Position: Qualified Social Worker (Grade 9) – Children Services

Client: Newport City Council

Location: Godfrey Road, Newport, South Wales, NP20 4UR

Contract Type: Temporary (24-Week sickness cover assignment)

Hours: 37 hours per week

Target Start Date: 06 July 2026

Cost Code: Safeguarding Hub

💰 Pay Rates:

PAYE: £29.22 per hour

🌟 About the Role

Are you an empathetic, driven Children’s Social Worker ready to step in and make an immediate impact?

We are seeking a qualified Children Services Social Worker (Grade 9) to join the dynamic Duty & Assessment / Safeguarding Hub team at Newport City Council. In this role, you will be part of a critical front-line service providing high-quality assessments, risk management, and care planning tailored to the needs of vulnerable children and young people.

This is a well-supported, 24-week assignment covering a staff sickness absence. You will play a vital role in keeping local children safe while working within a person-centred, strengths-based framework.

📋 Key Responsibilities

Referral Response & Assessment: Act swiftly on referrals allocated by the management team, carrying out robust initial child and family assessments (including carer assessments) within strict statutory timescales.
Caseload Management: Effectively manage a caseload of varying complexity, ensuring all administrative records and data tracking are completed efficiently.
Outcome-Focused Planning: Construct, coordinate, and monitor outcome-focused care plans informed by current legislation, best practice, and safeguarding guidance.
Legal & Court Work: Prepare high-quality, evidence-based reports for legal proceedings and attend court as a representative of the local authority when required.
Multi-Agency Partnership: Collaborate closely with health professionals, schools, police, and other external partners to ensure an integrated approach to child protection.
Empowering Families: Work transparently with service users, their families, and their wider support networks to ensure their voices are central to interventions.

👤 What You Will Need (Person Specification)

Qualifications & Compliance:

Social Work Qualification: Degree in Social Work, DipSW, CQSW, or equivalent.
Professional Registration: Active and valid registration with Social Care Wales (or Social Work England with eligibility to practice in Wales).
Compliance: This post is subject to an Enhanced DBS check.

Experience & Skills:

Proven experience working within a statutory Children’s Services front-door, duty, or assessment team.
A comprehensive understanding of child protection legislation, local authority standards, and care management processes.
Excellent analytical and decision-making skills to evaluate immediate risk factors.
Outstanding communication skills, both written (for complex court and assessment reports) and verbal.
Ability to work effectively and independently under pressure while maintaining a close, collaborative relationship with the wider team.