Social Worker/ Advanced Social Worker - Family Safeguarding (Western Team)

Job Description

Are you looking for a role where you can focus on high-quality social work practice, be supported to develop your career and make a real difference to children and families? Come and join our Family Safeguarding Team in the West and be part of an ambitious service committed to improving outcomes!

About the Job

Salary: £46,324 - £59,682 per annum inclusive of market rate supplement

Contract: Permanent

Working Pattern: Full time, hybrid working 37 hours per week

Location: Based in Chichester and Bognor Regis

We have exciting opportunities to join our Family Safeguarding Western Team. We are offering both Social Worker and Advanced Social Worker roles in which you will be providing purposeful, multidisciplinary support to children between the ages of 0 and 18 and to their parents/carers and wider family. Check out our video here - Family Safeguarding in West Sussex!

We are looking for passionate, motivated, and resilient social workers who are excited by a different way of delivering support to children and families to enable lasting change. You will have specialist knowledge of social work practice and expertise to take the lead in complex situations, with the support of our fantastic small practice teams. You will work within a positive, nurturing environment where successes are celebrated and individuals within the team are supported to grow and develop.

As part of the national Families First Partnership Programme (FFP), West Sussex is helping shape a more connected and family-focused approach to supporting children and families. This is an exciting time to join West Sussex as we continue to develop our Family Safeguarding model and strengthen partnership working across children's social care, health, police and education. Through Family Help, Multi-Agency Child Protection and Family Group Decision Making, we provide joined-up support that helps ensure families receive the right support at the earliest opportunity. We are looking for collaborative professionals who thrive in a multi-disciplinary environment.

Family Safeguarding is a whole family, strengths-based approach to safeguarding children who need support or are at risk of harm. We work with families to help them identify and make real changes, so that they can stay together, and children can remain safely at home. For more information, please visit our dedicated web page - Our teams and family safeguarding model - West Sussex County Council.

What our social workers say

‘Within West Sussex there is a supportive culture which enables a more open and honest working environment, no matter the problem there is always help and guidance available. Team Managers encourage you to share with others and there is a vast variety of training offered for areas you may want further understanding and development.’ – Social Worker, Charlotte

How We Support You

At West Sussex County Council we aim to create a supportive and dynamic working environment where you can achieve your full potential, gain a healthy work-life balance, and are rewarded for the work you do with clear pathways to achieve your future aspirations. A few examples of these include:

• Flexible and hybrid working options to support a healthy work-life balance.
• Team support - Small practice teams, lead by a Team Manager and support by Child and Family Workers and dedicated embedded coordinators, helping you focus on delivering high-quality social work practice.
• Regular group supervision and peer learning alongside specialist roles within the team to focus on the most vulnerable children.
• We pay your Social Worker England registration fee.
• Excellent learning and development provisions with 5 CPD and training days per year and access to Research in Practice and Community Care Inform.
• An excellent local government pension scheme
• Generous holiday entitlement of up to 29 days (plus opportunity to buy additional leave)
• Health and wellbeing benefits including access to our Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and Voluntary Health Cash Plans.
• Retail discounts, discounted gym memberships, cycle to work scheme, car benefit scheme, travel discount and many more…

Career pathway:

We are committed to supporting your professional development and career aspirations. Whether you are looking to consolidate your practice, progress into an advanced social worker or move into a leadership role, we offer clear career pathways alongside learning and development opportunities to help you achieve your goals.

A full list of how we support you can be found at our Rewards and Benefits page.

What Makes You a Great Fit

Just some of the skills and experience you will need include:

• A recognised Social Work qualification e.g. Degree in Social Work, Post Graduate Certificate in Social Work, DipSW, CQSW or equivalent as recognised by the relevant professional body.
• Analyse and interpret complex information and data, being able to prioritise needs and devise plans for intervention and provision.
• Proactively work as a member of the team to make accurate assessments of needs and negotiate and implement effective outcomes.
• Develop strong relationships, working alongside carers, colleagues and external agencies to deliver an effective service.
• Communicate clearly and effectively in both written and oral format, including the ability to explain complicated information to a variety of people and use negotiation and persuasion skills to encourage others to adopt a course of action they may not wish to take.
• Completion of relevant post qualifying training.
• Registration with the relevant professional registration body and maintaining registration with that body.
• Knowledge of theoretical Social Work concepts and practices, with demonstrable examples of dealing with a breadth of complex issues and situations, for example, attachment, impact of developmental trauma and child development, motivational interviewing, relational practice, solution-focussed interventions and systemic working. A good understanding of anti-oppressive, anti-discriminatory and anti-racist practice in social work.
• You will need to be able to travel independently around the county, including to areas that may not be easily accessible by public transport. Pool cars are available.

