Social Worker - Children in Care
We are looking for a highly motivated, reflective, and experienced practitioner to join out Children in Care Teams. You will be a strong team player with great communication skills and a commitment to working collaboratively. A professional social work qualification is essential for this post.
Cheshire West and Chester Council is a place where everyone can Thrive – through our core values of Teamwork, Honesty, Respect, Innovation, Value for Money and Empowerment.
The post holder will be an integral part of our Children in Care and Care Leavers Service and will demonstrate a commitment to children and young people in care, providing high quality care and support to children aged 0-18 years. The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of children and young people in care and their needs. You will be able to develop and maintain positive relationships with the children and young people that we support and care for whilst evidencing the importance of effective Care Planning and Permanency planning.
The council’s approach is rooted in trauma-informed and systemic practice, ensuring empathetic and holistic interventions. Social workers are equipped with bespoke training, including trauma-informed practice and motivational interviewing, to deliver high-quality support.
Cheshire West and Chester offer a supportive work environment with strong leadership, reflective practice frameworks, and a culture of shared learning.
We have Magic Notes in Cheshire West and this is delivering clear benefits for both practitioners and managers, significantly reducing written administration by an average of six hours per week and allowing social workers to spend more time on direct practice. As a result, 71% of practitioners report increased job enjoyment and improved work–life balance. Practitioners describe being more physically and emotionally present with families, able to maintain eye contact, focus fully during assessments and meetings, and allow conversations to flow naturally, with positive feedback from families. The tool also reduces admin-related stress, enabling quicker case recording, deeper analysis, and greater focus on understanding lived experience, while improving accessibility for staff with additional needs such as dyslexia. From a management perspective, Magic Notes has improved morale, strengthened relationships with children and families, enhanced care planning and direct work, and is seen by all managers as having a positive impact on recruitment and retention, with most identifying it as a key factor in attracting and keeping staff.
The council is committed to professional growth, with many senior roles filled by individuals who have progressed internally. High-quality training and development opportunities are available, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
A recent survey with Frontline highlighted strong child-focused leadership, clear practice standards, and high-quality supervision. Staff feel trusted, supported, and valued, with many recommending Cheshire West and Chester as an excellent place to work.
As a local authority, we continue to develop and enhance our social work offer to support and develop our valued workforce.
If you choose to join us we offer:
- Flexible remote working
- Bright, modern, recently refurbished office environments
- Free parking at all office locations
- Competitive salary and working rewards
- Up to 16 days’ flexi leave per year, in addition to annual leave
- Social Work England registration paid for by the council
- High-quality supervision
- Strong reflective practice framework
- Excellent training opportunities
- Clear progression and developmental opportunities
- We offer competitive rates of pay depending on experience
Please see Job Description / Person Specification.
Grade 8- SCP 23- 28, £34,434 - £39,152
Grade 9- SCP 27- 31, £38,220 – £41,771
Grade 10- SCP 31- 35, £41,771 – £48,072
If you would like to discuss the opportunities available, please contact Senior Manager - Louise Mcalley at Louise.Mcalley@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk
Please note that this job is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
To find out more information about what it is like to work for Cheshire West and Chester Council including our rewards and benefits please see www.cwcrecruitment.co.uk
No candidate will meet every single requirement - if your experience looks a little different from what we've identified and you think you can bring value to the role, we'd love to learn more about you!
Cheshire West and Chester Council are committed to equality and diversity in employment. Please see the Equality Policy for more information.
Cheshire West and Chester Council have adopted a Local Living Wage for our employees which means that all employees will receive a minimum of £12.60 per hour for all contracted hours.
For any technical enquiries please email Sourcingteam@ecwip.co.uk and quote job reference number in all correspondence.