Qualified Children's Social Worker - Child focused courts

Family justice is changing, and Cafcass is at the heart of that change. With the national rollout of Child Focused Courts, we are leading a transformation in how children's voices are heard and how decisions are made in family proceedings.

Child Focused Courts place children's safety, wellbeing and lived experience at the centre of decision-making from the very start of proceedings. This problem-solving, less adversarial approach allows decisions to be informed earlier by a clear understanding of children's experiences, including through the preparation of Child Impact Reports.

The role at a glance

Working within Cafcass' Child Focused Courts teams, you will;

Undertake direct work with children and families involved in family court proceedings

Ensure children's voices are heard clearly and influence judicial decision-making

Collaborate closely with judges, legal professionals and partner agencies

Practise social work that is purposeful, evidence-informed and values-led

Many practitioners involved in early Child Focused Court pilots describe this way of working as professionally rewarding, aligned with core social work values, and genuinely impactful for children.

What you will do

As a Children's Social Worker / Family Court Adviser, you will:

Conduct high-quality assessments that focus on Children's lived experience, safety and wellbeing

Engage directly with children, ensuring their views, wishes and feelings are understood and represented

Prepare clear, analytical reports for the family court, including contributions to Child Impact Reports.

Apply robust risk assessment and mediation skills to support child-focused decision-making

Work effectively across private law proceedings, with a strong understanding of public law context

Manage your caseload independently while contributing to a supportive, learning-focused team environment, Undertake direct work with children and families involved in family court proceedings

Ensure children's voices are heard clearly and influence judicial decision-making

Collaborate closely with judges, legal professionals and partner agencies

Practise social work that is purposeful, evidence-informed and values-led

Many practitioners involved in early Child Focused Court pilots describe this way of working as professionally rewarding, aligned with core social work values, and genuinely impactful for children.

What you will do

As a Children's Social Worker / Family Court Adviser, you will:

Conduct high-quality assessments that focus on Children's lived experience, safety and wellbeing

Engage directly with children, ensuring their views, wishes and feelings are understood and represented

Prepare clear, analytical reports for the family court, including contributions to Child Impact Reports

Apply robust risk assessment and mediation skills to support child-focused decision-making

Work effectively across private law proceedings, with a strong understanding of public law context

Manage your caseload independently while contributing to a supportive, learning-focused team environment

A recognised Social Work qualification

To be registered with Social Work England

An understanding of family court processes and private and/or public law

Strong analytical, organisational and communication skills

Resilience, professional curiosity and confidence in working independently

We recognise that social workers bring experience from a wide range of settings, including local authority, court, voluntary, safeguarding and therapeutic roles. If your background aligns with our purpose, we encourage you to apply., A recognised Social Work qualification

Registration with Social Work England

An understanding of family court processes and private and/or public law

Strong analytical, organisational and communication skills

Resilience, professional curiosity and confidence in working autonomously

We recognise that social workers bring experience from a wide range of settings, including local authority, court, voluntary, safeguarding and therapeutic roles. If your background aligns with our purpose, we encourage you to apply.

Why work for Cafcass?

At Cafcass, you will be supported to do your best work for children. We offer:

Opportunities to contribute to nationally significant reform in family justice

Strong professional supervision and reflective practice

Access to learning from ongoing Child Focused Court pilots and national rollout activity

A competitive salary and Local Government pension

Generous annual leave and wellbeing support

The resources, equipment and flexibility needed to work effectively, connect with children and your colleagues

Together, we work to ensure that children and young people are heard when the family court makes critical decisions about their futures.

Inclusion and belonging

Cafcass is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce that reflects the children and families we serve. We welcome applications from individuals from all backgrounds and value professional diversity, lived experience and different career pathways.

We are committed to making reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process and in the workplace. If you need support at any stage, we encourage you to tell us.