Senior Social Worker Children looked after

Join an Outstanding Service and Make a Real Difference

Children Looked After (CLA) is a fantastic place to work – demonstrated by our last Outstanding Ofsted rating! We are seeking experienced and dynamic Senior Social Workers to join our team and help deliver the best outcomes for care-experienced children and young people.

About the Role

This post is critical to maintaining statutory compliance and safeguarding standards. CLA social workers carry out essential duties on behalf of the local authority, acting as corporate parents to children in care. Your responsibilities will include:

• Statutory visits, meetings, and care planning.
• Managing care proceedings, adoption work, and statutory Personal Adviser duties for 16–18-year-olds.
• Supporting placements and managing complex placement breakdowns.
• Extensive travel for statutory visits and meetings, including children placed outside Sheffield.

You will work with young people long-term, building meaningful and trusting relationships through highs and lows. CLA offers diverse learning experiences, enabling you to develop assessment and direct work skills in a supportive environment.

What We’re Looking For

• Qualified Social Worker with Social Work England registration.
• Significant post-qualifying experience in children’s services, ideally with looked-after children.
• Strong knowledge of legislation, including the Children Act 1989 and related statutory guidance.
• Ability to manage complex cases and work collaboratively with multi-agency partners.
• Commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.

• Why Join Us?

• Outstanding Ofsted-rated service.
• Opportunities for career progression and leadership development.
• Comprehensive training and support.
• A team that values stability, relationships, and putting children at the heart of everything we do.

For further information, contact Lisa.Bushby@sheffield.gov.uk

Apply today and help us create brighter futures for children and young people.

We are investing in our workforce and are promoting opportunities to our under-represented groups.  We value equality, diversity and inclusion and are focused on increasing the diversity of our workforce, particularly the number of Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic, Disabled and LGBTQ+ people, so that our teams reflect the communities in the city we serve. We are also supporting staff with unpaid caring responsibilities to work flexibly.

It is a great time to join us and we welcome your application.

Under the Guaranteed Interview scheme, applicants who are disabled, care leavers, or armed forces veterans will be guaranteed an interview if they meet the essential criteria and indicate their eligibility on the application form.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all individuals, ensuring a safe and supportive environment for everyone and where appropriate to the role the successful applicant will be required to undertake relevant safeguarding checks.

Full-time employees work 37 hours for 52 weeks of the year and we offer a generous holiday entitlement. We are open to discussions about a wide range of flexible working opportunities which benefit you and the Council, including reduced hour contracts, working part time or as a job share.

If you are appointed to this role, your starting salary will be at the bottom of the grade. If you provide payslip evidence that your basic pay is greater than the bottom of the grade, we will consider starting you at the point of minimum advantage within the grade.

Equality of pay is extremely important to us. All roles at Sheffield City Council are going through an evaluation process which may result in changes to some pay arrangements from 2026. Find out more on our New job evaluation process to be introduced at Sheffield City Council | Sheffield City Council