Looked After Children Worker
Support children and young people in the care system through leaving care, placement transitions, and virtual school engagement — a local authority children's services role at Level 4/5 or social work degree level.
Low
Very high
Level 4/5 NVQ or Certificate: 1–2 years; social work degree: 3 years (BA) or 2 years (MA for graduates); direct entry possible with relevant Level 3 qualification and experience for some roles
No single mandatory qualification. Most local authority LAC worker posts require Level 4/5 qualification in Social Care, Children and Young People, or Health and Social Care, or a social work degree (BA or MA Social Work). Personal Adviser roles are increasingly graduate-level. DBS Enhanced check required. Some local authorities also require a driving licence.
What you do
Looked After Children (LAC) Workers support children and young people who are in local authority care, including those placed in foster care, residential children's homes, kinship placements, and supported accommodation. You work within the corporate parenting framework, ensuring that children in care are supported to achieve their educational, health, and personal potential. Specific roles include Personal Adviser (working with care leavers aged 16–25 under the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000), Virtual School Worker (supporting looked-after children's education attainment and engagement, managed by the local authority Virtual School Head), and LAC reviewing support worker (assisting with statutory LAC review processes).
You hold individual relationships with young people and their carers, co-produce Pathway Plans with care leavers, support access to housing, education, employment and training, and maintain contact with multiple agencies. You advocate for young people in education settings, support their emotional wellbeing, and help them navigate the transition from care to independence — a period recognised as exceptionally high-risk for social exclusion, homelessness, and mental health crisis. Many LAC workers also work in residential children's homes or with unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC).
Why this career is resilient
Looked-after children represent one of the most vulnerable and high-priority groups in local authority services. Corporate parenting is a statutory function — local authorities have a legal duty to support care leavers up to age 25 under the Children and Social Work Act 2017, creating a permanent structural demand for LAC and leaving care workers. The number of children in care in England has been consistently rising, driven by increasing child poverty, family breakdown, and the long-term effects of austerity on family support services.
While the role does not carry statutory social worker status, the complexity of the work — navigating corporate parenting, education, housing, mental health, and criminal justice systems simultaneously for young people with significant trauma histories — means experienced LAC workers are valued and difficult to replace. Many LAC workers progress to qualify as social workers, and local authorities actively support this progression. The emotional demand and specialist knowledge base of the role creates a genuine professional expertise.
A typical day
Morning: a home visit to a care leaver aged 19 in their first independent tenancy — review the Pathway Plan, support them to complete a college application, and discuss a benefit entitlement query. Phone call to the virtual school to chase attendance data for a looked-after child. Afternoon: a Looked After Child statutory review, presenting the care plan update to the Independent Reviewing Officer, carers, and the young person. Complete care records in the children's case management system. Brief check-in with a Personal Adviser colleague about a shared young person who is at risk of eviction.
Routes in
Full-time college course
Study full-time at a further education college, usually for 1–2 years. You will need to fund yourself or apply for a student loan (available for Level 4+ courses).
Employer-funded training
Some employers — particularly the NHS, emergency services, and larger care providers — run their own funded training programmes. You apply for a job and train as you work.
Pay and costs
Earning potential: Local authority LAC Worker at Level 4/5: equivalent to NHS Band 5 (£29,970–£36,483) in most councils. Qualified social worker in LAC team: equivalent to NHS Band 5 (£29,970–£36,483) or Band 6 (£37,338–£44,962) depending on LA pay scale and experience. Leaving care Personal Adviser: typically £27,000–£35,000. Senior LAC roles: £34,000–£44,000.
Training costs: Level 4/5 qualification: approximately £1,500–£4,000; often employer-funded for existing LA staff. Social work degree: standard tuition fees; student loans available. Social Work bursary funding available for eligible social work students — check NHS Business Services Authority. DBS check — typically employer-funded. Driving licence often required; mileage allowance paid.