Social Worker - Children's Social Work

This is a great time to join us in Plymouth where exciting things are happening. We are developing Families First Partnership approaches with our partners to ensure children and families have the help and support they need to help them to be safe, happy and to thrive.

This is an exciting time to be part of something new and really help shape the future offer for children, young people and families in Plymouth. We have a variety of opportunities available for qualified social workers based on your passion and interest of work and will be looking to match you to the right teams.

• Are committed to high‑quality practice and safeguarding.
• Value collaboration, honesty, and continuous learning.
• Are compassionate, curious, and action oriented.
• Want to be part of a team that supports each other and puts children, young people and their families first.

We are at a crucial point in our implementation of the Families First Partnership programme of children’s social care reforms and are looking for Social Workers to be part of new teams working in a multi-disciplinary way, moving towards locality working alongside partner agencies.

As a Social Worker in Plymouth, you will join a friendly, dedicated, talented and passionate team of social workers, family help practitioners, social work assistants and students who value getting things right for children and their families through our trauma informed, restorative and strengths‑based practice approach.

You will be at the heart of keeping children and young people safe, using creative family led approaches to help families stay together, and ensuring high‑quality protection, care and planning when it is needed.

• Build meaningful relationships with children, young people and their families.
• Carry out thorough and timely assessments to understand needs and risks and inform effective intervention plans.
• Make decisions that put children’s best interests first.
• Advocate for children and young people, including care leavers.
• Work collaboratively with professionals across sectors.
• Contribute to our practice improvement and embed best practice.
• Champion trauma‑informed, strengths based and restorative practice.

The ’10 Wishes’ developed by our children and young people are embedded across our partnership as part of our commitment to listening to children’s voices and acting in response to what they tell us. You will be able to demonstrate evidence of your commitment to the voice of children and families.

Plymouth Is a City Of Ambition, Compassion, And Progress. Our Latest Ofsted Inspection (January 2024) Recognised Significant Progress And Highlighted Multiple Areas Of Strength

• Timely child protection work:
  Improved understanding of risk and early support prevents drift or delay.
• Strong relationships:
  Social workers know the children they work with, build trust, and advocate for them.
• Corporate parenting culture:
  Senior leaders and elected members are committed to looked‑after children and care leavers.
• Support for early career staff:
  Our ASYE programme and Children Services Learning Academy offers robust support and Continued Professional Development throughout your career.
• Care leaver progress:
  Ofsted praised our ambition and support for care‑experienced young people aged 16–25.

In Plymouth, we take pride in being nationally leading and we are known for our proactive approach to improving outcomes. As early adopters of the DfE’s Early Career Framework, and partners in national research with Durham University for Contextual Safeguarding we don’t just respond to change; we help lead it.

When you join us, you’ll be joining a service that values you not…