Senior Social Worker - Children Looked After

About the Role

Opus People Solutions on Behalf of Suffolk County Council are seeking an experienced Senior Social Worker to join a busy and supportive Social Care Team in Bury St Edmunds. This is a fantastic opportunity for a skilled practitioner to work across a varied caseload, supporting children and families within Child in Need, Looked After Children, Child Assessment, and Support & Prevention services.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage a complex caseload, currently averaging around 40 cases.
• Make and implement autonomous professional decisions on cases involving significant complexity, risk, uncertainty, and challenge.
• Undertake comprehensive assessments of risk and need, developing effective plans to achieve positive outcomes for children and families.
• Plan and deliver targeted interventions to safeguard children and reduce risk.
• Lead and undertake Section 47 Child Protection Investigations, ensuring timely and robust enquiries where significant harm is suspected.
• Work collaboratively with partner agencies to coordinate services, support, and resources for children and their families.
• Prepare high-quality assessments, reports, and recommendations to support decision-making and planning.
• Present complex information confidently in multi-agency meetings, reviews, and legal forums.
• Support, mentor, and contribute to the development of colleagues, promoting reflective and effective social work practice.

Requirements

• Qualified Social Worker with Social Work England registration.
• Significant experience within Children''s Social Care.
• Proven ability to manage complex caseloads and make sound professional judgments.
• Strong experience within Child in Need, Child Protection, Looked After Children, Assessment, and Support & Prevention services.
• Experience completing complex assessments and developing effective intervention plans.
• Excellent report writing, communication, and partnership-working skills.
• Experience supporting and developing other practitioners within a team environment.

This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. As this role is eligible for an Enhanced DBS check, applicants are required to declare any cautions and convictions that are not protected under current filtering rules.

If you''re an experienced Senior Social Worker looking for your next locum opportunity and are passionate about improving outcomes for children and families, we''d love to hear from you.