A fantastic opportunity has arisen for Social Workers and Senior Social Workers to join our enthusiastic, supportive and welcoming teams in Locality Children’s Services.

We are an Ofsted GOOD children’s services provider with OUTSTANDING leadership.

About us

Our locality safeguarding teams are dedicated to supporting children and families throughout their journeys within children's services. Social workers manage a mixed, capped, caseload of child and family assessments, child in need, child protection, completing S.47 investigations and care proceedings.

Our staff have been key to our transformation to Ofsted GOOD children’s services with outstanding leadership. This has recently led to us winning the national LGC Children’s Services Award.

At Wakefield we’re creating the right organisational environment for good social work to thrive. We’ve seen significant investment into our children’s services, including into staffing and resources. This is seeing a positive impact on our performance, quality of social work practice, and culture, as well as for our children and young people.

We are looking for more ambitious and passionate people to join our children's social work teams. You will help us strive to achieve the highest standards and make a difference to our district's children and families.

Our social work practice with children and families is so important. It can be both incredibly challenging and hugely rewarding. The responsibility of working with families where the decision you make and the power of your influence can shape and change lives, can be difficult. You will have access excellent management to support you in your role.

Wakefield Families Together is a unique social work operating model which was co-designed with staff and partners to support your practice. It incorporates a comprehensive set of tools and theories, with an overarching restorative approach. This allows staff to deliver the best practice and achieve the best outcomes for families. It means that there is a strong multi-agency partnership with working links documented as a real strength by
Ofsted Inspectors. With “joined-up thinking”, services, and co-located teams enabling staff to have a “positive impact on children and families”. 

We work very closely with our Early Help colleagues to ensure that services are targeted at the right level and that interventions for families are undertaken at the right time in order to affect change in order to prevent children experiencing crisis or significant harm.

How we will support you

Rated ‘Outstanding’ for leadership by Ofsted, our management team are approachable, supportive, and present. Regular supervision is in place, and we continually seek staff’s views and opinions.

We will support you in your practice and decision making so you never feel alone. Our culture of high support, high challenge provides our workforce with relevant training and learning to undertake great practice and creates spaces for them to learn from others and receive appropriate challenge to help ensure that the decisions they make are right ones for children and families.

Being a social worker can be challenging enough at times, without overwhelming case numbers. We strive to keep your caseloads below 20 and have measures in place to make sure it stays that way.

We keep teams small so that staff can do their best work and feel genuinely supported in their roles. Because it's all about fostering a together culture at Wakefield.

Wakefield is proud to adopt a learning culture. We can boast as being an authority that “excels as a learning organisation” – as seen by Ofsted inspectors. Our in-house Learning Academy provide creative learning solutions to support learning and development. A dedicated Learning Academy website also means that wherever you are, you have access to a wealth of information, resources, and support for your role and situation. With our close connections to Research in Practice, and the Leeds and Wakefield Social Work Partnership too, we have a learning culture we’re truly proud of.

What will be expected from me?

You will play a central role in achieving positive outcomes for children and young people in Wakefield District. You will be working with a small and well supported team led by engaging and supportive management team who are committed to making a difference to families within Wakefield.

What can I expect?

• This is a full-time post of 37 hours per week with workplace based/flexible option available.
• Good leave entitlement
• Excellent peer and management support  

Why Wakefield Council?

• Support and access to a high-quality training programme to progress your career to the next level.
• We are committed to supporting the wellbeing of our staff and we recognise that resilient social worker staff need a good work/life balance as well as supportive leadership and support in the workplace. Access to Employee Assistance Programme, Wellbeing Coaching if required, Support for Carers, a Sense of Belonging.
• Discounted and subsidised public transport (Arriva Bus Annual Travel Ticket, Northern Trains Limited (NTL), MetroCard).
• The Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). 

Essential requirements: 

• BA or MA in Social Work, Diploma in Social Work, or equivalent, recognised by the Central Council for Education & Training in Social Work.
• Registered with Social Work England.
• Experience of working with children and families as a qualified Social Worker.
• An ability to build strong relationships with colleagues and partner agencies.
• An ability to write high quality reports and assessments and analyse information effectively.

For further information about any of the roles please contact: 

Amy Windsor, Team Manager- awindsor@Wakefield.gov.uk

Jennie Finbow, Team Manager- jfinbow@wakefield.gov.uk