Job search

Project Manager - SEND Improvement & Reforms

Redbridge Council
£43.09 per hour
Hybrid working - 2 days per week in the office

Redbridge Council is looking for an experienced Project Manager to support the planning and delivery of its SEND Improvement and SEND Reforms programme.

This is a great opportunity for someone with strong project management experience and a background within Local Authority SEND or education, working across complex programmes involving education, health and social care.

Key responsibilities:Project manage SEND improvement and reform projectsDevelop and maintain project plans, milestones, risks, issues and dependenciesCoordinate multiple workstreams and track progress against agreed outcomesTranslate SEND improvement plans and national guidance into deliverable local actionsWork collaboratively across education, health, social care and the voluntary sectorSupport SEND Improvement Boards and governance arrangementsEngage with schools, settings, parents/carers and young people where appropriateProduce reports, briefings and dashboards for senior leaders and boardsUse data to monitor performance, KPIs and benefits realisationEnsure learning from projects supports continuous improvementAbout you:

You will ideally have:

Experience managing complex projects within educationPrevious experience working within a Local Authority SEND systemKnowledge of SEND legislation, improvement and reformsStrong project planning, risk management and problem-solving skillsExcellent stakeholder management and communication skillsThe ability to work at pace across multiple prioritiesA collaborative, solution-focused approach with a commitment to improving outcomes for children and young people with SENDInterested? Apply today!

Assessment Social Worker
Weybridge, Surrey
£42ph Umbrella
Hybrid Working | 2 Days in the Office

Caritas Recruitment is working with Surrey County Council to recruit an experienced Assessment Social Worker to join their Weybridge team.

This is an excellent opportunity to work within a relationship-based service that focuses on achieving the best outcomes for children and families through strengths-based practice, partnership working, and high-quality assessments.

The Role As an Assessment Social Worker, you'll undertake Child and Family Assessments, manage risk, complete safeguarding and child protection work, and develop effective plans that support positive and lasting change for children and families.

Key Responsibilities

Undertake comprehensive Child and Family Assessments.Complete safeguarding enquiries and child protection investigations.Participate in strategy meetings, child protection conferences, and core groups.Develop SMART plans that improve outcomes for children.Work closely with multi-agency partners including Health, Education, Police, and Legal Services.Contribute to PLO processes and court proceedings where required.Keep children's voices and lived experiences at the centre of practice.

About You

Qualified Social Worker with Social Work England registration.Experience within Children's Services in a UK statutory setting.Strong assessment, safeguarding, and risk management skills.Knowledge of child protection, PLO, and relevant legislation.Confident working in a fast-paced environment and managing complex caseloads.

What's on Offer?
£42ph Umbrella
Hybrid working (2 days in the office)
Supportive management and reflective supervision
Ongoing training and development opportunities
Collaborative team culture
Opportunity to make a real difference to children and families

For more information or to apply, please contact:

Lisa Hallinan
Principal Consultant | Caritas Recruitment
[email protected]
07825 538951

Know someone who could be interested? Feel free to share this opportunity with your network.

Senior Social Worker - Case Management Team (North East)
Shropshire Council
£33.30ph Umbrella
Hybrid Working | 1 Day Per Week in the Office
Initial 3-Month Contract

Caritas Recruitment is working with Shropshire Council to recruit an experienced Senior Social Worker (not practitioner level) to join their Case Management Team.

This is an excellent opportunity to manage a varied and complex caseload, working across CIN, Child Protection, PLO and Court proceedings while making a real difference to children and families.

Key Responsibilities

Manage complex CIN, CP, PLO and court cases.Undertake home visits and direct work with children and families.Lead Core Group Meetings and multi-agency planning.Complete high-quality assessments, court reports and statements.Work collaboratively with partner agencies to safeguard children and improve outcomes.Maintain accurate and timely case recordings.

About You

Qualified Social Worker with Social Work England registration.Significant experience within Children's Social Care.Strong knowledge of Child Protection, PLO and court work.Confident managing complex cases and working within statutory timescales.

What's on Offer?

£33.30ph UmbrellaHybrid working (1 office day per week)Supportive team environmentImmediate start availableOpportunity to work within a well-established Case Management Team

For more information or to apply, contact:

Lisa Hallinan
Principal Consultant | Caritas Recruitment
[email protected]
07825 538951

Team Manager - Risk Outside the Home (ROTH) Team
Lewisham Council | Hybrid Working
£45.20 per hour Umbrella

Caritas Recruitment is proud to be supporting Lewisham Council in the recruitment of an experienced Team Manager to lead their specialist Risk Outside the Home (ROTH) Team.

