Agency Family Court Adviser (FCA) - Cafcass - Chelmsford

I am contacting you, because we have opportunities for agency FCAs at Cafcass in the Chelmsford office, - for the Work After First Hearing service – are you interested? Or can you recommend someone for £300 if placed? • 3 roles • Chelmsford office • 1-2 days office based, 1-2 days visiting children in the Essex area and 2 days remote • Work After First Hearing: Private Law and/or Public Law Pay rate: negotiable Work After First Hearing will involve the following: • Working in the Private and/or Public Law teams, Children’s Social Workers (or as we will professionally call you - Family Court Advisers) are involved in a combination of cases where either the families require the assistance to agree on the best arrangements for the welfare and safety of the child(ren) involved or the local authority has serious concerns and requests the involvement of Cafcass in the case. • Children’s Social Workers key responsibilities include: • Conducting assessments and directly engaging with children to understand and represent their views and wishes to the court. • Using expertise in robust risk assessment and mediation will be essential as you advocate for arrangements that prioritise the best interest of the children. • Private Law - If in a private law case after the first court hearing there is not an agreement about children or there are concerns about the welfare of children the court may ask us to write a Section 7 report to help the judge make a safe decision and the responsibility for doing this will transfer to the WAFH team. • Public Law - In public law a local authority has made an application to the court for authority to intervene in a child’s life as it is believed they are at risk of significant harm. FCAs are often referred to as ‘Children’s Guardians’ – they are the independent person who is there to promote the child’s welfare and ensure the arrangements made for the child are in their best interests. • Face-to-face visits • Lots of hybrid working Requirements of the role: • Social Work qualified • Social Work England registered • Significant post-qualified experience in children & families social care (not subject to DFE rules) - 2-3 years minimum in a children’s local authority social work post • Recent experience of Private and/or Public Law work • Court experience & confidence in the court arena • A high standard of assessment and case analysis • Confident in providing oral evidence when not represented by a solicitor/barrister. • Ability to produce written work to a high standard • Communicates effectively and demonstrates empathy with children & families within the family justice system • Effective communication and joint working with a range of professionals and agencies. • Be child-centred and understand how to engage with children creatively. 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 £300 if you refer a friend or colleague and they are placed successfully into this or any other QSW role.