Social Worker - New Central / Assessment Team

We are looking to recruit to four new Social Worker posts for our new Central/Assessment Team in North Somerset Council Children's Services. This team will work alongside the Front Door and undertake any new assessments, Child in Need, Section 47, where Emergency Protection is needed and where identified by the Front Door Triage team.

The social worker post will include responding to immediate safeguarding concerns and undertaking visits to family homes as well as schools, nurseries etc. You will be expected to complete work within statutory guidance and will be supported through supervision from your line manager.

This role will require social workers with previous experience of assessments or have knowledge around assessment and Section 47 investigations.

Your role will be predominately short-term intervention work before moving the family on and making long-term plans and decisions for the children and young people in our area.

The work you undertake will be at some of the most difficult and challenging times for the children and young people we work with. You will therefore you will be expected to be compassionate and kind with a desire to support the child/young person and their families and ensure support is in place to reduce any risk of harm identified.

The role will be based in the Town Hall, Weston-super-Mare and it is expected that the team will be working in the Town Hall during the office hours which are 8.45am to 5pm each day. However, there may be times when you may need to work from another office or home.

You need to work in a timely manner and be able to be flexible when there is a need to support children and young people. This can sometimes be out of hours. Any out of hours work undertaken will be able to be claimed back using flexi time as you will be working under a flexible workers policy.

North Somerset Council is on an exciting journey of further transformation and improvement in its Children's Services. We are looking for passionate, creative, experienced, child-centred qualified social workers to join us. You will be supported by a strong and consistent senior management team, with a manageable caseload, high quality reflective supervision, working in supportive and creative social work teams.

This position is exempt under the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions) Order 1975 and is subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.

A valid driving licence and own transport, or be able to provide alternative, suitable method of travel is an essential condition for this role.

About you

The successful candidate will:

Be a qualified Social Worker (with a Social Work England Registration) with a passion for working with children and their families to help improve their outcomes and to keep them safe from harm using a strengths-based approach.
Have sound knowledge of relevant childcare legislation, including a clear understanding of 'Working Together to Safeguard Children' and fostering regulations and legislation.
Have an ability to build effective relationships with children, young people, and families., Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.

At North Somerset Council, we offer a hybrid working environment based on four distinct work styles. Depending on the role and personal circumstances, you will fall into one of these categories. However, please note that during the induction period, it may be necessary to spend more time in the office to support your learning and development. We are flexible and open to discussions about your preferred working style, and if you wish to be in the office more frequently, this can be negotiated.

This role falls into the category of Fixed Worker which means you can expect to work in the following way:

4+ days in the office
Spends most or all of their time in the office, due to nature of the work but can be for reasons such as unsuitable home working conditions or a desire for separation of home and work life.
The office remains a shared space with cultural encouragement for clear desk policies.

What We Offer

At North Somerset Council, we value our employees and provide a supportive and inclusive work environment.

We offer:

Competitive salary and benefits
Flexible working arrangements
Local Government Pension
Opportunities for professional development
Inclusive Staff groups including Carers, Disabled, LGBTQ+, REACH (Race, Ethnicity, and Cultural Heritage), and Young Staff Forums
Opportunity to purchase up to an additional 10 days annual leave each year
Dedicated in house Wellbeing Team
Salary sacrifice Cycle to Work and Electric Vehicle schemes