Social Worker – Children in Care | Medway Council, Kent 
 

Pay Rate: Up to £42 per hour
Hours: 37 hours per week, hybrid working (3 days office-based)
Contract: Locum

About the Role

Medway Council is seeking an experienced Social Worker to join its Children in Care service on a locum basis. This team is dedicated to ensuring children and young people in care achieve stability, security, and the best possible outcomes for their futures.

You will manage a caseload of looked after children, undertaking statutory visits, completing assessments, and developing robust care and pathway plans. Medway’s practice model is relationship-based and restorative, with a strong focus on listening to the child’s voice and supporting them to thrive.

With a hybrid approach to working (3 days in the office, 2 days from home), you’ll benefit from both team collaboration and flexibility.

Key Responsibilities

• Undertake statutory visits, assessments, and reviews for children in care.
• Ensure children’s voices are central to all planning and decision-making.
• Develop and implement care and pathway plans in line with statutory requirements.
• Work collaboratively with foster carers, schools, health partners, and other agencies.
• Prepare clear, evidence-based reports for care proceedings and reviews.
• Maintain accurate and timely case records using the Liquidlogic case management system.
• Engage in reflective supervision and contribute to the team’s learning culture.

Practice Model & System Used

Medway’s practice model is grounded in restorative, relationship-based social work, ensuring interventions are strengths-based and focused on positive outcomes.

All case management is completed on Liquidlogic, a streamlined system designed to support efficient practice and multi-agency working.

Requirements

• Qualified Social Worker with Social Work England registration.
• Experience within Children in Care / Looked After Children services.
• Strong skills in assessment, planning, and risk management.
• Ability to balance direct work with children and effective multi-agency collaboration.
• Confidence using case management systems (Liquidlogic experience desirable).

Benefits

• Competitive locum rate – up to £42 per hour.
• Full-time contract – 37 hours per week.
• Hybrid working (3 days office-based).
• Supportive team culture with reflective supervision.
• Chance to contribute to positive outcomes for children in Medway.

About Medway

Located in North Kent, Medway is a unitary authority with excellent transport links – just 35 minutes by train to London St Pancras. The area offers a unique mix of urban centres, riverside living, and historic landmarks such as Rochester Castle and Chatham’s Historic Dockyard. Medway is committed to improving children’s services, with ongoing investment in its workforce and practice model.

Interested?
If you’d like to apply, please email your CV to dmitchell@sheldon-phillips.com or click the Apply button.

Questions? Call me on 07561 805654 and I’ll be happy to talk things through.