London Social Work for Children

About Waltham Forest

Waltham Forest borders Hackney, Haringey, Enfield, Redbridge and Epping Forest District Council, in north-east London. Within the borough we have four main neighbourhood areas with a distinct identity: Chingford, Leyton, Leytonstone, and Walthamstow.

An estimated 278,400 residents call Waltham Forest home. Waltham Forest has a younger-than-average population with 24.5% of residents being aged 0 to 19 compared to 23% in London and 23% nationally.

Waltham Forest is one of the most ethnically diverse areas in London and we believe it is this diversity that makes the borough so great. More than two thirds of residents are from a global majority background around a third of residents are born outside the UK and around one in five are EU nationals.

As a Greater London borough, Waltham Forest has excellent rail links at several locations including Walthamstow Central (underground), Walthamstow Queens Road, Leyton Midland, Leytonstone High Road and St. James Street, to name a few.

In addition to links to underground rail services (Victoria line) there is also an overhead rail service that links to London Liverpool Street. Various bus services also operate throughout the borough.

*Picture Credit information: GOJ pic is supplied by Gods Own Junkyard. Farmers Market pic depicts ‘Vendors and customers at the Walthamstow Farmers’ Market; taking place on the High Street every Sunday’

About children's social work in Waltham Forest

We know what social work is WORTH! Make the difference to the lives of children and families in Waltham Forest!

Are you a family-focused, committed and innovative social worker?

Waltham Forest provides a great environment for qualified social workers to develop and flourish.

We have a strong and stable team of senior leaders and social work managers, who are seeking ambitious practitioners to join our journey to excellence. We have developed new and innovative ways to build our communities, driven by culture and the innate creativity of our residents.

What our staff say

As a borough which celebrates diversity and inclusivity, we believe that it is important for you to hear from a cross-section of staff working within Waltham Forest. Watch a selection of our staff case studies below.

Why join us at Waltham Forest?

9 out of 10 staff in our social care teams enjoy our strong learning culture, which focuses on new and emerging trends
We invest in your development to help you find your niche, specialising in areas underpinned by a clear strengths-based approach
Inspiring leadership and ambition rated Outstanding
Diverse and inclusive teams who improve lives and make a real difference – a safe and inclusive environment, with active employee-led networks and initiatives
A brand-new Town Hall HQ at Fellowship Square, with innovative and flexible workspace

Pilots, Programmes & Partnerships

We are at the forefront of national practice and pride ourselves on being a first-class learning organisation.

This has enabled us to build and expand upon our recent successes to not only continue existing programmes but embrace a range of innovative fast-track programmes, participate in national pilots and form new collaborative partnerships. These include:

Our offer to you

A rewarding role in an Ofsted rated GOOD children’s services department
Stable leadership rated by Ofsted as OUTSTANDING
New Social Work Academy
Strong Continuing Professional Development (CPD) offer including Virtual Reality (VR) training
Competitive salaries and retention bonuses
A range of health & Wellbeing initiatives and vibrant staff-led networks such as our Race Equality Network
Flexible working options
Manageable caseloads
Travel season ticket loan, cycle scheme, Local Authority pension