Locum Safeguarding Qualified Social Worker

Social Worker (Children’s) – Children Looked After (CLA) Team

Brief Job Overview

 
We are looking for passionate and experienced Children’s Social Workers to join the Children Looked After (CLA) Team at Devon County Council. This is an opportunity to be part of a dedicated service that is making a real and lasting difference to the lives of children and young people across Devon.  

Our vision is simple – to help every child achieve stability, connection, and belonging. We believe that home is where the heart is, and wherever possible, we support children to stay within their families and local communities. When long-term care is required, our CLA team focuses on permanence from day one, using restorative and relational approaches to help children build lifelong connections with those who matter most.

Key Responsibilities

• Hold and manage a varied caseload of children in care, ensuring all statutory requirements are met and each child’s plan promotes stability and permanence.
• Deliver high-quality, evidence-based assessments that inform planning and achieve positive outcomes for children and families.
• Develop and implement care plans that reflect each child’s needs, wishes, and aspirations, supporting them to thrive and achieve their potential.
• Work collaboratively with carers, families, and multi-agency partners to promote the best outcomes for children and young people.
• Participate in care reviews, placement planning meetings, and court proceedings where necessary, providing clear, analytical, and child-centred input.
• Champion the voice of the child in all aspects of your work, ensuring their views are heard and acted upon in decision-making.
• Model high professional standards and support colleagues through reflective practice and positive team working.
• Contribute to service development and continuous improvement through feedback, collaboration, and a commitment to learning.
• Promote the use of restorative practice and relational social work to strengthen relationships and create lasting change.
• Ensure that permanence is planned from the outset, helping children build lasting stability and strong support networks for adulthood.

About You

 
You are an experienced and compassionate social worker who thrives on making a difference. You are motivated by the opportunity to help children achieve security, belonging, and independence. You bring creativity, resilience, and emotional intelligence to your role, and you work with integrity and professionalism in all that you do. You are confident managing complex cases, contributing to care proceedings, and working collaboratively across agencies to deliver the very best outcomes for Devon’s children.

Requirements

• Qualified Social Worker registered with Social Work England.
• Successful completion of your Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE).
• Proven experience working in Children’s Social Care, ideally within a Looked After Children or permanence team.
• Experience of multi-agency working and attending court proceedings.
• Excellent assessment, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• In-depth knowledge of children’s social work legislation, policy, and best practice guidance, including the Children Act 1989 and Care Planning Regulations.
• Commitment to child-centred, strengths-based practice and delivering long-term positive outcomes.
• Ability to work flexibly across Devon, undertaking visits and supporting placements as needed.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage a diverse workload within statutory timescales.

Contract & Salary

• Job Type: Locum
• Location: Devon County Council
• Service Area: Children’s Services – Children Looked After (CLA) Team
• Contract Length: 3 months (with potential for extension)
• Salary: Negotiable, dependent on experience
• Working Hours: Full-time, 37 hours per week
• Working Pattern: Hybrid / Office-based as required

How to Apply

 
If you are a passionate and experienced Children’s Social Worker who wants to make a lasting difference in the lives of children and young people in Devon, we’d love to hear from you.  
Please apply using the form on the page.