Consultant Social Worker

About the role

The Family Support and Advice Line is Dorset Council’s Children’s Services “Front Door” team. This telephone‑based service supports safeguarding contacts and referrals, promoting relationships and collaboration so children and young people receive the right help. Our Consultant Social Workers are known as Front Door Social Workers and work as part of a dedicated, collaborative team.

The service works 365 days per year, including on‑call and overnight shifts. Consultant Social Workers are on a rota that includes overnight, on call once per fortnight. A flexible and solution‑focused approach is required, with a clear understanding of service demand.

Consultant Social Workers work a full‑time 4‑day week (with a part‑time option) to support a healthy work/life balance.

You are a skilled, registered social worker – a Diploma/Degree/MA in Social Work with a minimum of 4 years post‑qualifying experience in Children’s Services – and you are registered with Social Work England.

You can work flexibly, remain calm and reflective under pressure, and support colleagues and partner agencies. You promote relationships within the community and foster a positive learning culture for yourself and others.

Your role will include opportunities to chair multi‑agency meetings, supervise team members, provide training for partners and develop a lead role within the conversational model. You will be part of a service that puts children and families at the heart of everything we do, focuses on “getting it right the first time”, makes services easily accessible, develops a skilled workforce and measures success by improving lives for children and young people.

This position requires significant travel and the use of a vehicle or suitable transport. You will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check.

We welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. If you declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role, we will offer you an interview. We will provide reasonable adjustments for applicants as needed.

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation that works together to create a fairer, more prosperous Dorset. Our employees support our communities through essential services and are encouraged to grow, develop and thrive.

We offer a range of benefits and support, training and development opportunities to help your career progress.