Job Description

Discover yourself in Lewisham where what you do makes a difference to our vibrant and culturally diverse communities!

We have a rich history of welcoming people from all over the world and are proud to be recognised as the UK’s first Borough of Sanctuary, for our work in championing the rights of refugees and migrants.

Introduction

Make a real impact for children and families affected by parental substance misuse.

We’re looking for an experienced and dynamic Senior Social Worker to join our specialist Family Wellbeing Team, part of our innovative Family Help service. Our team provides intensive, multi‑disciplinary support to improve the safety and wellbeing of children whose parents or carers are impacted by drug or alcohol use—offering earlier, easier access to the right help and reducing the need for traditional child protection processes.

About the Role

As a Senior Social Worker, you’ll work creatively and collaboratively with children, young people and their families, using relational, trauma‑informed and strength‑based approaches. You’ll play a key role in delivering high‑quality interventions, coordinating multi‑agency support and contributing to reflective practice across the team.

What You’ll Bring

Significant experience working with children and families

Confidence and skill in supporting families affected by substance misuse

A reflective, innovative approach and commitment to anti‑racist, restorative practice

Ability to work under CIN, CP and legal frameworks

What We Offer

Specialised training in parental substance misuse and motivational interviewing

Fortnightly reflective group supervision

Close support from Lewisham’s Hidden Harm Social Worker

Strong links with substance misuse and adult mental health services

Excellent benefits including generous annual leave, LGPS pension, flexible working, staff discounts and more

About You

You will have experience in or be able to demonstrate:

• A minimum of 2 years post-qualifying Social Work practice and experience of managing a frontline safeguarding caseload
• Working with parents who have complex needs where there is a risk of significant harm to their children
• Completing parenting assessments – or other assessments of parents regarding the safety and well-being of children for use in the Family Proceedings Court
• Using the Signs of Safety practice framework to structure your assessments and interventions with families
• Completing family network meetings to achieve the safety and well-being of children
• Understanding of child protection processes, pre-proceedings and giving evidence in the Family Proceedings Court.

What’s in it for you?

Our Vision - What Good Children’s Social Work Looks Like in Lewisham

In Lewisham Children’s Social Care, we know what good social work looks like and we are passionate about creating the right conditions and culture for good practice to thrive.

• Families are respected and supported to stay together, whenever there is safety.
• Families will tell us they understand why we are involved.
• Children will tell us their social worker has made a difference to their lives.
• Children who are in our care know we care, and we won’t give up on them.
• Young people who have been in our care feel confident about their future.

We have taken a whole system approach to improving our services to children and young people in our borough using Signs of Safety as our practice model. Ofsted recognised the progress we have made noting that:

• Staff talk positively about their manageable caseloads, regular supervision, team meetings and access to a range of training, including the social work model of practice.
• Senior leaders demonstrate a clear focus on hearing the voices of children to develop and improve services.
• Leaders know the service well. They have a clear understanding of areas for development that are being appropriately addressed.

Why choose Lewisham?

“Lewisham has so much to offer any social worker. I feel supported, respected and valued every step of the way” (Social Worker).

Our social workers benefit from working in small, supportive teams with caseloads on average between 15-20 children. Our Signs of Safety family-led practice framework means we are committed to working in a relationship-based way with children and families, focussing on strengths in the family network to effect change. A positive learning culture which promotes opportunities for reflection and relationship-based practice is important to us. We are committed to developing our practice using reflective practice spaces such as case mapping, thinking spaces and group supervision.

Our permanent and stable senior management team are visible and approachable. Our dedicated workforce team supports professional development across the service so that you will;

• be supported through our comprehensive learning and development offer, which includes subscription to ‘Research in Practice’.
• receive regular supervision and appraisal.
• have 1-1 practice development coaching as a case holder, and professional development coaching as a manager.
• have access to regular Signs of Safety training
• have access to external leadership development opportunities such as the Black and Asian Leadership Initiative (BALI).
• have a clearly defined career progression pathway with opportunities for professional development at all levels.
• opportunities to become a practice educator and work with students and newly qualified social workers.

What we’re looking for

If you want to work in a thriving borough and our social work vision connects with your professional values, then we are interested in hearing from you. We are looking for people to join our team who:

• value the importance of communication and seeking feedback
• can inspire and motivate those they work with, manage and lead
• are committed to developing their skills and expertise to deliver an excellent service
• are professionally curious and value thinking slowly and calmly in a balanced way
• work inclusively, collaboratively with others recognising their strengths
• take responsibility and make a positive contribution by focusing on solutions
• are transparent, are appreciative in enquiry, reflect and learn.

In return, we’ll offer excellent development opportunities, the opportunity to make a real difference to our local community plus a range of benefits including:

• Generous leave entitlement
• Local Government Pension scheme
• Flexible working and family friendly policies
• Season ticket and bicycle loans
• A range of staff discounts including local subsidised gym memberships
• Supportive staff networks

Location

The job is primarily based in Laurence House in Catford SE6. There are 2 local train stations 3-5 minutes’ walk from the office, and the train journey from London Bridge is approximately 15 minutes. There are also numerous bus routes that stop right by the office.

We operate a hybrid approach where you will be required to work both in the office and from home on a regular basis.

Creating an Inclusive Lewisham

A core value of Lewisham Council is to 'draw on the diversity of our communities to create a more inclusive Lewisham'. We believe that freedom from discrimination and equality of opportunity are fundamental rights, and that each person should be valued regardless of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief, gender re-assignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, or age. Social inclusion lies at the heart of everything we do as a Council in our roles as an employer, a provider of services and a community leader.

Diversity

Lewisham Council is a Disability Confident employer. We welcome and encourage job applications of all abilities. If you require any reasonable adjustments in the application or interview, please contact the lead contact on this advert. We will make reasonable adjustments to make sure our disabled applicants and those with health conditions are supported throughout our recruitment process. We support the access to work scheme, further details are available at www.gov.uk/access-to-work/apply

The Council has a dedicated employment support service, Lewisham Works, which offers Lewisham residents guidance in relation to applying for jobs. If you want to join Lewisham Works, please email LewishamWorks@lewisham.gov.uk and an advisor will be in touch with you.

Your Application

The recruitment process is anonymous, and we don’t accept CVs.

Applicant handbook- please read the guidance in this handbook when applying. It is essential that you complete the application fully and that your supporting statement covers how you meet each of the person specification criteria listed.

Special conditions

• The post holder must have a social work qualification and be registered with Social Work England
• Must be 2 years post qualified for this role
• The job is subject to a DBS check (Basic/Enhanced)

For an informal discussion about this job, please contact pathfinder@lewisham.gov.uk

Please click here to view the Job Description and Person Specification

Please click here to view Letter from the Director

Please click here to view Our Vision and Values

Salary

£50,175 - £52,269 per annum (SCP 35-37/SSW)

All appointments will be offered at the minimum spinal column point (SCP) for the grade of the role. The only exception to this will be when matching current salary (up to the maximum of the scale), which is subject to evidential proof.

The Council reserves the right to close adverts early if there is a large response.

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