Social Worker

Consultant Social Worker – Youth Justice Team | London Borough of Merton

  • £39.04 per hour
  • Hybrid working model – 3 days in the office
  • Senior leadership opportunity within Youth Justice & Children’s Social Care
  • Focus on safeguarding adolescents, contextual safeguarding, and reducing risk
  • Opportunity to mentor Social Workers, ASYEs, and frontline practitioners
  • Join a progressive authority committed to relationship-based practice and positive outcomes for young people

Are you an experienced Children’s Social Worker or Advanced Practitioner with strong Youth Justice or adolescent safeguarding experience?

The London Borough of Merton is looking for an experienced Consultant Social Worker to join their Youth Justice and Children’s Social Care Service. This is a fantastic opportunity for a highly skilled practitioner who thrives in complex safeguarding environments and is passionate about supporting vulnerable adolescents, reducing contextual harm, and improving long-term outcomes for young people and families.

This role combines advanced statutory practice with leadership responsibilities, offering the opportunity to guide and support frontline practitioners while maintaining oversight of complex interventions across the Youth Justice and wider adolescent safeguarding pathway.

About the Role

As a Consultant Social Worker within the Youth Justice Team, you will:

  • Lead and support complex interventions involving adolescents at risk of exploitation, offending, contextual harm, and family breakdown
  • Provide expert consultation, mentoring, and coaching to Social Workers, ASYEs, and support staff
  • Work directly with young people and families using relationship-based, systemic, and Signs of Safety approaches
  • Support risk assessment, safeguarding planning, and multi-agency interventions
  • Chair complex meetings including contextual safeguarding and family network meetings
  • Deliver high-quality assessments, reports, and care planning
  • Support service development, reflective practice, and quality assurance across the team
  • Work collaboratively with education, police, health, youth services, and wider partner agencies
  • Deputise for Team Managers where required

What We’re Looking For

To be considered for this position, you should have:

  • Social Work qualification and active Social Work England registration
  • Significant post-qualified experience within Children’s Services or Youth Justice
  • Strong experience working with adolescents and contextual safeguarding
  • Knowledge of exploitation, youth offending, edge of care, and family intervention work
  • Experience supervising, mentoring, or supporting other practitioners
  • Excellent safeguarding, assessment, and risk management skills
  • Strong multi-agency working and court/report writing experience
  • Ability to work confidently within fast-paced and high-risk environments

Why Join This Authority?

  • Excellent pay rate of £39.04 per hour
  • Hybrid working model with 3 office-based days per week
  • Supportive and stable management structure
  • Opportunity to influence practice development and improve outcomes for young people
  • Strong focus on reflective supervision and practitioner development
  • Collaborative and relationship-focused working culture
  • Meaningful work supporting vulnerable adolescents and families across the borough

If you are interested in this opportunity, or would like to discuss other Social Work vacancies across the UK, please get in touch today.

Josh Dhumisani
📞 07902371315
📧 jdhumisani@sheldon-phillips.com