Social Worker - Looked After Children

Social Worker | Looked After Children | Leicester City Council
£35 per hour (Umbrella) | Hybrid (target 2 days/week in office) 
 

What you’ll be doing

Leicester’s Looked After Children service is looking for an experienced Social Worker to progress care plans and secure permanence for children and young people (0–18) across foster care, residential care and supported living. This is a busy but well-structured service with clear management oversight and a strong focus on relationship-based work, robust planning and progressing outcomes.

About the role

You’ll hold an average caseload of 20–22 children and young people, with work focused on care planning, pathway planning and securing the right permanence plan — including reunification, SGO, and where needed, reviewing plans towards adoption. You’ll also support a growing cohort of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC), where building trust and capturing the child’s voice is critical.

Key responsibilities

  • Progress and quality-assure care plans for children with plans to remain in care
  • Progress pathway plans and support transition planning for young people (16+)
  • Plan and deliver permanence outcomes including reunification, SGO, and adoption planning reviews (small number)
  • Prepare for and present at LAC Reviews and pathway planning meetings
  • Complete assessments and produce high-quality written work (care planning / pathway planning / court-related tasks as required)
  • Chair and contribute to key forums: PEPs, network meetings, stability meetings, safety planning meetings
  • Present at strategy discussions and contribute to multi-agency risk planning
  • Deliver purposeful direct work with children/young people and parents to progress plans
  • Travel to placements (children placed locally and across the country) and maintain statutory visiting

Benefits 

  • Hybrid working (target 2 office days/week, visits/meetings depending)
  • Clear team structure: Team Manager + Advanced Practitioner + 5–6 Social Workers (across 4 teams)
  • Varied caseload across placement types, permanence planning and UASC work
  • Role-model opportunity: share practice wisdom and contribute to service standards

Requirements

  • Social Work England registration
  • Strong post-qualifying experience in statutory children’s services
  • LAC experience preferred, but strong CP/Assessment backgrounds with some LAC exposure considered
  • Confident balancing risk and making proportionate decisions
  • Experience preparing/presenting in meetings (LAC reviews, pathway planning, PEPs etc.)
  • Age assessment experience desirable (particularly for UASC)
  • Willingness to travel for children placed out of area

Interested?

Contact Emily Cooper - 07745 200325 | ecooper@sheldon-phillips.com

Referral Bonus: Know someone suitable? Successful referrals can earn up to £500.