Social Worker / Higher Specialist Social Worker

This is an exciting opportunity for you to join our Children with Single Point of Access (CSPOA) team within Brighter Futures for Children. This role is situated within the front door for early help and safeguarding children, and you will represent the service for those seeking advice and support for children not already open to the service. You will work as part of a team to gather, review and evaluate information in regard to children's needs, including children in need of support, intervention and protection. This is not a case holding role; instead you will explore, triage and make recommendations on the needs of children and young people, alongside the family and professional network ensuring they receive the help they need at the time they need it.

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.

Brighter Futures for Children is a not-for-profit company, owned by, but independent of, Reading Borough Council. Although we are independent, we are very much part of the Reading Family. Our people enjoy all of benefits as other Council employees including membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme and continuous service.

We work closely with partners in the local community and key organisations including Reading Borough Council, policy, public health and voluntary groups. We are responsible for the delivery of children's social care, early help & prevention, education services (including SEND). This also includes fostering and adoption, the Youth Justice Service and traded services with schools.

Our main aim is to protect and enhance the lives of the children of Reading. We help families find long-term solutions to ensure children lead happy, healthy and successful lives.

Salary:

Social Worker - £45,938 - £50,708

Higher Specialist Social Worker - £48,708 - £54,710, A competitive salary alongside a range of benefits including:

Local Government Pension Scheme with generous employer contribution
Incremental holidays starting with 26 days plus public holidays (rising to 33 after 10 years' service)
Discounted Childcare (on site nursery)
Cycle to work scheme.
Season train ticket loans.
Salary Sacrifice Car Lease Scheme
A range of local shopping discounts
Remote/Agile working

Inclusion and Diversity

We want Brighter Futures for Children to be a great place to work and to ensure that our children, young people and families are represented in leadership roles and positions of power. A vital part of this is ensuring we are a truly inclusive organisation that encourages diversity in all respects, including diversity of thinking.

We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and those of Other Ethnicities, LGBT+, disabled and neurodiverse communities to make a real difference to our children, young people and families so that equalities and justice remains at the heart of everything we do.

Asking for Adjustments

Brighter Futures for Children is committed to making our recruitment practices barrier-free and as accessible as possible for everyone. This includes making adjustments or changes for disabled people, neurodiverse people or people with long-term health conditions.