Lead the Future of Residential Family Assessment
Are you an experienced and passionate Children's Social Worker ready to lead an innovative Residential Family Assessment Centre?
NurtureCare is launching Abbey View, a new Residential Family Assessment Centre designed to provide high-quality, evidence-based parenting assessments for Local Authorities and the Family Court. We are seeking an exceptional Lead Social Worker & Registered Lead to help establish and lead a service that places children at the centre of everything it does.
This is an exciting opportunity to shape a new service from the ground up, influence best practice, and build a highly skilled multidisciplinary team delivering outstanding outcomes for children and families.
About the Role
As the Lead Social Worker & Registered Lead, you will be the senior Social Work professional within the service, responsible for leading assessment practice, safeguarding, quality assurance and professional development.
Working alongside the Registered Manager, you will oversee residential parenting assessments from referral through to final report, ensuring all assessments are robust, analytical, child-centred and evidence based.
You will provide professional leadership, supervise the assessment team, quality assure reports, and build strong relationships with Local Authorities, Courts and partner agencies.
Our service will undertake parenting assessments across a wide range of family circumstances, including safeguarding concerns, domestic abuse, parental mental health, substance misuse, learning disabilities, neurodiversity, physical disabilities, and families where children have disabilities or complex health needs. Every assessment is tailored to the individual needs of the family while maintaining the welfare of the child as the paramount consideration.
What You'll Be Doing
- Lead all Social Work practice within the Residential Family Assessment Centre.
- Manage and oversee residential parenting assessments.
- Produce and quality assure high-quality analytical assessment reports.
- Supervise and develop Social Work staff and Family Assessment Practitioners.
- Lead safeguarding practice and risk management.
- Build strong partnerships with Local Authorities, Cafcass, Courts and health professionals.
- Attend professional meetings and Family Court where required.
- Support the development of policies, procedures and best practice.
- Help shape and develop a brand-new service with high aspirations for quality and innovation.
What We're Looking For
Essential
- Qualified Social Worker with current Social Work England registration.
- Minimum 7 years' post-qualifying experience within Children's Social Care.
- Significant experience completing parenting assessments.
- Experience writing high-quality reports for Local Authorities and/or Family Court.
- Experience supervising or leading Social Work teams.
- Excellent safeguarding knowledge and decision-making skills.
- Strong leadership, communication and organisational skills.
- Full UK driving licence.
Desirable
- Experience working within a Residential Family Assessment Centre.
- Practice Educator qualification.
- Court experience, including giving evidence.
- Leadership or management qualification.
- Experience supporting Ofsted inspections.
What We Offer
- Salary of £60,000–£70,000 depending on experience.
- 33 days annual leave (inclusive of bank holidays), increasing with service.
- Company pension scheme.
- Payment of Social Work England registration fees.
- Ongoing CPD and leadership development.
- Regular reflective supervision.
- Opportunity to help shape a new specialist service.
- A supportive leadership team committed to quality and innovation.
- Employee Assistance Programme.
- Mileage expenses for business travel.
Why Join NurtureCare?
At NurtureCare, we believe every child deserves the opportunity to grow up in a safe, loving and nurturing environment. Our mission is to deliver high-quality, evidence-based assessments that support informed decision-making and achieve the best possible outcomes for children and families.
This is more than just a leadership role—it's an opportunity to build a service from the ground up, influence practice, and make a lasting difference to the lives of vulnerable children and their families.
If you're looking for a role where your leadership, expertise and passion can shape the future of residential family assessment, we'd love to hear from you.
Apply Today
To apply, please submit your CV together with a supporting statement outlining how your experience meets the requirements of the role.
Closing Date: 3rd August 2026
Interview Date: 10th August 2026
NurtureCare is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all employees to share this commitment. This post is subject to an Enhanced DBS check, satisfactory references and Social Work England registration.
