About us
As somewhere to live, Luton is inspiring and forward thinking. With award winning galleries, beautiful Chiltern views and excellent transport links. Luton has an affordable housing market, with house prices below the national average. The links with London are exceptionally good. In 36 minutes, you could be back to London on a direct train. Our offices are close to the train station.

We acknowledge Luton is currently on an improvement journey and that is the reason we need passionate, agile, dynamic, creative and inspiring qualified practitioners to join our Child Protection, Assessment and Family Safeguarding Service at this important juncture. Luton’s Children and Families are at the heart of everything we do. Our undivided focus is on achieving good outcomes for children and young people by delivering high quality children’s social services across the borough.

About the job
Salary: £28,785 - £33,799 plus £963 car allowance and £5,500 market supplement
Hours per week: 37
Contract type: Permanent

There are 5 Area Locality Teams in The Child Protection, Assessment & Family Safeguarding Service that work closely with our partners to build relationships and work more collaboratively with families, children and Young People. This is fast paced exciting social work that focuses on children and families, developing longer-term relationships and supporting them to bring about change. We work in a supportive learning culture that includes regular reflective practice and motivational interviewing.

This is an exciting time for us and we’ve introduced a non- lawyer Family drug & alcohol court where feedback from our families tells us they feel more supported and empowered.

About you
You will be an experienced social worker with strong communications skills. You will be able to build effective relationships with children and families, staff, public and other professionals.

You should have in-depth knowledge of legislation national guidance and best practice relevant to the post including statutory responsibilities relating to Children and Family Services, including appropriate quality standards and you’ll be part of a team that achieve high levels of performance.

We do ask that you have Dip SW, CQSW or recognised equivalent, substantial professional social work qualification and registered by the Social Work England.

Application process
Because of the nature of this job, it will be necessary for the appropriate level of criminal record disclosure to be undertaken. Therefore, it is essential in making your application you disclose whether you have any pending charges, convictions, bind-overs or cautions and, if so, for which offences. This post will be exempt from the provisions of Section 4 (2) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exemptions) (Amendments) Order 1986.

Therefore, applicants are not entitled to withhold information about convictions which for other purposes are ‘spent’ under the provision of the Act, and, in the event of the employment being taken up; any failure to disclose such convictions will result in dismissal or disciplinary action by the Authority. The fact that a pending charge, conviction, bind-over or caution has been recorded against you will not necessarily debar you from consideration for this appointment.

Additional information
We offer a range of benefits, not limited to:

- A strong commitment to a manageable caseload of 18 children/social worker.
- Working in small teams, agile improvement framework, regular supervision, coaching and mentoring.
- Childcare vouchers, generous annual leave and pension, phone and laptop and a free car parking space or use of our electric cars if you travel here by train
- Career development opportunities and continued professional development
- A flexible relocation package up to £8,500,
- A 50% discount on the Thameslink line from London St Pancras to Bedford and a loan is available to buy the season ticket

Talk to us about flexible working options! We will be happy to consider different working patterns in line with the service’s requirements. During the current pandemic, we are all working from home and we provide a laptop and mobile phone. We stay in touch through a variety of online platforms.

Luton is a challenging yet unique environment that is bursting with opportunity. In this career enhancing role you will play a significant part in leading our Children’s Services to good or outstanding, leaving a lasting impact on the children of Luton.

Join us and help us “realise the remarkable” every day!

As a Council, we have set a bold ambition to ensure that no-one is living in poverty by 2040. We know that 90% of children’s social care cases are linked to the challenges that people living in poverty face, so this role is therefore critical in helping us to reach our corporate goal.

To apply please click the 'Apply'