This is a fantastic opportunity for an inspirational leader with a passion for adolescent safeguarding, contextual safeguarding, and protecting vulnerable young people at risk of exploitation, serious youth violence, county lines activity, missing episodes and other extra-familial harms.

Working across both the Risk Outside the Home Team and Multi-Agency Child Protection Team (MACPT), you will lead and develop a team of Social Workers and Senior Social Workers, ensuring high-quality safeguarding practice and positive outcomes for children and young people.

Key Responsibilities

Lead, manage and supervise Social Workers and Senior Social Workers.Provide oversight of complex child protection, contextual safeguarding and public law cases.Oversee Section 47 enquiries, Child Protection planning and PLO cases.Chair Strategy Meetings, Daily Intelligence Briefings and safeguarding meetings.Drive high-quality practice through reflective supervision, coaching and performance management.Develop strong partnerships with Police, Youth Justice, Education and Health services.Champion relationship-based and contextual safeguarding approaches.Support service improvement and the strategic development of adolescent safeguarding practice.

About You

Qualified Social Worker registered with Social Work England.Significant management experience within Children's Social Care.Strong knowledge of Child Protection, PLO and Court proceedings.Experience leading multi-agency safeguarding responses and managing high-risk cases.Passionate about improving outcomes for vulnerable adolescents and their families.

What's on Offer

£45.20 per hour Umbrella.Hybrid working arrangement.Opportunity to lead an innovative specialist service.Supportive leadership team and collaborative multi-agency environment.Meaningful work with some of the borough's most vulnerable children and young people.

For more information or to apply, please contact:

Lisa Hallinan
Principal Consultant | Caritas Recruitment
[email protected]
07825 538951

Know someone who could be a great fit? Feel free to share this opportunity with your network.

Social Worker - Looked After Children (LAC) Team
Luton Borough Council
Up to £38.84 per hour Umbrella
Full-Time
Temporary

Caritas Recruitment is working in partnership with Luton Borough Council to recruit experienced Social Workers to join their Looked After Children (LAC) Team.

This is an excellent opportunity to join a highly supportive and well-established service dedicated to achieving positive outcomes for children and young people in care. You'll work within a team that values professional development, offers strong managerial support, and provides opportunities for career progression.

Key Responsibilities

Manage a caseload of looked after children and young people.Complete statutory visits and assessments.Develop and review care plans to ensure children's needs are met.Build positive relationships with children, families, carers, and partner agencies.Attend reviews, multi-agency meetings, and court proceedings where required.Ensure all work is completed in line with statutory responsibilities and safeguarding procedures.

About You

Qualified Social Worker with DipSW, CQSW, Social Work Degree or equivalent qualification.Registered with Social Work England.Previous experience within a Looked After Children team.Sound knowledge of relevant childcare legislation and statutory guidance.Strong assessment, care planning, and relationship-building skills.Enhanced DBS (or willingness to obtain one).

What's on Offer

Competitive pay rate of up to £38.84 per hour.Supportive management team and positive working culture.Comprehensive induction and ongoing professional development.Opportunities for both temporary and permanent employment.Flexible working arrangements where appropriate.

For more information or to apply, please get in touch:

Lisa Hallinan
Principal Consultant | Caritas Recruitment
[email protected]
07825 538951

Know someone who could be interested? Please feel free to share this opportunity with your network.

Court Social Worker

Dudley Children's Services £41 per hour Hybrid Working | 3 Days On Site

Caritas Recruitment is supporting Dudley Children's Services in the recruitment of an experienced Court Social Worker to join their Family Help Service. The role focuses on supporting children and families involved in pre-proceedings and care proceedings, managing complex safeguarding cases and ensuring children's welfare remains at the centre of decision-making.

Key ResponsibilitiesManage a caseload of children and families involved in court proceedings or pre-proceedings.Complete assessments and undertake statutory social work duties.Prepare high-quality court reports, statements and evidence. Work closely with children, families, legal representatives and partner agencies to achieve positive outcomes. RequirementsQualified Social Worker with Social Work England registration.Strong and demonstrable court work experience. Minimum 3 years' cumulative permanent experience within an English Local Authority, including ASYE. This must be clearly evidenced on your CV. What's on Offer?£41 per hourHybrid working arrangement with 3 days on siteSupportive team environment

For more information or to apply, please contact:

Lisa Hallinan
Principal Consultant | Caritas Recruitment
[email protected]
07469 676076

CIN Social Worker

Dudley Children's Services £41 per hour Hybrid Working | 3 Days On Site

Caritas Recruitment is supporting Dudley Children's Services with the recruitment of an experienced Agency Social Worker to join their Children in Need Team.