For a full list of key skills and experience for the Advanced Social Worker or Social Worker role, please refer to the Social Worker G10 Job Description , Social Worker G11 Job Description , Social Worker G12 Job Description .

About Us

Here at West Sussex County Council, we are ambitious for our children, families and workforce. We are committed to continuous improvement and delivering the best possible outcomes for children and families, while creating an environment where social workers can thrive. We support our employees to achieve their career aspirations through clear development pathways, learning opportunities and a comprehensive package of supportive benefits.

This is an exciting time to join us as we continue to develop our Family Safeguarding model and shape the future of family support through the Families First Partnership Programme.

We are proud of the work we do and of being a supportive and inclusive employer. We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected and able to be themselves. To find out more about the work we do and the staff networks that help shape our inclusive workplace, please visit: Inclusion and belonging - West Sussex County Council.

For further information about us and about working in Children’s Social Care at West Sussex County Council, please visit Careers in children's social work in West Sussex.

Further information

The reference number for this role is 197.

For an informal conversation or for further information regarding the role, please contact Moira Keen (Service Manager) atmoira.keen@westsussex.gov.uk or Zara Lee (Service Manager) atzara.lee@westsussex.gov.ukand for issues or queries regarding your application please contactanamaria-iuliana.chicireanu@westsussex.gov.uk.

To apply, please follow the links below to upload your CV and Cover Letter. In your cover letter please outline your motivations for applying and explaining the skills and experience you can bring to the role (please refer to the key skills) ensuring that any gaps in employment are covered in your CV. Please ensure you have saved the job description attached to the main advert on our website as, once the job has closed, you may not have the opportunity to download again.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. This post is subject to Social Work England registration, an enhanced DBS check, 5 years referencing and a health check.

Equity, inclusion and accessibility is very important to West Sussex County Council. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, as this helps us build a diverse and talented workforce, that reflects the communities we serve. We ensure our approach to recruitment is flexible and supportive to enable all applicants to be at their best and to ensure they have the best possible chance of success. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support your application, please contactanamaria-iuliana.chicireanu@westsussex.gov.uk.

We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that have a disability, are a veteran or are a care leaver. More information can be found on our application helppage.

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About us

At West Sussex County Council (WSCC), we’re proud to serve a county full of opportunity, diversity, and natural beauty—from vibrant towns to rural communities and coastal areas. We provide vital public services that support the lives and wellbeing of over 850,000 residents, including education, social care, transport, fire and rescue, public health, environmental services, and many more. We believe our people are our greatest asset. That’s why we’re committed to creating a positive and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued, supported, and able to thrive. What we do changes lives, whether you’re on the frontline or behind the scenes, your work will have a meaningful impact to the residents of West Sussex. We promote flexible working, invest in learning and development, and foster a culture of respect, innovation, and collaboration. Joining WSCC means becoming part of a forward-thinking organization where your contributions help shape a better, fairer future for the communities we serve.

About

At West Sussex County Council (WSCC), we’re proud to serve a county full of opportunity, diversity, and natural beauty—from vibrant towns to rural communities and coastal areas. We provide vital public services that support the lives and wellbeing of over 850,000 residents, including education, social care, transport, fire and rescue, public health, environmental services, and many more. We believe our people are our greatest asset. That’s why we’re committed to creating a positive and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued, supported, and able to thrive. What we do changes lives, whether you’re on the frontline or behind the scenes, your work will have a meaningful impact to the residents of West Sussex. We promote flexible working, invest in learning and development, and foster a culture of respect, innovation, and collaboration. Joining WSCC means becoming part of a forward-thinking organisation where your contributions help shape a better, fairer future for the communities we serve.