See what we did there… You may have seen a number of adverts and video content published by us recently – this is due to our partnership with Brighter Futures for Children who are responsible for the delivery of Children’s Services in the town.
With the Civic Offices based opposite The Oracle shopping centre in the heart of Reading, the company is wholly owned by Reading Borough Council, but run by an independent Board of Directors. This gives the company the flexibility to strive for the best possible outcomes for children.
The organisation live by their core values which are:
Honest – transparent and open about how we work
Creative – not bound by convention
Caring – every decision made in the best interest of the child
Quality-driven – efficient, effective and professional
Respectful – we will value diversity
Responsible – a prudent organisation and a good partner, using limited resources wisely
As an organisation, they have access to Department for Education transformation fund money to ensure that their social workers have all the tools they need to do a great job, which in turn achieves manageable caseloads. Brighter Futures are committed to working with staff through coaching, mentoring and support, offering permanent staff great training and development opportunities. We have vacancies to suit everyones needs and can arrange interviews at short notice:
Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub
Access and Assessment
Family Intervention
Children with Disabilities
Looked after Children
Access and Assessment consists of four teams that deal with all s17 and s47 assessments. The Family Intervention Service picks up cases from the Access and Assessment Teams. This is longer-term work with Child in Need, Child Protection and cases within the Public Law outline. With average caseloads of between 18-20 (and a commitment to keep them manageable) Brighter Futures for Children is definitely a place where you can focus on working with Children and Young People.
Reasons to live in Reading
Reading is the county town of Berkshire, located in the heart of the Thames Valley. It has a mix of traditional town centre and mall shopping, with familiar names as well as independent shops. There are a variety of restaurants and bars, and a strong cultural scene. People who live in Reading regularly praise its:
Excellent train services for commuters (set to improve with the arrival of Crossrail)
30-minute journey time to Heathrow and London
Diverse range of homes, including new-build and riverside homes
Excellent shopping
Good schools
Shopping: Reading is a major shopping centre and home to The Oracle arcade which has more than 80 stores, including high-street favourites such as Debenhams and House of Fraser. Tired shoppers can rest their feet in one of the arcade’s many cafés, restaurants and bars. The town also boasts three smaller arcades: the Bristol and West Arcade, the Harris Arcade and The Walk where you’ll find smaller, more specialist shops. Broad Street is another popular shopping destination, with shops including John Lewis, Marks & Spencer and Primark. For markets, head to the street market held in Hosier Street, or check out the famers’ market that is held for two days every month in the city centre.
History and heritage: Wander around the ruins of Reading Abbey, once one of Europe’s largest and wealthiest medieval centres. It was founded in 1121 and now sits in the Abbey Quarter in the centre of the town. Reading Minster is also worth a look around. It was founded in the 7th Century and is still an active place of worship. You can also visit to listen to organ and choir music.
Further your knowledge of the town at Reading Museum. It’s home to Victorian art and also has a large collection of biscuit tins that reference Reading’s past as one of the largest biscuit producers in the world. For ancient history, visit the Ure Museum of Greek Archaeology. It’s home to one of the largest collections of Greek ceramics in Britain.
Green spaces: Admire the landscaped Forbury Gardens. It’s home to the Maiwand Lion, which is dedicated to the loss of Berkshire men at the Battle of Maiwand. Urban peace can also be found at the Caversham Court Gardens. These gardens have a Green Flag award as well as a Green Heritage Site award. The site dates back to the 12th century and was updated in 2009. Get active by joining one of the town’s many rowing or canoeing clubs. The town hosts regattas every year. Clubs such as Reading Rowing Club host courses that can teach you the basics of the sport. Alternatively, hire a boat to cruise down the Thames and Kennet rivers. Some steamers also offer jazz cruises, so you can enjoy some music as well as the scenery.
Festivals: The town is the host of the Reading Festival, one of Britain’s most popular music festivals. It draws large crowds every year to hear international and up-and-coming bands.
Beer is also celebrated at the Reading Beer Festival. It’s held over the May Day weekend and regularly offers more than 500 different ales to sample. You can celebrate the town’s riverside heritage at Waterfest. This annual event includes boat parades and huge water fights.
Food & drink: Sample an award-winning pie at Sweeney & Todd or enjoy a casual meal at micro-brewery Zero Degrees. For a quirky music venue as well as a drink, head to Purple Turtle Bar. It’s recently undergone a £1m refurbishment and its retro style is a favourite of locals. For a quirky afternoon tea, head to Whittington’s Tea Barge on the River Thames.
