Job Description

We have an opportunity for multiple Family Court Advisers in the Work To First Hearing service at Cafcass – are you interested? Or can you recommend someone for £250 if placed?

• Work to First Hearing is like their Front Door service
• Receive Private Law applications and review them along with information gathered from police, Local Authorities etc.
• All contact is by phone
• Write Safeguarding letters to the court based on your findings
• Office attendance 1-2 times per month
• Desk-based role – 80% – 90% home working
• 6-month assignments available

Areas covered: Birmingham, Stoke/Staffs and Worcester

Pay rate: £36 umbrella

We are an approved supplier to Cafcass, achieving this status through a competitive process and retaining it by delivering quality, timely and compliant services. Being one of Cafcass’ preferred partners ensures we will always be given priority access to any Social Work vacancies they ask external agencies to support them with.

Work to First Hearing Team will involve the following:

• You are considering risks to children subject to private law applications only
• The work is fast-paced and time limited and tends to focus solely on the work undertaken leading up to the first hearing to help the court consider how to proceed.
• The role is focused on safeguarding of children and FCAs review applications, gather and analyse information from the police and local authorities and (usually via telephone) interview the parties to consider the risks and alert the court to any safeguarding concerns.
• The role requires excellent skills in analysis, leading to Cafcass providing advice to the court about next steps. They may also need to consider referrals to other services to support families. FCAs may also attend private law First Hearings and give evidence as required. This may be in person or remotely at the court’s discretion.
• WTFH was created due to the unaddressed risks in private law cases. They are often working with quite vulnerable families who may or may not be known to children’s social care and identify safeguarding concerns.
• It’s your role to consider the impact of these allegations and support the court to consider what this means for children and what needs to happen to resolve these issues
• This is a fast-paced team and the work is consistent. It means we need to be highly organised and highly motivated to ensure arrangements proposed to the parents, carers or other family members are in children’s best interests.
• The challenge in WTFH is that we don’t see children but still need to put each child ‘front and centre’.

Requirements of the role:

• Social Work qualified
• Social Work England registered
• Significant post-qualified experience in children & families social care (not subject to DFE rules) - ideally 2-3 years minimum in a children’s local authority social work post.
• The nature and speed of the work means experience of working recently in a MASH / Duty team (or similar) is helpful as there is a need to respond to and analyse high levels of information quickly.
• Excellent time management and organisational skills
• Good risk management/safeguarding skills

Please apply online or contact Lindsey Morgan ASAP to discuss in more detail. We are offering £250 joining bonus for new starters with Reed. xbpsjku

Alternatively, we are offering £250 if you refer a friend or colleague and they are placed successfully into this or any other QSW role.