Childrens Social Worker

Salary details: £ - £

At Derbyshire County Council we want to help make a difference in Derbyshire by investing in you!

That’s why we’re looking for enthusiastic and motivated qualified social workers to come and join our teams around the county.

Derbyshire is a large authority and is split into six localities: Amber Valley, Chesterfield, Erewash, High Peak (Buxton, Glossop, New Mills and Matlock), Bolsover and North East, and South Derbyshire.

Alongside our Locality teams we have a countywide Disability Children Service, based in Alfreton.

We also have an opportunity within Starting Point (Derbyshire County Council’s multi-agency and multi-disciplinary front door to children’s services and early help), based in Darley Dale, Matlock. 

The front door ensures that all referrals into Children’s Services are effectively considered by applying timely informed decisions based on the needs of the child/family, multi-agency information sharing and a consistent application of the Derby and Derbyshire Safeguarding Partnership threshold.  The aim is that children and families who require help receive it at the most appropriate lowest level of intervention, receiving the right help at the right time.

We currently have opportunities in all six localities and within our Children Disability Teams and Starting Point

Amber Valley : full time posts and 1 part time post

North East Derbyshire : full time posts and part time posts

Chesterfield:  full time posts and part time posts

Erewash: 1 full time post and 1 part time post

South Derbyshire: full time posts and 1 part time post

High Peak:  full time posts and 1 part time post

Childrens Disability Service:  full time posts and 1 part time post

Starting Point: full time posts

About Us

Over recent years we have supported a number of newly qualified social workers to progress in their careers with us and have added experienced social workers to our existing workforce.

Derbyshire is an ambitious and innovative Authority and is keen to continue to build upon our successful recruitment by adding to our existing workforce. We offer supportive frameworks and excellent progression opportunities.

We work hard to ensure that our Social Workers have the time and resources to be their best and 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.

We want to shine a light on how valuable our employees are, the excellent work they do each day and utilise individuals unique qualities and strengths that makes up our diverse teams.

94% of our staff in Children’s Social Work are proud to work for Derbyshire County Council and we strive to offer the best service to our service users. (From our Annual Employee Survey 2022)

Following our focused visit in September 2022 Ofsted said:

• Social workers describe a leadership team that communicates with them clearly.

• Social workers understand and are committed to Derbyshire’s children’s services’ vision, which maintains children at the heart of decisions made.

• They say they are happy and feel well supported. One social worker stated, ‘I trust the people I work with, and I feel trusted.’ Others spoke positively of receiving praise from senior leaders and a culture of celebrating successes.

• Supervision and management oversight are regular with clear sensible advice and defined timescales.

We believe that your 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:

• A focus on achieving consistently manageable case loads
• Accelerated pay progression opportunities
• Access to an excellent range of training and development opportunities, worth over £5000
• Systemic training equivalent to Post Graduate Certificate
• Excellent supervision and a supportive peer network
• Effective leadership and management
• Fantastic opportunities for career progression and further formal qualifications
• Diverse range of cases providing an exciting, challenging and rewarding career
• DBS fee covered and Social Work England registration fee reimbursed

In addition to Derbyshire being a fantastic place to live and work, with the miles of peaceful countryside and great transport links to serval cities and towns, there are a number of perks to being a Derbyshire County Council employee:

• 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
• Various Employee Networks championing inclusivity across the council

To get more insight on what its like to be a Social Worker in Derbyshire and what progression may look like for you, click here.

These roles also attract a market supplement.  This is a separate payment made in addition to the normal salary as detailed below.  All market supplement payments are reviewed 6 months prior to their proposed end date to determine whether the supplement should continue.

If you are Social Work qualified and have Social Worker England registration, or are a graduate waiting for registration, we would love to hear from you. If you would like any more information then please contact socialwork.childrens@derbyshire.gov.uk

Due to this post having access to children and/or vulnerable adults, the successful candidate will be required to undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service check. The possession of a criminal record will not necessarily prevent an applicant from obtaining this post, as all cases are judged individually according to the nature of the role and information provided. Click here to see our policy on criminal background checks.