Childrens Social Worker – Life Long Families Team – #000B52F01

Job Description

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council is seeking an experienced Childrens Social Worker to join its Life Long Families Team on a locum basis from 28 September to 30 November 2026, based at 10 Duke Street, Blackburn (BB2 1DH). Rate: £35 per hour via XMS.

This specialist permanence and adoption role carries statutory responsibility for children on Placement Orders with a care plan of adoption. You will work closely with the RAA Adoption Lancashire Blackpool to track children in the PLO or court arena, attend care planning meetings, and from the point of Placement Order take full statutory responsibility — completing all LAC functions including visits, PEPs, and reviews whilst progressing family-finding and adoption panel matches.

Central to the role is ensuring the child’s voice is heard and that all documentation — including the CPR, panel paperwork, and life story materials — is written to support the child’s understanding of their identity and journey as they grow older. You will undertake direct work to prepare children for adoption, support placement moves, and present evidence to court robustly analysing the ongoing need for adoption.

The team also offers opportunities to contribute to service-wide development, including delivering training, improving information resources for children, birth families, and adopters, and involvement in early permanence quality assurance.

Requirements: qualified social worker with a minimum of three years post-qualifying experience in children’s statutory social work. Five-year referencing and employment gap checks required. DfE Recommendation Compliance Questions must be completed and uploaded to the candidate record prior to submission — applications without this will not proceed.

Contact us today to express your interest.

What’s on offer:

* Excellent, competitive pay rates – paid weekly
* Supportive management team with approachable, experienced leaders
* A desirable location with great transport links
* A stable, well-resourced, and encouraging working environment

Why join Semester.co.uk?

* Free ongoing CPD and training opportunities to enhance your skills
* Competitive rates of pay with prompt, reliable payments through our in-house payroll
* Enhanced DBS processing included
* Dedicated, friendly consultant offering tailored support
* Access to a wide range of opportunities in your chosen location

Ready to take the next step? Click ‘Apply’ now to express your interest in this role, or explore other exciting opportunities with Semester.co.uk.