, and risk management skills.
• Experience of Child Protection processes and statutory interventions.
• Court experience desirable for Safeguarding & Court positions.
• Ability to work effectively within multi-agency environments.
• Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle.

Interested?

If you're an experienced Children's Social Worker looking for your next locum opportunity in Staffordshire, we'd love to hear from you.

For a confidential discussion or to apply, please contact:

Emily Cooper at Sheldon Phillips - (phone number removed) | (url removed)

Referrals are always welcome, and referral bonuses are available for successful recommendations.