Children's Social Workers

At Cafcass, we're recruiting Children's Social Workers who share our passion, commitment and ambition to facilitate positive outcomes for children involved in private and public law family court proceedings. Our Social Workers - professionally known as Family Court Advisers (FCAs) play a vital role. You will work within Private Law team, FCAs are involved where families require the assistance of the court to agree on the best child arrangements for the child(ren) involved. Family Court Advisors review court applications, gather information from partner agencies, conduct telephone interviews with parents and carers and assess risk to children, making safeguarding referrals where required. The information is summarised within a Safeguarding Letter which provides the court with a child impact analysis and advice to support the Court's decision making in the early stages of proceedings. Family Court Advisors also attend First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointment hearings to advise the Court further. FCAs can make recommendations leading to lasting change for children and families, which is why this it is responsibility we take seriously. And why we're committed to creating a safe, healthy and supportive environment for our colleagues to practice. FCAs will transitioning to the Child Focus Courts towards the end of the year, as part of the Initial Assessment and Screening team the practitioner and will be undertaking initial inquiries to consider what support and assessment level is required to enable the Court to achieve the best outcomes for children. What you'll be doing As a FCA at Cafcass, you will:

• Complete high-quality assessments, engaging directly with children to understand their experiences, wishes and feelings - and ensure these are clearly and powerfully represented to the family court.
• Apply your expertise in risk assessment, analysis and mediation, advocating for solutions that place the child's safety, wellbeing and long-term interests at the centre of decision-making.
• Work with adults, local authorities, and a wide range of professionals to help resolve complex issues and influence better outcomes for children., Our Social Workers work flexibly across multiple settings, with a contractual office base in Liverpool, covering Cheshire, Merseyside and the Wirral.
Shared learning is very important to us, and we bring our teams together regularly, both remotely and in-person, for team meetings and group supervision, which creates space to connect with peers and managers, reflect on practice, and feel supported. You'll also have regular 1:1 time with your manager, especially during your induction, and again there will be a balance between doing this remotely and in-person, so you have opportunities to form in-person connections. If shortlisted, the hiring manager will be able to give you more insight into what a typical week or month might look like should you join us. How we support you As the largest employer of Children's Social Workers in England, we're uniquely placed to support your professional growth and wellbeing. At Cafcass, you'll benefit from:
• High-quality equipment and technology to help you work efficiently and engage with families effectively.
• Access to specialist resources, guidance and training to strengthen your practice.
• A strong commitment to wellbeing, reflective supervision and healthy work-life balance.
• An inclusive environment that values diversity, encourages learning and constantly strives to improve outcomes for children, families and colleagues alike.
You can find more about how we support our practitioners on our website, and we'll share more during the selection process. Next steps Below we have set out an indicative timetable we are hoping to work towards, although dates are subject to change. Closing date: 27th August 2026 Telephone interviews: We'll offer dates / times as close to when you apply as we can. Final Interview: Once you've have had your telephone interview, we'd hope to be able to offer dates / times quite quickly. If you have any questions about the role or recruitment process, please contact . Before applying, we encourage you to read about our offer and pre-employment checks. Any questions or concerns can be confidentially raised through your application. Successful applicants will complete several pre-engagement checks, including a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. If any criminal offences are disclosed, we will conduct an individual assessment in line with the and the . Where you'll work In this role you will play a key role in supporting our teams and colleagues when they are in the office, like our Social Workers seeing children and families, or our teams being together for team meetings or supervision. Therefore, whilst you will benefit from working flexibly, including some remote working, you will also be required to be in the office on a regular basis. If you join us you expect to have regular 1:1 time with your manager, especially during your induction, and again there will be a balance between doing this remotely and in-person, so you have both flexibility and opportunities to form connections. If shortlisted, the hiring manager will be able to give you more insight into what a typical week or month might look like should you join us. We look forward to receiving your application! We are Cafcass - the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service - and we represent children in family court cases in England. Independently advising the family courts about what is safe for children and in their best interests, we speak up for over 140,0000 children every year when the family court makes critical decisions about their futures, ensuring their needs, wishes and feelings are heard. Watch our video to find out we don't just listen to children's voices but we can be their voice.

We're looking for practitioners who are confident, curious, compassionate and committed to excellent social work practice. To join us, you'll need:
• A Social Work qualification is essential.
• Have the Right to Work in the UK (we don't sponsor people to work in the UK).
• Registered with Social Work England (or likely to be able to register quickly if practising outside England).
• Recent, relevant experience of working directly with children and families.
• It's desirable you'll have experience in family court proceedings, or knowledge of Private and/or Public Law.
• For applicants with limited post-qualifying experience, relevant pre-qualifying experience supporting children and families may be beneficial.
• Strong organisational skills, professional resilience and the ability to work independently while effectively managing a varied caseload.