Casual Senior Social Worker (Children's Services) - Emergency Duty Service

• Casual_SSW_-_JDPS_-_Nov_26

Please apply online via the link provided.

Please include a personal statement with your CV specifying why you are applying for this vacancy.

Ready to use your social work experience to make a difference when it matters most?

Join the Berkshire Emergency Duty Service as a Casual Senior Social Worker, helping children, families and adults across Berkshire access urgent social care support outside normal working hours.

Hosted by Bracknell Forest Council, the Berkshire Emergency Duty Service is a unique service providing out-of-hours emergency social care support across the whole of Berkshire. We are proud of our community, the care we provide and the positive difference we make to the lives of the people we support.

We value the relationships and partnerships we build and are always looking for opportunities to develop and improve the services we deliver.

This is a relief/casual role providing cover on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays on an as-required basis. There are no guaranteed hours, and shifts will be offered in line with service needs.

About you…

As a Senior Social Worker, you will have at least two years’ experience working in a senior social work role, ideally within a Referral and Assessment or Child Protection team. You will have a thorough understanding of the Children’s legal framework, including relevant legislation, government guidance and directives relating to children, young people and their families.

You will have extensive experience of undertaking complex Section 47 enquiries and managing complex cases involving safeguarding, Child in Need, children with mental health needs and behavioural difficulties. You will be confident in identifying risk, undertaking comprehensive assessments and implementing a range of appropriate interventions to achieve positive outcomes for children and families. You will also have a sound knowledge of social care legislation and policy, alongside experience of working across a broad range of social care disciplines.

You will demonstrate a commitment to the core values of social care, with excellent written and verbal communication skills, strong assessment and negotiation skills and the ability to make sound professional decisions in challenging situations.

About the team…

Joining our team means becoming part of a supportive and dedicated service where you will have the opportunity to make a real difference. We believe in giving our people the time, support and resources they need to succeed, develop their skills and contribute their ideas to shaping the way we work.

You will benefit from strong team relationships, supportive managers and access to expert advice whenever you need it. We encourage our colleagues to take ownership, develop professionally and progress in their careers, while working together to deliver high-quality services to our residents.

This is an opportunity to be part of a team that makes a lasting impact, both through responding to urgent situations and through the smaller actions that make a meaningful difference to individuals, families and communities.

Key responsibilities

• Respond to out-of-hours referrals and emergency situations relating to Child Protection, Child in Need, Children Looked After and children and young people experiencing mental health difficulties.
• Undertake timely assessments, evaluate risk and make appropriate decisions to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people.
• Respond to complex safeguarding concerns and undertake appropriate interventions in accordance with the Children’s legal framework, relevant legislation and statutory guidance.
• Provide effective social work support and intervention to children, families and carers experiencing crisis or requiring urgent assistance outside normal working hours.
• Respond to a range of wider social care emergencies, including housing and adult social care cases, as part of the service's generic out-of-hours remit.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues, partner agencies and other emergency services to ensure appropriate responses and continuity of care.
• Develop and maintain a broad understanding of legislation, policies and procedures across different areas of social care, supported by relevant training and guidance.

You will receive training on the relevant legislation, practice and processes to enable you to function as a practitioner with generic social work knowledge.

Our benefits …

• Regular individual supervision and reflective peer group support led by a qualified practitioner.
• An inclusive and social working environment with a variety of staff networks.
• Local government pension scheme.
• Life insurance cover (linked to the pension scheme).
• Career development through internal and external training opportunities.

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 are excited about joining a diverse team that celebrates learning and strives for excellence, we would love to hear from you.

Reasonable adjustments

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. Find out more about reasonable adjustments.

Disability confident and inclusive recruitment

Bracknell Forest Council is proud to be an inclusive employer. This means that if you have made us aware on the application form that you have a disability, are an armed forces veteran or you are a care leaver, you will be guaranteed an interview if you meet the essential criteria outlined in the person specification.

Interview date

Interviews will be held the week beginning 23 November 2026.

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

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:

Nalene Edwards-Caesar (Team Manager) or Shelli Read (Business Manager) on 01344 355050.

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

Please note that this particular role does not meet the minimum requirements for sponsorship under current UK Visas and Immigration regulations. As such, we are unable to offer sponsorship for this position.

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.