We have opportunities for agency FCAs at Cafcass covering the Work To First Hearing service – are you interested?


Or can you recommend someone for £250 if placed?


AREAS AVAILABLE: Bristol, Reading, Oxford or Swindon


ASSIGNMENT LENGTH: Until end of June 2026 initially


Paid at £37.75 per hour.


Work to First Hearing (similar to MASH skillset)
*Work to First Hearing 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
*90% home working, no visits


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.




Work to First Hearing Team will involve the following:
*You are considering risks to children subject to private law applications only
*The work is fast-paced and time limited and tends to focus solely on the work undertaken leading up to the first hearing to help the court consider how to proceed.
*The role is focused on safeguarding of children and FCAs review applications, gather and analyse information from the police and local authorities and (usually via telephone) interview the parties to consider the risks and alert the court to any safeguarding concerns.
*The role requires excellent skills in analysis, leading to Cafcass providing advice to the court about next steps. They may also need to consider referrals to other services to support families. FCAs may also attend private law First Hearings and give evidence as required. This may be in person or remotely at the court’s discretion.
*EIT was created due to the unaddressed risks in private law cases. They are often working with quite vulnerable families who may or may not be known to children’s social care and identify safeguarding concerns.
*It’s your role to consider the impact of these allegations and support the court to consider what this means for children and what needs to happen to resolve these issues
*This is a fast-paced team and the work is consistent. It means we need to be highly organised and highly motivated to ensure arrangements proposed to the parents, carers or other family members are in children’s best interests.
*The challenge in EIT is that we don’t see children but still need to put each child ’front and centre’.


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)
*Ability to write focused and analytical reports
*Excellent time management – court deadlines are non-negotiable
*Experience of child protection work, preferably within a statutory agency. The nature and speed of the work means experience of working recently in a MASH / Duty team (or similar) is helpful as there is a need to respond to and analyse high levels of information quickly.


Please contact me 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.