Vacancy details

Are you ready to make a meaningful difference in a council that champions children, empowers social workers and puts learning at the heart of everything we do?

We have an exciting opportunity in our Family Placement Team for a Social Worker on a full-time, permanent basis.

Our Children’s Social Care service is proudly Outstanding in all areas (Ofsted, December 2025), with inspectors calling our practitioners “effusive about working in Bracknell” and praising our highly effective Social Work Academy.

About You...

As a Children’s Social Worker, you are passionate about improving outcomes for children and young people and share our commitment to making a real difference in their lives. You understand that social work can be both rewarding and challenging and you bring resilience, empathy and professionalism to your practice.

You are a strong communicator who values collaboration and works effectively with colleagues, carers and partner agencies. You are confident in undertaking assessments, presenting information clearly and making balanced, child-focused recommendations. You are also committed to your own professional development and open to learning, feedback and reflective practice.

Most importantly, you are someone who values being part of a supportive team, someone who both contributes to and benefits from a culture of peer support, shared learning and mutual respect.

To learn more about what it is like to work with us, take a look at our workforce video.

If you would like an informal chat or a tour of the office prior to submitting your application, please contact helen.gore@bracknell-forest.gov.uk to arrange a suitable time.

About the team...

The Family Placement Team is a small, welcoming and highly supportive team where strong working relationships are key. We recognise that our work can be complex, so we prioritise peer support, open communication and shared problem-solving.

We work closely with children’s social workers and other professionals to ensure that vulnerable children receive the best possible care and support. Our team is responsible for assessing prospective foster carers, special guardians, connected persons and private foster carers, as well as contributing to foster carer recruitment and delivering training to support carers in their role.

You will be part of a team that values quality practice and takes pride in ensuring children are placed locally with suitable carers whenever possible. With supportive managers, knowledgeable colleagues and dedicated administrative support, you will have the time and space to focus on meaningful work and build strong relationships with those you support.

Our workforce tells us:

• There is a supportive and approachable leadership and management team.
• All teams offer each other good peer support, there is a strong focus on shared problem solving.
• They feel appreciated and their development is prioritised.
• Supervision is of high quality, reflective and routinely provided.

Together, we create an environment where everyone is encouraged to grow, share expertise and continuously improve the services we provide.

Read more about our culture and what our staff say Children's social care culture | Bracknell Forest Council.

Learn what OFSTED say about us here

Key Responsibilities...

• To undertake viability and full assessments of prospective applicant’s suitability to become foster carers, special guardians, connected person foster carers and private foster carers.
• To present all relevant items at foster panel or court (depending on the nature of each case).
• To contribute to the recruitment of prospective foster carers by responding to enquiries received and by completing initial screening visits to determine suitability for assessment.
• To provide training to prospective and existing foster carers as per the needs of the service.
• To ensure that children are placed locally within our available foster carers.

The role will enable you to continually develop your skills and knowledge, as well as contribute to the ongoing improvement of the services and support we deliver.

Our Benefits...

• 28 days annual leave increasing to 33 days after 3 years’ continuous service, with the opportunity to buy up to 10 and sell up to 5 days.
• Hybrid working opportunities to support your wellbeing and work-life balance. 
• Paid employee volunteering scheme.
• Local government pension scheme, with life insurance cover.
• Electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme (subject to eligibility).
• Reimbursement of Social Work England registration.
• Recognition of continuous service attained within the NHS and UKHSA when calculating some benefits. (Terms and Conditions apply)
• Career development through internal and external training opportunities. 
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and fostering leave. 
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support your health and wellbeing
• Inclusive and social working environment with a variety of staff networks and a sports and social club. 

Find out more about all our benefits or see the candidate pack.

Our Values

At Bracknell Forest Council our values define who we are and what is important to us. Our core values are inclusive, ambitious, and always learning. These values influence the way we work with each other and the way we serve our residents and engage with our communities. We make our values real by demonstrating them in how we behave every day. If you are excited about joining a diverse team that celebrates learning and strives for excellence, we would love to hear from you. 

Reasonable Adjustments

We are committed to ensuring an inclusive recruitment process for all applicants. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support your application or interview, please let us know by contacting recruitment@bracknell-forest.gov.uk. We will work with you to support you throughout the process. Find out more about reasonable adjustments.

Interview Date

Interviews will be held on Thursday 30^th April. 

Interviews will be conducted in person, providing candidates with the chance to personally meet the team and experience our work environment.

We will be reviewing applications regularly and reserve the right to close the advert early if suitable candidates are identified. To avoid disappointment, you are advised to submit your application as soon as possible.

Please note AI is prohibited during the interview, any candidate using AI will be withdrawn from consideration.

Want to ask us a question?

For an informal discussion or to ask any questions about this role, please contact:

Sam Howard, Team Manager, Family Placement Team: 01344 351658

Bracknell Forest Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect everyone employed with us to share this commitment. All successful candidates for this role will be subject to a DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) check as part of our pre-employment checks process.

Candidates should be able to demonstrate experience of working within the current Social Care System and Framework.

We can only accept applications from candidates currently residing in the UK.

Candidates currently residing in the UK who require sponsorship to work are encouraged to assess their eligibility for a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) based on the relevant criteria. Please be aware that sponsorship availability varies and is subject to eligibility requirements and budget limitations. As a result, we cannot guarantee sponsorship for all roles and will evaluate sponsorship requests on a case-by-case basis.

No agencies please.

Equal Opportunities

Bracknell Forest Council – Working for Equality. We welcome applications from all sections of the community.

How to apply

Please apply online via the link provided.

Please include a personal statement with your CV specifying why you are applying for this vacancy.