Social Worker

Social Worker – Maternity Cover

Employer: North London NHS Foundation Trust
Location: FDAC London, 33a Daleham Gardens, London, NW3 5BU
Salary: £47,951 – £56,863 per year, including HCAS
Band: 6
Contract: Fixed term – 12 months
Hours: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week
Closing date: 20 October 2026
Reference: 455-NLFT-8270891

Skilled Worker Sponsorship

Skilled Worker sponsorship: Applications from candidates who require current Skilled Worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside other applications.

Applicants must have current UK professional registration with Social Work England.

About the Role

North London NHS Foundation Trust is recruiting a Band 6 Social Worker for a 12-month maternity cover position within the Family Drug and Alcohol Court (FDAC) team.

The role involves providing social work expertise as part of the multidisciplinary assessment of families and parents referred to the service. You will assess parenting capacity, engagement with therapeutic work and safeguarding risks, with the safety and wellbeing of children remaining central to the role.

You will also help develop intervention plans and coordinate support from local authority, NHS and independent-sector services to meet the needs of families.

Main Responsibilities

The successful candidate will:

• Lead on safeguarding children and assessment of parenting capacity.
• Provide professional advice relating to substance misuse within the FDAC team.
• Develop clear pathways of care and support for families.
• Work with multidisciplinary and multi-agency professionals across London.
• Present reports in an authoritative manner in Court on a regular basis.
• Work autonomously while collaborating closely with FDAC colleagues.
• Contribute to the evaluation and development of the service.
• Support parents and children through a specialist model designed to address parental substance misuse and improve outcomes for families.

The post is likely to be based at South London Family Court every Friday, with travel required across London.

About the Family Drug and Alcohol Court Team

The London Family Drug and Alcohol Court has been operating since 2008 and serves 14 Local Authorities across four Family Courts.

The specialist team brings together substance misuse practitioners, children and family social workers, and child and adult mental health expertise. The service works with parents and children while advising the courts and connecting families with relevant local services.

Essential Requirements

Applicants should have:

• A UK-recognised social work qualification.
• Current registration with Social Work England.
• Broad experience working with children, young people and families/carers, including those aged 16 and above.
• Experience working as a social worker with young children and families, including the ability to work autonomously.
• Experience with looked-after children or challenging populations requiring skilled and complex interventions.
• Experience working within a multi-professional network.
• Experience applying social work within a multicultural framework.
• Knowledge of safeguarding children and relevant legislation.
• Knowledge of social work theory and practice.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for conveying complex and clinically sensitive information.
• Resilience when dealing with distressing and highly emotional clinical work.
• The ability to work collaboratively and flexibly across different roles and contexts.
• A willingness to continue developing therapeutic skills alongside core social work skills.

Desirable Experience

Experience in a community-based multi-professional team, facilitating case reviews, peer support or group work would be advantageous.

Knowledge of research methodology, clinical audit, consultation around social work and safeguarding issues, and clinical governance is also desirable.

DBS Check

This position is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975.

Applicants requiring Skilled Worker sponsorship may also need to provide criminal record certificates from countries where they have lived for the required periods under UK immigration rules.

Application Process

The closing date for applications is 20 October 2026.

Reference: 455-NLFT-8270891

For questions about the position, contact Katie Walker, Clinical Lead, Family Drug & Alcohol Court London on 020 3961 3400 or kwalker@tavi-port.nhs.uk.

Source: NHS Jobs / North London NHS Foundation Trust