Jobs

Can you support parents to achieve meaningful and sustainable change and help more children to remain safely within their birth families?
 
Are you an experienced social worker ready to progress your career and step into a role supporting our Newly Qualified Social Workers, modelling exceptional practice that will inspire and develop their skills at this important stage of their careers?
 
If so, we want to hear from you!
 
WHAT IS INVOLVED?
In our Pre-Birth team you will work closely with care leavers, young parents, and families who have previously been involved in care proceedings. By delivering intensive, relationship based intervention that supports parents to achieve meaningful and sustainable change you will help more children to remain safely within their birth families. Where this is not in the child’s best interest, you will work to find a permanent home for the child as early as possible utilising our early permanence procedures.
 
As an enhanced practitioner, in addition to holding a reduced caseload, you will use your experience and knowledge to:

• Provide advice and guidance to our Newly Qualified Social Workers to help them build their confidence, resilience, knowledge, and skills in line with the post qualifying standards.
• Plan and facilitate sessions that encourage our Newly Qualified Social Workers to reflect, develop multiple hypotheses and enable peer challenge and critical reflection in decision-making.  Sessions will incorporate the Signs of Safety practice model and trauma informed relational practice.
• Provide advice and guidance to Newly Qualified Social Workers on their cases and co-working more complex cases ensuring this reflection is evident on the child’s record and improves outcomes for the child.
• Work closely with the Practice Leads in our Social Work Academy and your Team Manager to ensure that the Newly Qualified Social Workers have appropriate caseloads in terms of number and complexity, and that they progress well. 

You will be joining us at a fantastic time. Inspectors have judged our Children’s Services as outstanding. You can read the full report here
 
If you are keen to find out more, please contact Sarah Anavberokhai - Independent Review Officer, for an informal discussion. You can contact Sarah by e-mail at Sarah.Anavberokhai@durham.gov.uk
 
HOW WILL WE SUPPORT YOU?
We are passionate about social work in County Durham. We are committed to providing a culture where good practice can flourish.
 
We will ensure you are highly supported.  You will benefit from high quality professional supervision, a great induction, and access to our strong learning and development offer.
 
Take a closer look
  
WHAT WILL I NEED?

To apply for this role you will:

• Be a social worker with significant experience of work with children, young people and families.
• Have experience of using evidence-based practice to devise effective interventions
• Have knowledge and experience of implementing legislation and national standards relevant to the role
• Have the ability to implement a range of social work theories relevant to the role
• Be committed to improving outcomes for children, young people, families and carers

You can read more about the experience, skills and personal qualities we are looking for in the attached person specification.
 
If successful, you will be required to apply for a Disclosure and Barring Service Enhanced Disclosure.

INTERVIEWS
Interviews are scheduled for 20 July 2026, but we are able to be flexible around annual leave.
 
We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that can show they meet all the essential criteria and have indicated they have a disability, are a looked after young person, care leaver or a veteran.
 
OUR OFFER TO YOU
We offer a competitive rewards package that includes attractive salaries, a generous annual leave entitlement of 27 days (rising to 32 after five years’ continuous local government service), membership of the excellent contributory career average Local Government Pension Scheme, and a range of flexible working arrangements including hybrid working (home and office) where applicable. Explore the full range of rewards and benefits on our website 

This post is eligible for a recruitment/retention allowance of £2,500 over 12 months (pro-rata for part tiem workers). Payments are made in equal instalments across a 12-month period alongside your pay. The allowances are subject to tax, National Insurance and pension contributions.

Rewards and benefits are subject to individual terms and conditions.
 
EQUALITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION
We are a proud equal opportunities employer and believe a diverse workforce brings fresh ideas and drives service improvement. We welcome applications from everyone and make employment decisions based on skills and ability. As a Disability Confident Leader, we actively encourage applications from disabled people and offer support throughout the recruitment process.
 
HOW TO APPLY 
We welcome applications from disabled people and those who are or consider themselves to be neurodivergent
Please note, we do not accept CVs. All applications must be submitted online via the Northeast Jobs portal. Use the ‘Person Specification’ section of the form to clearly demonstrate how you meet the essential (and where possible, desirable) criteria. Applications that do not evidence the essential requirements will not be shortlisted. For guidance on completing your application, visit our website 
 
If you require assistance when applying for this role, please contact our Recruitment Helpdesk on 03000 26 27 27, or via email RecruitmentCYPS@durham.gov.uk
 
All correspondence relating to your application will be sent from donotreply@northeastjobs.org.uk. Kindly check your spam/junk folder regularly to ensure you don’t miss any updates.
 
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Company: Durham County Council

Salary: Grade 12, £44,075 - £48,226 per annum - Pay Award Pending

Location: Durham, Durham

Sector: Health and Social Care

Sector: Social Care

Job Role: Social Worker