The job requirements are detailed below. Where applicable the skills, qualifications and memberships required for this job have also been included.
Reading Borough Council is looking for passionate and committed Social Workers to join our Children's Services team. This is an opportunity to be part of a supportive, ambitious service dedicated to achieving the best possible outcomes for children, young people and their families.
As a Social Worker, you will manage a varied caseload, including Child in Need, Child Protection and Looked After Children cases, undertaking meaningful interventions that improve the welfare, safety and life chances of children and young people.
We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity and inclusion is the key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities.
About the Role
Reading Borough Council is looking for passionate and committed Social Workers to join our Children We Care For Team. This is an exciting opportunity to make a lasting difference to the lives of children and young people in care, working within a supportive and ambitious service that is dedicated to achieving the best possible outcomes.
As a Social Worker in the Children We Care For Team, you will hold a manageable caseload of approximately 16–18 children, enabling you to undertake meaningful direct work, build strong relationships and deliver purposeful interventions that improve stability, wellbeing and life chances.
We are committed to ensuring that every child in our care experiences safety, stability, positive relationships and opportunities to thrive. You will be part of a team that values relationship-based practice, professional curiosity and high aspirations for children and young people.
We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people, recognising that diversity and inclusion are key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment, retention and development of a diverse workforce.
What You’ll Be Doing
In this rewarding role, you will:
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Hold responsibility for a caseload of Children We Care For, ensuring their needs are assessed, understood and responded to through effective care planning and intervention.
- Build positive, trusting relationships with children and young people, ensuring their voice, wishes and feelings are central to all decision-making.
- Undertake statutory visits, assessments and reviews, ensuring children’s care plans are outcome-focused and promote permanence, stability and wellbeing.
- Develop and maintain effective working relationships with families, foster carers, adopters, residential providers and partner agencies.
- Lead and coordinate multi-agency planning to ensure children receive timely and effective support.
- Participate in and contribute to Child in Care Reviews, permanence planning, pathway planning and other statutory processes.
- Support children to achieve positive outcomes in education, health, emotional wellbeing, identity and family relationships.
- Supervise and review fostering and adoption arrangements where required, ensuring children are supported within stable and nurturing placements.
- Recognise, assess and manage risk effectively, taking prompt action to safeguard children and promote their welfare.
- Maintain accurate records and produce high-quality assessments, care plans and reports, including evidence for court proceedings where necessary.
- Keep up to date with legislation, policy and evidence-based practice, taking an active role in your professional development and contributing to a culture of continuous improvement.
What We’re Looking For
You will be a qualified Social Worker registered with Social Work England, with experience of front line social work and working with children and young people. You will be confident in managing complex cases, building effective relationships and working collaboratively with professionals and partner agencies.
Most importantly, you will be passionate about improving outcomes for children in care and committed to helping them achieve safety, permanence and the best possible future.
You’ll be part of a team that relies on each individual to play their part to the best of their ability. As well as the colleagues that you work closely with every day, you’ll also be part of Team Reading, playing your personal part in making Reading a successful and vibrant place.
Our vision is to ensure that Reading realises its potential as a great place to live, work and play, and that everyone shares the benefits of this success. Our values and behaviours guide how we will achieve this:
Work Together as one team - work collaboratively, with each other and with our partners, and demonstrate the Team Reading values in everything we do
Drive Efficiency - show initiative, be adaptable to change and put forward ideas to help improve delivery and efficiency. Take responsibility for our own learning and development and for reaching our potential
Be Ambitious - be demanding of our own performance – striving to be even better – and be prepared to engage with and challenge leaders in a constructive and positive way
Make a Difference to Reading - maintain the highest levels of customer service and be flexible and willing to provide the services needed at the time they are needed
Our offer
We offer a supportive environment to grow and develop your career with the opportunity to put your ideas across. Innovation and ambition is strongly encouraged, and you’ll get a great feel for that working in our friendly and collaborative environment.
A competitive salary alongside a range of benefits including:
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Generous holiday entitlement - 25 days holiday each year plus bank holidays - rising to 30 days after 5 years’ service and 33 days after 10 years' service, with the option to buy additional leave
- A wide range of flexible working opportunities
- Modern working environment at the Civic Offices in the heart of Reading
- Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
- Life Assurance - three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS)
- On-site day nursery (Kennet Day nursery) rated outstanding by Ofsted
- Season Ticket Loan - a loan to help with the cost of your rail or bus journey, to and from work
- Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand new, greener car for three years. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax
To arrange a confidential discussion on this position please contact
[email protected]
Closing Date: Sunday 19th July 2026
Interview Date: To be confirmed
Interview Process: To be confirmed
