Preparing for an interview within children’s services can be nerve-wracking, especially if it is your first ever social work job interview.

However, with the right set of practice interview questions, you are most likely to outshine other candidates.

You can find questions that may be asked when interviewing for a role in Adult Services HERE.

As Jim Rohn rightly said, part of success is preparation on purpose.

So, in this article, I am going to list some key questions you are likely to be asked in your interview for a role in children’s services.

Let’s go!

What do Children Services do?

Children services within a local authority assess children and their family’s needs for support. They play a vital role in ensuring that children are cared for and protected effectively.

The local authority children services also have a duty to safeguard children, who may be at risk of harm.

How do you prepare for a social work interview?

Preparing for a social work interview within children’s services requires you to prepare with intention.

You should research on the organisation and role you are interviewing for. Also, you need to identify your experiences and skills that are most relevant to the job you have applied for.

To ensure that you are fully prepared for your interview, don’t forget to read this article on How to Prepare for Your Social Work Interview

Several questions may be asked during a social work interview within CHILDREN SERVICES, however, the most common ones are as follows;

1. Tell me about yourself.
2. What skills do you bring to this role?
3. How does your previous experience relate to the role you have applied for?
4. Why do you want to be a social worker?
5. Why do you want to work for this organisation?
6. What will your key tasks within this role be?
7. What do you know about this organisation?
8. How did you find out about this role?
9. What do you expect to do on a day-to-day basis?
10. Tell about your ability to work under pressure?
11. Do you have any child protection experience?
12. Why do you want to work with children?
13. What are your strengths?
14. What are your weaknesses?
15. Have you had the experience of working with people of a race or sexual orientation different from yours?
16. How will you ensure that the child’s voice is captured during direct work?
17. Tell me about a time you lead a project.
18. How do you prioritise your work?
19. What do you understand by emotional resilience?
20. What do you judge to be your major successes or accomplishments in life?
21. What lessons did you learn?
22. What would you do differently in future?
23. Tell us about a time when you have had to deal with conflict when working with a service user?
24. How do you plan on maintaining your health and wellbeing?
25. How would you ensure that your professional development is kept up to date?
26. Are you prepared to carry out home visits?
27. Which pieces of legislation do you think are essential for this role?
28. Why do you want this role?
29. What are your experiences of working in a team or independently?
30. How have you worked with others to achieve a common goal?
31. What do you do for self-care?
32. Why should you be chosen for this role?
33. What is your understanding of professionalism? You can find my article on The Beginner’s Guide to Professionalism in Social Work Practice HERE.
34. How would you ensure that records are kept up to date?
35. How have you worked to resolve a conflict at work?
36. How will you ensure that your duty as a social worker is carried out to the highest standards possible?
37. What do you understand by safeguarding children?
38. What do you know about the Children Act 1989/2004?
39. How would you ensure information is shared on a need to know basis?
40. Could you give me an example of a complex child protection case you were involved with?
41. NOTE: Expect some scenario-based questions and questions on problem solving and implementing change.
42. Give an example of a challenging situation and how you addressed it.
43. You are likely to be asked whether you have questions for the panel, so prepare some intelligent questions.

Adult Social Work Sample Interview Questions | Free Download 

What Qualities Make a Good Social Worker?

The role of a social worker is highly demanding yet rewarding. It is a job that requires a set of essential skills and qualities to deal with the challenges within the role.

You may be required to carry out assessments with children, adults or families so you can identify their needs and recommend the right level of support or intervention.

To perform your role effectively, you need a set of essential skills.

What are the set of qualities and skills needed to be an effective social worker?

1. The ability to be empathic
2. Being authentic
3. Respecting individuals, their families and other professionals
4. Working within a legislative framework
5. Setting and maintaining professional boundaries
6. Completing and maintaining accurate records
7. Keeping records up to date
8. Having the ability to multitask
9. Ability to remain calm when under pressure
10. Assessment skills
11. Critical analytic skills
12. Report writing skills
13. Effective communication skills
14. Desire to engage in lifelong learning

Checklist for Preparing for a Social Work Job Interview