Job Title: Newly Qualified Social Worker (NQSW) role in Children’s Social Care
Hours: 37
Salary: HC07 £33,945 per annum
Contract: Permanent
Location: Hereford
Closing date: 03/11/2024
Interview date: w/c 11/11/2024
Come and join us on our Restorative Journey of Improvement to gain the best for children and families in Herefordshire
The Role
Recently qualified or are about to qualify as a social worker? We have a great new offer for NQSWs, an assisted and supported year in employment (ASYE) designed to give you the opportunity to apply your newly acquired skills and experience, whilst making a difference to the lives of children and young people in Herefordshire. So if you are looking for a supportive environment, protected case load, great colleagues, easy access to the great outdoors and strong sense of community why not apply?
So why us?
Herefordshire Children’s Services is currently embarking on an ambitious transformation journey to improve the quality of our support to children and families. Our ASYE programme is a key part of this. We have “established a positive and supportive ASYE programme with the academy providing a stable foundation, holding true to the core ASYE principles” (Skills for Care, 17/10/2022).
As a NQSW you will be supported by the Social Care Academy, who will provide a protected and supportive environment for your induction and training. You will be allocated an Advanced Practitioner who will guide you throughout the year. In addition you will have access to a bespoke 52 week learning programme and Herefordshire’s revised and refreshed learning offer which will support you throughout your ongoing professional learning and development journey.
We guarantee a protected caseload of children and young people, and as NQSW are ‘supernumerary’ you will be provided with opportunities to practice in different service areas within the children and families directorate. In addition you will be provided with opportunities to develop essential critical reflection skills, training and direct observations of your practice, all aimed at giving you the best chance to complete your ASYE programme and portfolio to the standards expected by the Department for Education and Skills for Care
As a newly qualified social worker, you will engage with others in different service areas/organisations to broaden your learning, gain peer support, and build critical awareness. The Social Care Academy are focused on delivering strong career development pathways. We will identify NQSWs who can be our future senior practitioners and Managers and continue to offer learning and development opportunities once you have graduated the ASYE programme.
And ……. when you successfully complete your ASYE, you will automatically move up to the next grade and become eligible for the market forces supplement attached to the role (currently standing at £5,000 per annum). You will also receive a certificate from Skills for Care funded by The Department for Education for your continuous professional development (CPD).
We are currently looking for applicants who will have graduated and be registered with Social Work England by December 2024. In exchange for having a great experience with us, we ask that you are a team player and will put children and their families at the heart of your practice to strive to get the best possible outcomes for them.
Interested? Then review the job description and person specification for this role. If you are still keen, then we welcome your application! To apply, please submit your CV and our supporting statement template, detailing how you meet the specific requirements of the role.
If you would like to speak with someone further to help you decide whether this role is for you, please email us at: [email protected]
The deadline for applications is Midnight on Sunday 3rd November 2024. We plan to hold interviews for successful candidates the week commencing the 11th November 2024. GOOD LUCK!
We Offer
A competitive salary, generous holiday entitlement, and access to our contributory pension and staff benefits scheme, which includes:
- Pension Scheme Enrolment in the Local Government (LGPS).
- Professional development: protected time and budget to support social workers develop themselves and their careers.
- Career progression: clear pathways to progress to senior social worker level.
- Generous Annual Leave: 31 days’ annual leave (pro rata) plus bank holidays. You can also purchase an additional 10 days per annum.
- Employee Assistance Programme: 24/7 access to support and counselling.
- Payment of professional membership fees.
- Pick your perks – our benefits include access to a range of retail, leisure, holiday and health benefits. This includes savings, cash back and discounts.
About Us
Herefordshire is a beautiful, historic county located in the heart of the Marches on the border with Wales. We are one of the most rural and sparsely populated counties in England with a wealth of unspoilt countryside, distinctive heritage, and lively and attractive market towns.
Our priority in Herefordshire is to keep children safe and give them a great start in life. It’s the priority for the council, our partners and for all of us who work with Children & Young People.
How do we do this? By having dynamic, dedicated, passionate and professional staff who work in a culture that focuses on what we can achieve with children, what they can achieve themselves, and the relationship we build with families and partners to enable this. We have invested heavily in training and developing staff in our relational practice approach with our improvement partner Leeds City Council, so it's an exciting time to join Herefordshire – we believe in investing in you so you can be the best you can be!
Herefordshire has a really strong team ethos. Our teams are passionate about the work they do and the positive difference they and the teams they are in make to people’s lives. This is all underpinned by the focus and support from their managers and the council as a whole.
Come to Herefordshire and join the journey.
Herefordshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children & young people and vulnerable adults. If you are offered this position, it will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service enhanced check and further pre-employment checks.
The following candidates will be interviewed if they meet the essential criteria for the post they are applying for:
- Those who indicate that they have a disability. This is part of our commitment to the “Disability Confident” scheme;
- Those who indicate in their supporting statement that they are an Armed Forces Veteran or Reservist. This is part of our pledge to support the Armed Forces Covenant; and
- Those who indicate in their supporting statement that they are a Herefordshire care leaver. This is part of our commitment to supporting young people leaving our care
We will deliver better support to our most vulnerable children and their families, develop stronger relationships with partners across the region, and beyond. Therefore, we take our commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults seriously and expect all of our staff, visitors and volunteers to share in this commitment.
Please refer to the Job Description and Person Specification for more details of this role.
To apply, please submit your CV and complete the supporting statement within the application form, referring to the job description & person specification, detailing how you meet the specific requirements of the role.