Most social work roles leave you drowning in caseloads, stretched thin across too many families, with little time to really know the people you're supporting. This is different: you'll carry a manageable caseload in family assessment, build genuine relationships with parents, and lead comprehensive parenting assessments that genuinely change lives. This is the role where your social work qualification and expertise actually get the space to shine
Picture yourself walking into a family assessment centre in Sheffield where you're not a number processing cases, but a skilled professional with time and resources to do the job properly. You'll lead robust parenting assessments, sit with families week after week, understand their real circumstances, and provide honest, evidence-based recommendations that actually matter in court. This is social work at its most purposeful: you're not just ticking boxes, you're building the foundation for children's futures and helping parents find their path to thriving
What makes this different is the support wrapped around you. You'll have a qualified social work practice manager who gets it, who supervises you properly, and who wants you to develop. You'll have access to legal advice when you need it, bespoke training tailored to family assessment work, and a clear career ladder: from social worker to senior social worker, practice manager, service manager, all the way to head of service. This provider has been leading social care for over 25 years, and that stability matters when you're doing sensitive work with vulnerable families
The organisation funds your professional development fully through its own accredited training centre. They recognise that great social workers don't stay unless they're growing, learning, and supported. You'll get a proper induction, service-specific training to sharpen your assessment skills, and a workplace culture built on person-centred practice and excellence. This is a place where your wellbeing is taken seriously, not treated as an afterthought
What you will be doing
- Lead comprehensive, evidence-based parenting capacity assessments that are analytical, objective and thorough, tailored to each family's specific circumstances
- Build meaningful professional relationships with parents across the family assessment centres, working honestly and openly with them through the assessment process
- Prepare high-quality parenting assessment reports for court that provide clear recommendations for permanency planning and children's futures
- Work across multiple family assessment centres within the service, bringing consistency and professionalism to each placement
- Contribute to permanency planning decisions that directly shape outcomes for children and their families
Why you will love working here
- Pay structured at the forefront of national pay standards, recognising your qualifications and experience
- A manageable caseload so you can actually know your families well and do assessment work that matters
- Qualified social work line management, proper supervision and dedicated practice manager support
- Full funding for all training and qualifications through the organisation's accredited training centre, plus service-specific training to develop your assessment expertise
- A genuine career progression pathway from social worker through to head of service, with clear steps and real opportunity
- Access to timely legal advice, a comprehensive wellbeing programme, and a workplace culture built on person-centred practice and excellence
Is this you?
- You hold a recognised Social Work Qualification and are registered with Social Work England
- You have a minimum of 1 year's post-qualifying experience working with children and families
- You have real experience preparing parenting assessment reports for court and know how to make them count
- You're skilled at working with families to complete robust assessments whilst staying honest, objective and transparent, even when conversations are difficult
- You're willing and able to work across a number of family assessment centres, bringing flexibility and commitment to the service
Applications close on 12 October 2026. Great roles like this are filled quickly, so the sooner you apply the better.
Safeguarding: We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All roles are subject to an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.