Senior Social Worker - Enquiry Team

Position: Senior Social Worker
Team: Enquiry Team
Contract: Locum
Pay Rate: £33.30 per hour
Location: Birmingham
Working Pattern: Duty every 3 weeks + hybrid working

Sheldon Phillips are working with Birmingham Children’s Trust who are seeking experienced Social Workers to join their dedicated S47 Enquiry Team. This specialist service undertakes all Section 47 enquiries resulting from MASH referrals, as well as S47s stepped up from district teams. While district teams complete the Section 17 assessment and continue holding the case, the S47 Enquiry Team focuses solely on risk, strategy, and child protection decision making. This is a great opportunity to work in a fast-paced, focused area of safeguarding where assessment quality and timely decision making are central.

What You Can Expect:

  • Specialist S47 team dealing with all strategy discussions and S47 enquiries

  • S47s allocated directly from MASH or stepped up by district teams

  • Duty week once every three weeks

  • Clear processes, timescales and strong management oversight

  • Hybrid working with supportive peers and access to senior practitioners

  • Close partnership working with district teams, Police, Health and other safeguarding partners

Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Undertaking all Section 47 enquiries allocated to the team, including joint visits and risk assessments

  • Leading or contributing to strategy discussions and multi-agency planning

  • Working alongside district teams who retain responsibility for S17 assessments

  • Preparing high-quality S47 enquiry reports and assessments within strict statutory timescales

  • Determining next steps, including whether concerns meet the threshold for ICPC

  • Providing clear evidence-based recommendations and analysis to inform safeguarding outcomes

  • Ensuring all case recording is timely, accurate and aligned with Trust policies

Timescale Expectations:

  • If concerns are not substantiated: Complete the S47 enquiry and accompanying brief assessment within 15 working days.

  • If concerns are substantiated and ICPC is required: ICPC to be arranged within 5 working days. S47 enquiry and full assessment to be completed 2 days prior to conference.

  • If concerns do not meet significant harm threshold but a full assessment is still needed: Complete the brief S47 enquiry form within 5 working days, then transfer to district teams for the full assessment.

Requirements:

  • SWE Registration

  • Social Work qualification

  • Strong safeguarding and frontline assessment experience

  • Confident in completing S47 enquiries and participating in strategy discussions

  • Experience of working in a fast-paced duty or assessment environment

  • Excellent multi-agency working and analytical skills

  • Ability to meet tight timescales and maintain high-quality recording

If you're an experienced Social Worker looking to specialise in S47 enquiries within a well-structured, high-performing team, Birmingham Children’s Trust would be keen to hear from you. Apply today for more details and to discuss next steps.