This is an excellent opportunity to work within a short-term CIN service, undertaking high-quality assessments and delivering focused interventions that improve outcomes for children and families. The team works proactively to provide timely support and step families into Early Help and partnership-led services where appropriate.

Key ResponsibilitiesManage a caseload of children and families within the CIN serviceComplete timely and robust assessmentsDeliver targeted interventions to support positive outcomesWork in partnership with families and multi-agency professionalsContribute to effective planning and decision-making for children and young peopleSupport families to access the right services at the right time RequirementsQualified Social Worker with Social Work England registrationMinimum 3 years' cumulative permanent experience within an English Local Authority (including ASYE). This must be clearly evidenced on your CV. Strong assessment and intervention skillsExperience working within Children in Need servicesAbility to work effectively in a fast-paced environment and make timely decisions for children and families. What's on Offer?£41 per hourHybrid working arrangement with 3 days on siteRegular management oversight and supervisionSupportive team environment

For more information or to apply, please contact:

Lisa Hallinan
Principal Consultant | Caritas Recruitment
[email protected]
07469 676076

Head of Service - Children's Community Health

Suffolk | Endeavour House
£45 per hour Umbrella
12-Month Contract
Hybrid Working - 3 Days Office-Based

Caritas Recruitment is looking for an experienced Head of Service - Children's Community Health to provide strategic and operational leadership across children's health services, including Health Visiting, School Nursing, Family Nurse Partnership and wider 0-19 services.

This is a senior leadership opportunity for a registered health professional with significant experience leading children's services, safeguarding, governance, quality improvement and service transformation. The successful candidate will hold overall responsibility for safe, effective and high-quality service delivery, safeguarding arrangements, workforce performance, regulatory compliance and financial management.

Key responsibilities include:

Leading Children's Community Health Services and the Healthy Child Programme (0-19)Providing strategic leadership for safeguarding, quality and governanceActing as the organisation's CQC Registered ManagerDriving service transformation, improvement and innovationManaging complex budgets and multidisciplinary teamsBuilding strong partnerships across health, local authority and safeguarding organisationsRepresenting the service at commissioner, inspection and partnership forums

To be considered, you must be a registered health professional with substantial senior leadership experience within children's services, public health, community health or integrated care services, alongside extensive safeguarding leadership experience.

Contract Details

£45 per hour Umbrella12-month contractHybrid working3 days per week based at Endeavour HouseFace-to-face interview preferred

For more information or to apply, please contact:

Lisa Hallinan Principal Consultant | Caritas Recruitment
[email protected]
07469 676076

Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) - Child Protection & CLA Reviews
London Borough of Redbridge - Safeguarding & Quality Assurance
£297.34 per day Umbrella
Hybrid Working

Are you an experienced Independent Reviewing Officer looking for your next locum opportunity?

The London Borough of Redbridge is seeking a highly skilled and child-focused Independent Reviewing Officer to join its Safeguarding & Quality Assurance Service. This is a key role responsible for ensuring children and young people receive high-quality care, protection and support through robust oversight, professional challenge and quality assurance.

This is a joint role covering both Child Protection Conferences and Children Looked After (CLA) Reviews, with some additional cover within the LADO service.

The Role

As an Independent Reviewing Officer, you will:

* Chair Child Protection Conferences and Children Looked After Reviews
* Ensure children's voices, wishes and feelings are central to decision-making
* Monitor and quality assure care planning, permanency planning and child protection plans
* Provide constructive challenge where practice falls below expected standards
* Track cases to minimise drift and delay for children and young people
* Work closely with social work teams, managers and partner agencies
* Escalate concerns through formal dispute resolution processes where required
* Contribute to quality assurance, audits and service improvement activity
* Provide cover within the LADO service when necessary

Child Protection Conferences are largely conducted virtually, while CLA Reviews are undertaken face-to-face with children and young people.

About You

You'll be:

* A qualified Social Worker registered with Social Work England
* Experienced within IRO, Child Protection Chair, Safeguarding and/or Quality Assurance services
* Confident working autonomously and delivering to statutory timescales
* Relational and trauma-informed in your approach
* Skilled in risk management, professional judgement and decision-making
* Comfortable providing challenge while maintaining positive professional relationships
* Passionate about improving outcomes for children and families

Desirable

* Previous LADO experience
* Experience undertaking quality assurance and audit activity

Working Arrangements

* Hybrid working, dependent on the needs of children and the service
* Long-term sickness cover assignment
* Based in Ilford, Redbridge
* £297.34 per day Umbrella

If you're an experienced safeguarding professional looking for your next contract, I'd love to hear from you.

Lisa Hallinan
Principal Consultant | Caritas Recruitment
[email protected]
07469 676076

Apply now or get in touch for a confidential discussion.