We have an opportunity for multiple Family Court Advisers in the Work To First Hearing OR Independent Assessment Service at Cafcass – are you interested? Or can you recommend someone for £250 if placed?

Office locations available: Birmingham, Stoke/Staffs, Worcester & Black Country

Work to First Hearing

• This is like their Front Door service

• Receive Private Law applications and review them along with information gathered from police, Local Authorities etc.
• All contact is by phone
• Write Safeguarding letters to the court based on your findings
• Office attendance 1-2 times per month
• Desk-based role – 80% – 90% home working

Independent Assessment Service (IAS)

• A Cafcass service providing early, focused safeguarding and welfare assessments to help courts make timely and informed decisions in private law cases.
• The Independent Assessment Service (IAS) is a specialist part of Cafcass that undertakes early, time-limited assessments in private law children cases (for example, disputes about child arrangements after separation).
• Carry out initial safeguarding and welfare assessments
• Help the family court understand risk, safety, and the child’s situation at an early stage
• Decide whether a case can be resolved quickly or needs more intensive Cafcass involvement (such as a full Section 7 report)

An IAS practitioner (a qualified social worker / Family Court Adviser) may:

• Speak with both parents
• Carry out safeguarding checks with police and local authorities
• Consider any allegations of harm or domestic abuse
• Provide concise analysis and recommendations to the court
• Identify whether further work by Cafcass or another body is required

IAS assessments are shorter and more focused than full welfare reports, and are designed to support earlier decision-making by the court.

IAS was developed to help Cafcass manage:

• Rising court demand
• The need for earlier intervention
• Faster identification of cases that need deeper investigation versus those that can progress without it

Please only apply for this role if you meet the requirements at the bottom of the advert.

We are an approved supplier to Cafcass, achieving this status through a competitive process and retaining it by delivering quality, timely and compliant services. Being one of Cafcass’ preferred partners ensures we will always be given priority access to any Social Work vacancies they ask external agencies to support them with.

Requirements of the role:

• Social Work qualified
• Social Work England registered
• Significant post-qualified experience in statutory children & families social work (not subject to DFE rules) - ideally 2-3 years minimum in a children’s local authority social work post.
• The nature and speed of the work means experience of working recently in a children’s MASH / Duty setting would be ideal, as there is a need to respond to and analyse high levels of information quickly.
• Excellent time management and organisational skills
• Good risk management/safeguarding skills

Please apply online or contact Lindsey Morgan asap to discuss in more detail. We are offering £250 joining bonus for new starters with Reed.

Alternatively, we are offering £250 if you refer a friend or colleague and they are placed successfully into this or any other QSW role.