Social Worker - Safeguarding

Children with Complex Care Team | Blackpool Council
£39 per hour | Locum contract
Working pattern - Hybrid

Blackpool Council is looking for an experienced Social Worker to join their Children with Complex Care Team. This is a role for someone confident managing high-risk, high-complexity work — with strong pre-birth and child protection experience, solid PLO/pre-proceedings knowledge, and the professionalism to lead by example and raise practice standards across the team.

About the Role

You’ll work with children and families where needs and risks are complex, delivering purposeful, high-quality assessments and plans. You’ll also support the Team Manager by mentoring less experienced staff, modelling strong analysis, and contributing to a culture of consistent, child-focused practice.

Key Responsibilities

  • Undertake pre-birth assessments and progress plans with clear analysis and timely decision-making

  • Manage Child Protection and complex Child in Need cases, ensuring risk is identified and reduced

  • Lead PLO / pre-proceedings work, including robust planning and evidence-led interventions

  • Produce high-quality court statements, assessments and reports that stand up to scrutiny

  • Work in partnership with families and agencies to achieve sustainable change and improved outcomes

  • Maintain accurate, defensible recording and ensure work is completed within statutory timescales

  • Support the Team Manager through mentoring, coaching and modelling best practice

  • Contribute to performance and quality improvement by setting high standards and following through on actions

Practice Model

In Blackpool, children and young people are at the heart of everything the service does. The approach is strengths-based and relationship-led — working with families, not doing things to them. The service values consistency, transparency, inclusion, and proportionate intervention, aiming to keep support at the lowest appropriate level while remaining clear and objective when formal intervention is required.

Requirements

  • Social Work degree (or equivalent) and registration with Social Work England

  • Strong experience across pre-birth, CP, complex CIN, and PLO/pre-proceedings

  • Proven ability to produce good quality assessments, statements and written work

  • Confidence supporting practice standards through mentoring/coaching less experienced colleagues

  • Professional curiosity, resilience, and the ability to manage a complex workload effectively

Benefits

  • £39 per hour

  • Work in a service with a clear, values-led approach and a focus on improving quality and outcomes

  • Great commuting options: strong road and rail links, with secure parking close to town centre offices

Interested?

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

Referral bonus available – refer someone suitable and earn up to £300 (subject to terms).