About the role
This is a full-time post based within the Children with Disabilities Service in the Chesterfield team at The Polygon, Alfreton, alongside other experienced Social Workers, Community Care Workers and Children’s Occupational Therapists.
The post is fixed term to July 2024, to cover for secondment.
The role is currently being carried out with a hybrid working arrangement, predominantly working from home with the occasional requirement to work from the office. Whilst we have found this way of working an effective way of carrying out the role we cannot guarantee that this arrangement will continue once the successful candidates are in place.
Derbyshire is committed to increasing the number of social workers as part of our strategy to reduce caseloads and promote effective working relationships with children and families through our systemic approach to social work intervention.
We support newly qualified social workers to progress in their career through supportive frameworks and excellent progression opportunities. We work hard to ensure that our social workers have the time and resources to deliver good outcomes for children and families. Our vision means working creatively to inspire and empower children, young people, and their families to be the best they can be.
What will you be doing?
- Provide a quality social work service that supports individuals and communities to achieve their potential.
- Effectively manage a caseload to achieve the best outcomes for individuals, groups, and communities.
- Working in partnership with individuals build and sustain relationships, identify needs, and develop plans and responses that meet those needs.
What skills and experience do you need?
- BA Honours in Social Work and current Social Work England registration (refer to job and person profile for more information).
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a person-centred approach to building a rapport and relationships with children and families.
- Ability to reflect on own practice and development enabling flexible and thoughtful social work practice and positive change.
For Newly Qualified Social Workers the starting salary is £34,038 pro rata.
In line with our performance capability framework, systemic practice model and continued professional development, qualified registered social workers are eligible to progress from grade 9 to 11, which attracts a salary of between £34,038 up to £40,713 pro rata.
Posts in our child protection and children in care teams currently include a market supplement (in place until the end of June 2023). This is a separate payment made in addition to the basic salary as detailed.
Market supplement payment per annum
Salary including market supplement per annum
Grade 10: pay points 20 to 23
£31,109 to £34,314 pro rata
£34,109 to £37,314 pro rata
Grade 11: pay points 24 to 27
£35,414 to £38,713 pro rata
£37,414 to £40,713 pro rata
We believe that hard work and commitment to your role should be rewarded, so we offer a package to our social workers that will ensure you always feel supported and valued:
- manageable case loads
- diverse range of cases providing an exciting, challenging and rewarding career
- effective leadership and management which helps to reduce risk for our social workers and the children and families they support
- excellent supervision and a supportive peer network
- accelerated pay progression opportunities for frontline social workers following their ASYE
- systemic training equivalent to a foundation level Post Graduate Certificate
- access to an excellent range of training and development opportunities, worth over £5000, including leadership and management development
- Corporate membership with Research in Practice – allowing access to reputable, evidence-based research, training, and resources
- fantastic opportunities to undertake further formal qualifications and career progression through our career pathways
- DBS check undertaken and paid for by us
- Social Work England registration fee reimbursed
For more information on Children and Family services and becoming a social worker in Derbyshire please visit https://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/social-health/children-and-families/social-worker-recruitment/be-a-social-worker-for-derbyshire.aspx
If you would like to talk to someone informally about this post, please ring and ask for Sarah Seddon, 01629 537600.
What benefits do we offer you?
- Local Government Pension Scheme
- generous annual leave and flexi-time scheme
- travel expenses
- discount on leisure centre memberships
- free car parking at most sites
- an in-house counselling service
- occupational health service
- access to sessions with a trained physiotherapist
- cycle to work scheme
An initial one off lump sum Welcome payment of £500 (pro-rata) is attached to this post payable in your first salary. If you voluntarily leave the Council’s employment within 12 months, you are required to repay some or all of the welcome payment (Terms and conditions apply). Further information on employee retention payments is available on our website at Salary scales - Our Derbyshire.