Social Worker - Children's Specialist Support Team

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Social Worker to join our disability team, to make a difference to the lives of children and young people with specialist needs.

We would welcome an application from you, if you are:

• A Social Worker who is committed to advocate for children and their families
• A reliable practitioner who can build trusted relationships with children and young people
• Provide stability and ambition during your time working with us
• Experience of working with children with disabilities and their families
• Experience of working with competing demands and prioritising those most vulnerable children
• Knowledge of relevant legislation, including safeguarding and child protection protocols

Everything we do in Children’s Social Care is about improving the life chances of Bracknell’s children, put simply, we change lives for the better.

About the team...

The Children's Specialist Support team is a multi-professional service delivering a "right help at the right time" approach to children with disabilities and their families.​ The team works with children and young people up to the age of 18 with a range of disabilities and complex needs; we help children with disabilities and their families to live safer, happier lives.

The team is an eclectic mix of different service areas covering a wide breadth of work with children with disabilities, occupational therapy and short breaks (including Larchwood, our short break respite unit).  Our  designated Social Care Officer for SEND works in our team ensuring seamless oversight of children’s SEND needs across all social care services.​

Key responsibilities ...

You will be responsible for a caseload of children with disabilities, including Children in Need, children subject to Child Protection Plans, Children in Care and those where care proceedings have been initiated.  You will play a crucial role in conducting assessments, developing care plans and ensuring the delivery of appropriate services to meet the individual needs of each child.

Our benefits include ...

• 28 days* increasing to 33 days* after 3 years’ continuous service.
• The opportunity to buy up to 10 additional days* annual leave per year and sell 5 days. 
• Hybrid working opportunities to support your wellbeing and work-life balance.  
• An inclusive and social working environment with a variety of staff networks.  
• Local government pension scheme.  
• Life insurance cover (linked to the pension scheme).
• Sports and social club.  
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and fostering leave.  
• Career development through internal and external training opportunities.  
• A great office location next to travel links and Bracknell Forest’s thriving town centre. 
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support your health and wellbeing. 
• Staff dental and health plans. 
• Discounted leisure centre and gym membership. 
• Supermarket discount. 

*(pro rata for part time)

Our Values 

At Bracknell Forest Council our values define who we are and what is important to us.  Our core values are inclusive, ambitious, and always learning. These values influence the way we work with each other and the way we serve our residents and engage with our communities. We make our values real by demonstrating them in how we behave every day. If you’re excited about joining a diverse team that celebrates learning and strives for excellence, we’d love to hear from you.  

We are committed to ensuring an inclusive recruitment process for all applicants. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support your application or interview, please let us know by contacting recruitment@bracknell-forest.gov.uk.  We will work with you to support you throughout the process.  

Interview date 

Interviews will be conducted in person, providing candidates with the chance to personally meet the team and experience our work environment.

Shortlisting will be done on a weekly basis, and interviews will be arranged a minimum of 7 days after this for suitable applicants.

We will be reviewing applications regularly and reserve the right to close the advert early if suitable candidates are identified. To avoid disappointment, you are advised to submit your application as soon as possible.

Please note AI is prohibited during the interview, any candidate using AI will be withdrawn from consideration.

Want to ask us a question? 

For an informal discussion or to ask any questions about this role, please contact:

Catherine Lloyd – Team Manager

Catherine.Lloyd@bracknell-forest.gov.uk

At Bracknell Forest we champion equality, diversity and inclusion. At Bracknell Forest Council, we are always learning, ambitious and inclusive. Please see our candidate pack for more details.

Bracknell Forest Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect everyone employed with us to share this commitment. All successful candidates for this role will be subject to a DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) check as part of our pre-employment checks process. 

Candidates should be able to demonstrate experience of working within the current Social Care System and Framework.

Social Work England registration fees can be claimed back from the Council. 

We can only accept applications from candidates currently residing in the UK.

Candidates currently residing in the UK who require sponsorship to work are encouraged to assess their eligibility for a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) based on the relevant criteria. Please be aware that sponsorship availability varies and is subject to eligibility requirements and budget limitations. As a result, we cannot guarantee sponsorship for all roles and will evaluate sponsorship requests on a case-by-case basis.

No agencies please.