About this opportunity

This Social Worker role is positioned within the Children and Families service area, focusing on delivering impactful support to children, families, and carers in partnership with internal and external stakeholders. The role aims to improve outcomes for children and young people in Cumbria by:

1. Championing the voice of the child and family – actively listening, understanding their needs, and collaborating to develop tailored plans that provide the right help and support.
2. Managing complex and high-risk cases – acting as a skilled practitioner to assess, plan, and deliver care and support services.
3. Building meaningful relationships – using active listening, observation, and communication to work directly with children, families, and carers.
4. Conducting detailed assessments – analysing complex needs and family dynamics using evidence-based approaches to identify strengths, vulnerabilities, and required interventions.
5. Formulating child-focused plans – leveraging a deep understanding of needs and impacts to create assessments and care plans with clear, measurable outcomes.
6. Applying evidence-based practice – grounding all work in theory and research while collaborating with professionals across sectors to deliver comprehensive, multi-agency solutions.
7. Sharing expertise – mentoring and supporting colleagues across agencies, identifying gaps in service provision, and contributing to capacity building.
8. Handling high-risk cases – addressing complex family situations and ensuring the delivery of effective interventions tailored to individual needs.

This role offers a unique opportunity to make a real difference by shaping the future of children and young people through expert practice and collaborative working.

This is a permanent role with two available positions.

Cumberland Council is proud to hold an Ofsted rating of 'Good’ for our Children’s Services, demonstrating our dedication and strong commitment to providing high-quality services for children and families. Ofsted recognised that staff unanimously report a ‘real buzz about working in Cumberland’ and that they feel ‘energised, valued and listened to’, observing that ‘leaders have established a strong Cumberland identity that staff can be proud of’.

Who we’re looking for

We’re looking for individuals who embody our organisation's core values: ambitious, collaborative, compassionate, empowering, and innovative. We believe in the power of these values to drive positive change, deliver excellent public services and shape a better future for our communities.

We’re also about potential over perfection and we can help you grow in the role and thrive in your career.

Be sure to take a look at the post specification (below) for the essential criteria for this role.

Contact

For more information about the role or to arrange an informal chat prior to your application, please contact Sharon.Slack@cumbria.gov.uk or Ann.Pearless@cumbria.gov.uk.

DBS Checks
This role requires a DBS check. The level of check for this role is - Enhanced DBS Check with a Children and Adults Barred List check.

Please note this role involves working in regulated activity with Children and Adults. It is an offence for people who are barred from working in regulated activity to apply for roles that require them to work unsupervised with Children and Adults.

Guaranteed Interviews

We offer a guaranteed interview to the following applicants as long as your application can demonstrate you meet the essential criteria for the role.

• Those who consider themselves disabled as defined by the Equality Act 2010
• Those in care or who have left care and are aged 24 and under
• Armed forces veterans whose last long term substantive employer was the armed forces

If you meet one or more of the criteria above, and wish to be considered for this scheme, select 'yes' to the appropriate question during your application. Find out more.

Diversity, Inclusion & Adjustments
We’re dedicated to enhancing the diversity of our workforce and we encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds. That’s why we’re a proud Disability Confident Employer and also an Age Friendly Employer – to provide opportunities for everyone to thrive.

If you need any reasonable adjustments to participate in the recruitment process, please let either the hiring manager or our Resourcing Team know by emailing Resourcing@Cumberland.gov.uk. While adjustments aren’t always guaranteed, we’ll always listen and we’ll try our best to accommodate your needs.

Application and Interview information

Closing date: 20^th April 2025

Interview date: TBC

Please note this role may close early subject to demand. If you’re interested in applying, you should apply well before the advised closing date. We cannot accept applications once the role has closed.

Please read the supporting information:

Post Specification 

Please also refer to our Careers site to find out more:

• Our Staff Benefits
• Candidate Support
• About Cumberland Council